Funding Opportunities
The Corporate and Foundations Relations Office is able to work with faculty applying for corporate and foundation opportunities below. Please contact them by email or by phone at 919.962.2867. For all applications, please be sure to work with your Department of Pediatrics division grants administrator. Headlines are linked for more information.
The Angelman Syndrome Foundation (ASF) is accepting proposals to fund pilot projects to test new ideas about pathogenesis and therapeutics of Angelman syndrome, translational research and clinical research studies. Deadlines – October 15 and April 15.
The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) invites proposals to build large-scale AI/ML models that cannot be created with conventional university resources. CZI is the only philanthropic organization to fund and build one of the largest computing systems dedicated to nonprofit life sciences research in the world. CZI鈥檚 cluster is optimized for AI and machine learning training at scale and comprises 1,024 Nvidia H100 GPUs in an NVIDIA DGX SuperPOD configuration with access to VAST fast data storage. Priority will be given to proposals that aim to create models that align with CZI鈥檚 work to build virtual cells, but all proposals relating to CZI鈥檚 mission to cure, prevent, or manage all diseases by the end of the century will be considered. Learn more about CZI鈥檚 work to build AI-powered virtual cells. Applications are due at 3 p.m. on June 18, 2025. For more information, please visit the .
Children’s Research Institute Research Grant Initiative
As part of the mission of the Children鈥檚 Research Institute (CRI) to coordinate and support pediatric research, we are thrilled to support 3 research funding opportunities: 1) Carolina for the Kids (CFTK) Research Grant Awards; 2) 大象传媒 Children鈥檚 Development Early Career Investigator Grants; and 3) IQVIA Pediatric Clinical Scholars Award. Please look for information on next year’s cycle in fall 2024.
The Commonwealth Fund鈥檚 Advancing Health Equity program, established in 2021, aims to advance equity in U.S. health care. Its goal is to eliminate unequal treatment, experience, and outcomes in health and health care for people of color by reducing systemic racism in health care policy and practice through three focus areas: promoting antiracism in health care delivery systems, promoting antiracism in health care policy, and changing the mindset of health care leaders and professionals. This is an open RFA with no deadline.
Information about funding opportunities related to COVID-19 will be added to the 大象传媒 Office of Research website as they become available. These include opportunities from the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The听Human Tissues and Organs for Research Resource (HTORR) U42 program is now offering a new听Pilot Award Program. This Pilot Award Program is intended to facilitate the generation of preliminary data necessary for an investigator to obtain subsequent funding, and will support individuals that meet at least one of the following high priority areas:
- Early-stage investigators that are within 10 years of a terminal degree or completion of clinical residency.
- Established investigators that are transitioning to use human biospecimens.
The 2-year awards provided through our Pilot Award Program will include up to ~10 biological samples per awarded investigator, covering all costs associated with obtaining the biospecimens, including tissue preservation reagents and shipping costs. Beyond the service period and experimental analysis phase, the awardee will also receive supplementary support to develop grant applications to the NIH Institute that supported their award, and only applications that fall into the fields covered by these institutes will be reviewed. The institutes currently included are the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), the National Eye Institute (NEI), the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), and the Office of Research Infrastructure Programs (ORIP).
The fall cycle opens June 1, 2025 and is due October 1, 2025. For more information, please visit听or reach out to听grants@ndriresource.org.
The new application deadlines for NCBiotech’s Grant Programs have been . Updated guidelines and materials will be available online before each program’s first deadline.
- : NCBiotech’s event and meeting grants support North Carolina-based听events and meetings that听bring information and networking opportunities on diverse topics to听the life sciences community听statewide. Proposal deadlines are 5/28/2025, 8/27/2025, 11/19/2025, and 2/25/2026.
