ALZ Discovery Grant Program for International Researchers

ALZ Discovery Grant Program for International Researchers

The Alzheimer’s Association has recognized the opportunity to leverage the tremendous resources being developed and advanced throughout the field, including those developed by MODEL-AD centers.

The ALZ Discovery Grant Program will aim to fund projects that leverage and utilize data sets such as those now available through the MODEL-AD AD Knowledge Portal or MODEL-AD and related animal models available through The Jackson Laboratory for new research proposals.

Although Alzheimer’s research has significantly advanced in recent years, the field still faces challenges in the ability to translate basic science discoveries into effective treatments and evidence-based clinical practices for dementia care.

Preference will be given to projects that are collaborative and multidisciplinary.

This grant program is open to U.S. and international researchers.

Funding and Award Period

The maximum grant amount is $250,000, with anticipated funding ranges to be $100,000 to $250,000 depending on the project scope and resources utilized (experimental or experimental/computational projects).

Projects using entirely public downloadable data from AD Knowledge Portal (computational projects) and no other resources (for example: animals, brain tissue, organs) are limited to $100,000.

Budget spending should be appropriately aligned to the specific aims and proposed milestones of the project.

The maximum project duration is 3 years for projects utilizing live animals and up to 2 years for projects not using live animals.

There is no minimum timeframe.

Indirect costs are restricted to no more than 10% of the total budget and are inclusive of the maximum grant amount noted.

Eligibility

In general, public, private, domestic and foreign research laboratories, medical centers, hospitals and universities are eligible to apply.

State and federal government-appropriated laboratories in the U.S. and abroad and for-profit organizations are not eligible to serve as the primary applicant institution.

However, state and federal government scientists can participate as collaborating scientists with research teams from other eligible applicant institutions.

The applying institution must provide documentation verifying non-profit status.

For the Letter of Intent (LOI), you will be required to upload proof of your organization’s not-for-profit status.

An IRS Letter of Determination is not accepted and you must submit either of the following:

W-9 that is signed and dated by the signing official for US entities

W-8 or W-8-BEN that is signed and dated by the signing official for international entities.

Each must include the EIN, TIN or VAT number.
For non-profit organizations (non-academic), additional documentation may be required to confirm your organization has segregation of duties between transaction execution and transaction recording.

The Alzheimer’s Association recognizes the need to increase the number of scientists from underrepresented groups in the research enterprise.

Researchers from these groups are encouraged to apply.

Full time postdoctoral fellows that are able to serve as PI on funding applications and/or those with an administrative P1, Assistant and Associate Professors are eligible to apply.

Ineligibility

Overlapping funding of more than one Alzheimer's Association grant is not allowed.

Investigators who currently have an active Association grant may apply for another award in the last year of their grant if that last year concludes by June 30th before the start of the new funding year on July 1.

There are some exceptions so please contact grantsapp@alz.org if you have questions regarding your eligibility.

Investigators that have received Alzheimer’s Association funding and are currently delinquent in submitting required reports or have awards closed as “Incomplete” are not eligible to apply.

Current members of the Association's Medical and Scientific Advisory Group (MSAG) and the International Research Grant Program (IRGP) Council are ineligible to:

Compete as a primary applicant or co-investigator for any research grant

To receive any financial benefit from an application.

These individuals may be listed as key personnel/collaborators to an application and will be recused from participating in their peer-review.

Submitting a Letter of Intent

The Letter of Intent (LOI) is a required step in the application process.

First-time users must register and complete a Professional Profile to begin the LOI process.

No hard copies will be accepted.

The LOI is completed through the online interactive system; you will need to complete the required sections and upload all required documents.

The main

section will have a limit of 5,000 characters (approximately 1-to 1.5 pages), and should include the information below (no figures/graphics or images are allowed):

Specific Aims of the Project

Data set and/ or Models to be used

Timeline

For U.S. entities, the LOI materials will include proof of your organization’s not-for-profit status and a W9 signed and dated by the signing official.

Non-US entities must provide a W8-BEN-E signed and dated by the signing official.

Your LOI will not be accepted without these documents.

Evaluation of LOIs

All LOIs will be evaluated prior to invitation for a full proposal.

Only LOIs that meet program specific guidelines and review criteria will be invited to submit full applications.

LOIs will be reviewed by a panel of experts with special attention to:

Demonstrable innovation/novelty of the proposed project (especially in the context of the PI/PIs and team recent work

Alignment with the research priorities of the RFA

Utilization of available MODEL-AD resources
Impact of project on AD and ADRD research

Feedback is not provided at the LOI stage.

Submitting a Full Application

For those invited to submit a full application, additional materials will be required.

Templates and instructions will be provided after LOI approval.

Full applications will include:

Background/ Rationale (1 page): should include background and clearly defined hypothesis and/or rationale addressing why strategy is expected to be fruitful.

This should also note the specific aims.

Work Plan (up to 5 pages): should include goals/specific aims, methods and project plan and should be organized in alignment with the milestones as outlined in the application.

Principal Investigator(s) and Key Personnel Curriculum Vitae or Biosketch (no more than 5 pages per person); there is no limit on the number of CVs to be included

Available Resources and Budget Justification (2 pages):

Expenses that will not be allowed under this award include: Computer hardware or standard software (e.g. Microsoft Office, mouse monitor, computer parts), laboratory equipment such as freezers, ultracentrifuges, RT-PCR, microscopy/imaging equipment, service contract fees of equipment, construction or renovation costs, tuition, rent for laboratory/office space, expenses such as Data Network Recharges and Computing and communication device support services, general liability insurances, such as GAEL, wire and currency exchange fees.

If awarded, a full budget of planned expenses will be required.

A list of tools/models available (if appropriate, list critical tools and models to be used or needed in the course of the research); budget should be broken down in 1 year increments and align with project milestones.

Data sharing plan (1 page): it is expected that data generated through this funding mechanism will include a robust plan for data sharing as well as appropriate included budget to accommodate this plan.

Data sharing is a key component of the application and will be considered during review and evaluation.

Information on timelines, feasibility, and the platform(s) and/or mechanisms of sharing should be included.

Failure to share data appropriately may prevent investigators from being eligible for future funding.

Data should be shared through AD Knowledge Portal and/or Agora and/or AlzPED (as applicable, for details see section Data Sharing Expectations for ALZ Discovery Program).

Citations/ References (1 page): Use the reference style that is most common in the major journal(s)

W9/W8 Documentation

Deadlines and Award Timeline

Key Dates for this program include:

Letter of Intent Launch: October 18, 2022

Letter of Intent Deadline: November 18, 2022, 5 p.m. ET (No Exceptions)

Letter of Intent Notifications: Week of December 19, 2022

Application Deadline: January 30, 2023, 5 p.m. ET (No Exceptions)

Application Review: January 2023 to June 2023
Award Notifications: By June 30, 2023

Letters of intent will be accepted through 5 p.m. ET November 18, 2022.

For those invited to submit a full application, the full application must be received by 5 p.m. ET, January 30, 2023.

No hard copies or emails will be accepted.

Award announcements will be made by June 30, 2023.

For more information and job application details, see: ALZ Discovery Grant Program for International Researchers

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