Trailblazer Grant


Descriptions

Opportunity link:

Sponsor:

Propel a Cure for Crohn's Disease

Award amount and duration:

$100,000, disbursed over two years in equal annual installments

Currency:

USD

Eligibility

Applications are invited from qualified investigators in academic, medical, or commercial research institutions worldwide.

Summary

Propel a Cure will provide funding for a highly innovative and impactful research project that could ultimately lead to critical discoveries in the quest to cure Crohn’s disease. We encourage creativity, which may include a shifting perspective, looking at the existing problem through a different lens, or developing an entirely new paradigm. We welcome early-career and established investigators to pursue novel hypotheses, explore new topics and directions, and generate compelling data that may lead to new external funding.

Applicants will need to justify how the available funding and time frame are adequate to achieve the project goals. The awardee will agree to provide brief written updates on a quarterly basis, including confi dential summaries for Propel a Cure and summaries that can be shared publicly with Propel a Cure’s supporters, as well as participate in 1-2 video interviews and/or webinars annually during the award’s time frame.

Please submit questions and final proposals to grants@propelacure.org.

Overhead

Not supported


Deadlines

Application deadlines

RSO detailed review deadline

Date:
April 16, 2026 - 12:00 PM

RSO final internal review deadline

Date:
April 27, 2026 - 12:00 PM

Program application deadline

Date:
April 30, 2026 - 9:59 PM

Approvals

NOTE: Consult your Faculty Associate Dean (Research) (ADR) regarding Faculty-specific deadlines and submission processes.

Principal Investigators: Complete a Research Management System (RMS) record, including a copy of your complete application, and submit this for approvals in RMS.

Postdocs, students, and trainees: For fellowships and externally-sponsored research training awards or opportunities, you must complete the Research Funding Application Approval (RFAA) Trainee PDF form, and submit it, along with a complete copy of the application, to Research Services at rsotrainee@ucalgary.ca. Trainees should not use RMS at this time.

Approvals: The University of Calgary requires that all funding applications be approved prior to submission. Approval requires signatures via either RMS or the RFAA Trainee form, in the following order:

  • Principal Investigator
  • Department Head
  • Faculty ADR/Dean
  • Research Services (on behalf of the Vice-President Research)

Read the Meaning of Grant Signatures policy to understand what your approval means. Please see the agency guidelines for details about which signatures are required on your application, as it may differ from internal requirements.

Late submissions: Late submissions will only be accepted in cases of medical or family emergencies, or other exceptional circumstances. If you submit your RMS record to Research Services after the internal deadline has passed, you must secure additional approvals. Please read: Late Applications Process.


Additional Information

RESOURCES

Reminder: The sooner the researcher engages with Research Services, the more help we can be!

Contact the following Research Service units for support with:

Projects Involving Indigenous Research:

Support with incorporating wise practices in Indigenous research, community engagement, and Indigenous data management is available through the Indigenous Research Support Team (IRST).

Applicants can reach out by email to IRST at IRST@ucalgary.ca in advance of the RSO internal deadline. For more information about IRST, please visit the IRST webpage.

Knowledge Mobilization, Research Impact Assessment, DORA:

Support for knowledge mobilization/engagement/translation, community partnerships, research impact, responsible research assessment (DORA), and open science, is available through the Knowledge to Impact team.

Applicants can reach out by email to the KI team at knowledge.impact@ucalgary.ca.

For more information and access to resource archives, please visit the KI team webpage.

Research Data Management:

For information on research data management plans, processes, or best practices for your research program, please contact research.data@ucalgary.ca.

EDI in Research:

RSO can provide resources and support to research teams on the integration of equitable and inclusive practices in research design and research practice.

Contact edi.rso@ucalgary.ca for more information.

Research Security:

The Research Security Division is available to ensure researchers adhere to research security guidelines and policies, including the National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships (NSGRP) and the policy on Sensitive Technology Research and Affiliations of Concern (STRAC).

Visit the Research Security website to learn more or contact researchsecurity@ucalgary.ca.

Pre-Award Submissions:
RMS: Creating a Pre-Award Application


Contact Details


Keywords

Crohn's Disease
Novel Research
Biological Mechanisms