- The听Flash Grant听program aims to identify and energize creative ideas that exhibit early indications of commercial potential. Like a flash of inspiration, Flash Grants infuse a quick jolt of funding at a critical early point when a small, targeted influx of funds can be crucial to shaping innovative research ideas into high potential life sciences technologies. Deadlines are 9/17/2025, 12/3/2025, and 3/25/2026.
- The听Innovation Impact Grant (IIG)听program supports the purchase of shared-use research equipment听for core facilities at academic or nonprofit institutions that foster innovation within North Carolina鈥檚 life sciences ecosystem. Applications are due 10/1/2025.
- The听Translational Research Grant (TRG)听program funds听projects that explore commercial applications or initiate the early commercial development of university-held life sciences inventions. The technology must have the potential to solve a real-world problem as a commercial product in the life sciences sector. Due dates are 8/6/2025 and 1/28/2026.
The NC TraCS Clinical and Translational Science (CTS) Pilot Program is seeking proposals that focus on understanding a scientific or operational principle underlying a step of the translational research process with the goal of developing generalizable principles to accelerate translation. Projects must be feasible within a one-year time frame and have high scientific and methodological quality. Prospective applicants are required to meet with Pilot Program staff to discuss their project prior to submission. Staff can advise on how to best present the translational science problem to be addressed, the general methodological approach, and whether any NC TraCS services might be useful to the project. Applications are due July 8. For more information, visit the .
The North Carolina Translational and Clinical Sciences Institute (NCTraCS) provides a variety of pilot funding opportunities to facilitate the transfer of research findings to clinical practice in order to improve the health of the people of North Carolina. Multiple grant mechanisms are available.
This notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) encourages innovative research to develop, improve, characterize, and preserve animal models as well as animal model related biological materials, technologies, and new approach methodologies (NAMs) for studies relevant to human health and disease. This NOFO also seeks projects aimed at improving the diagnosis and control of diseases that could confound or interfere with animal use in biomedical research. The proposed project must have broad applicability to multiple NIH Institutes or Centers (ICs) to align with the NIH-wide mission of the Office of Research Infrastructure Programs (ORIP). The proposed studies must include animal models and explore multiple body systems or multiple categories of diseases. Applications that develop models focused on a specific disease or area of research, or only propose studies primarily relevant to a single NIH IC, will be considered not acceptable to this NOFO and will be withdrawn. For more information, please see the linked听here.
The goal of the NIAMS clinical trial program is to support research leading to the prevention or reduction of symptoms and improve outcomes and function in patients with rheumatic, musculoskeletal, or skin conditions or diseases. The purpose of the Exploratory Clinical Trials Grants Program is to foster clinical trials that will lead to meaningful improvements in prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of these conditions or diseases. This Exploratory Clinical Trials Grants Program is designed to facilitate the execution of short-term, interventional studies. The Program is intended to support a range of exploratory studies, from proof-of-concept/first in human to Phase I and Phase II clinical trials. Such studies must meet the NIH definition of a听听and be feasible within the time and budget constraints of this NOFO. A high priority is the use of such studies to stimulate the translation of promising research developments from laboratory, preclinical, and early human testing into clinical practice. The proposed study should be supported by a strong scientific rationale. Preliminary data specifically related to clinical effect of the proposed intervention in the targeted condition are not required for R61 applications; however, they may be included if available. All preliminary data included will be evaluated by the reviewers. The earliest submission date is February 4, 2025. For more information, please see the full .
This notice is soliciting R01 grant applications that would support independent research projects within the scientific mission areas of the participating NIH Institutes or Centers from a diverse cohort of New Investigators and At-Risk Investigators. The first deadline is February 5, 2025. For more information, please see the .
Evidence for Action prioritizes research to evaluate specific interventions (e.g., policies, programs, practices) that have the potential to counteract the harms of structural and systemic racism and improve health, well-being, and equity outcomes. This funding is focused on studies about upstream causes of health inequities, such as the systems, structures, laws, policies, norms, and practices that determine the distribution of resources and opportunities, which in turn influence individuals鈥� options and behaviors. Research should center on the needs and experiences of communities exhibiting the greatest health burdens and be motivated by real-world priorities. It should be able to inform a specific course of action and/or establish beneficial practices, not stop at characterizing or documenting the extent of a problem.听This is an open RFA with no deadline.
