Limited Submission Internal Deadline: Brain Research Foundation 2021 Seed Grant Program

Limited Submissions: Internal Call for Proposals

Brain Research Foundation 

2021 Seed Grant Program
UNC Internal deadline: 11:59PM, Monday, November 30, 2020

 

*Please distribute to relevant faculty*

Key Dates

UNC Internal Deadline: 11:59PM, Monday, November 30, 2020

BRF LOI Deadline: Tuesday, January 5, 2021

Important Information

Who May Serve as PI: To be eligible, the PI must be a full-time Assistant or Associate Professor working in the field of neuroscience. Only one PI may apply per application.

To Apply

Submit the following (in ONE .pdf) to Limited_Submission@unc.edu by 11:59PM, Monday, November 30, 2020.

1. Name and academic title of PI
2. Title of program project
3. Project Summary (2-page maximum) 
4. Include closing paragraph that explains how this research will develop (I.e. next steps for future work)
5. List of current grants, including abstracts, specific aims, and any overlap
6. PI’s biosketch
7. List of potential collaborators (internal and external to UNC)
8. Names (along with title, department, and email) of three internal (to UNC) experts who could speak knowledgeably about the candidate’s research and who could potentially serve on an internal review panel.
   • • Please do not include the names of faculty named on the project, chairs, deans, directors, direct reports, or others who have a conflict of interest. 
     • Please notify all potential internal reviewers before submitting the pre-proposal packet to ORD. 

Program Overview

 

Brain Research Foundation funds innovative neuroscience research that expands understanding of how the brain works, and provides educational programs for researchers, families struggling with debilitating brain disorders and the general public. The Foundation plays a critical role in the scientific process by funding grants that are the starting blocks to discovery, allowing scientists to prove the feasibility of their projects and produce data that will make them eligible for larger government and institutional funds.

BRFs Annual Seed Grant Program was initiated in 1981. The purpose of the Program is to provide start-up money for new research projects and innovative programs that have the potential of becoming competitive for an NIH grant or other external funding sources. Our goal is to have this initial effort succeed in opening future opportunities for research, collaboration and scientific advancement.

The objective of the BRF Seed Grant Program is to support new and innovative projects, especially those of junior faculty, who are working in new research directions. BRF Seed Grant awards are not intended to supplement existing grants.

Award Information

 

Anticipated funding amounts: Each total award is limited to $80,000 (direct costs) for a two-year grant period. The support focus is for new research projects of the highest scientific merit.  The first grant payment of $40,000 will be made upon completion of the Seed Grant Acceptance Form (June 2021). The final payment of $40,000 will be made contingent upon receipt of a Preliminary Progress and Financial Report (June 2022). The support focus is for new research projects of the highest scientific merit.

 

Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization: 1. An eligible institution may submit a maximum of one faculty member.

 

Allowable costs under this award:  100% of these BRF Seed Grant funds must be utilized for direct costs.

 

Please refer to the full guidelines for which costs are allowable and which costs are prohibited:
https://thebrf.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/2021-SG-Guidelines.pdf

 

Eligibility Criteria

 

Brain Research Foundation invites eligible US institutions to nominate one faculty member (Assistant or Associate Professor) to submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) for the BRF Seed Grant Program.

 

Eligibility: 

• To be eligible, PI must be a full-time Assistant or Associate Professor at an invited US academic institution, working in the area of studies of brain function.  This includes molecular and clinical neuroscience as well as studies of neural, sensory, motor, cognitive, behavioral and emotional functioning in health and disease.
• The grant proposal must detail a new research project that is not funded by other sources. This grant is not to be used as bridge funding.
• Investigators at institutions that are affiliated with a medical school or university are eligible to apply only through the institution where they hold a full-time faculty position.
• Scientists that have previously received a BRF Seed Grant may not receive the award for a second time unless all grant requirements from all previous awards are met.
• Only one PI may apply per application.

 

Ineligibility: 

• PI is ineligible if they are not a full-time faculty member at the institution in which they are applying under.
• PI is ineligible if they are a Full Professor.
• PI is ineligible if they are a research assistant professor or research associate professor.
• PI is ineligible to submit more than one BRF Seed Grant proposal in a funding period.
• PI is ineligible if they have BRF funding that will overlap this grant period.
• PI is ineligible if they have been awarded prior BRF funding but have failed to submit progress and financial reports at the end of their grant period.
• PI is ineligible if they are a member of the BRF Scientific Review Committee.
• PI is ineligible if they are a relative of BRF a representative, including the SRC, as defined by the Foundation.

 

Additional Information

 

To view the full solicitation please click on the link below.
https://thebrf.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/2021-SG-Guidelines.pdf

 

Contact the Limited Submissions Team with questions at Limited_Submission@unc.edu.

 

 

Limited Submissions Team

Office of Research Development

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

308 Bynum Hall

Chapel Hill, NC 27599

(919) 962-7503