Pioneering Ideas: Exploring the Future to Build a Culture of Health seeks proposals that are primed to influence health equity in the future. We are interested in ideas that address any of these four areas of focus: Future of Evidence; Future of Social Interaction; Future of Food; Future of Work. Additionally, we welcome ideas that might fall outside of these four focus areas, but which offer unique approaches to advancing health equity and our progress toward a Culture of Health. This is an open RFA with no deadline.
The Thrasher Research Fund is accepting concept papers to support young investigators in pediatric research. The program鈥檚 aim is to encourage the development of medical research in child health by awarding small grants to new researchers. The grant cycle is an ongoing process throughout the year.
The program provides pilot funding between $5,000 鈥� $20,000 and/or pre-proposal support for 大象传媒 scholars and researchers to approach novel ideas addressing important problems or roadblocks in a current line of inquiry. This unique program provides 鈥渞ight place, right kind鈥� resources by coupling seed funding and person time to support competitive teams of 大象传媒 researchers. In addition to funding for preliminary data collection, travel, and team-building activities, awardees will receive expert guidance in planning and preparing grant applications for extramural funding opportunities. This competition is now accepting applications anytime and will receive initial review upon receipt. It is planned that awards will be made promptly after internal review by OVCR leadership and offered on a deliverables oriented schedule. Up-to date instructions will always be kept on the ORD website.
大象传媒 (SOM) faculty are extremely successful in their efforts to obtain funding for their research, even though the funding climate has become increasingly competitive. The SOM recognizes that it often takes multiple submissions and additional experimental data to get a new project funded, particularly as a new investigator, or with a more complex, multi-PI project. In support of these efforts, the SOM Office of Research is inviting applications from faculty for Boost awards, which are designed to boost the chances of funding for an NIH grant (or similar) that has been reviewed favorably but needs additional revisions and preliminary data in order to be funded on resubmission. For more information, please visit the OoR Funding site.
The School of Medicine is opening the first round of applications for Bridge Funding for this fiscal year. Bridge Funding provides continued support for successful research projects that suffer a lapse in funding. Investigators eligible for funding in this round should have had a competing renewal application for an R01 or equivalent grant reviewed in the most recent review cycle. Bridge funding is a critical resource for SOM faculty, and a high proportion of bridge funding recipients have been successful in renewing their NIH support. Thus, a competitive bridge funding application must demonstrate a high likelihood of receiving NIH funding upon resubmission. Please visit the OoR Funding site for more information.
The School of Medicine is committed to supporting SOM labs that have been impacted by recent delays in the NIH grant pipeline. To assist with this temporary need, the SOM will administer the Parachute Fund (PF). The fund is targeted for R01/R35, U, and P competitive renewals which received highly fundable scores in study section (within institute paylines) but have not yet received a Notice of Award (NOA) due to the current delay in council meetings. In keeping with the principle of putting people first, the PF program will help support lab personnel as research labs await an NOA. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis to OoR_submissions@med.unc.edu. For questions, please contact Janelle Cross. For more information, please see the attached.
The SOM is committed to supporting SOM labs that have been impacted by recent terminations of existing grants in the recent months following the executive orders and subsequent changes at the NIH and other federal agencies. To assist with this critical need and support the people in our research labs, the SOM will administer the听Sunset Fund (SF).听The SF is targeted to terminated grants (not Stop Work orders). We will provide up to听$50,000听for previously funded R01/R35/R00, U, and P grants (or similar) that were terminated unexpectedly in mid-cycle. We will provide up to听$30,000听for R21 grants and independent K01/K08/K22/K23 (or similar) grants. For more information, please see the Sunset Fund RFA.