• General processes and deadlines

    Submission of all proposals submitted to non-Harvard organizations, including federal, non-profit, and industry organizations, must have prior approval before submission to the sponsor.  The HMS Office of Research Administration (ORA) has final approval for submission. It is critical to inform your grant manager as early as possible of your intent to submit a proposal to ensure enough time for planning.

    To ensure that all sponsored submissions receive institutional review and authorization, all application materials proposals must be received by ORA at least five (5) full business days prior to the sponsor’s due date. Please see the HMS Sponsored Submission Deadline Policy for more on this policy.

    To assist grant-seekers, Neuro department grant managers will work with all department researchers to review funding opportunities, complete application materials, and submit the materials to ORA. The grant manager will work with you on a timeline for submission, including setting an internal Neuro deadline for the required departmental review of the application deadline. This deadline is typically set five (5) business days prior to the ORA deadline to ensure application completeness.

    All proposals must be routed in Harvard’s Grants Management Application Suite (GMAS) for departmental and institutional approval. All Principal Investigators must electronically sign their GMAS proposal request to attest to the completeness of application materials and key project information. When trainees submit applications, their mentors must also sign-off on the proposal in GMAS.

    In order to meet ORA’s policy, the overall proposal planning process will have to begin earlier:

    Neurobiology Guidelines for sponsored proposal submissions:

    1. 6-months (or more) prior to sponsor due date - please communicate with your lab’s Grant Manager on your plans to submit a sponsored proposal (i.e. grant, fellowship, subcontract, etc.)
    2. 2-months prior to sponsor due date – begin to work with your lab’s Grant Manager on pulling together the components of your proposal
    3. 10-business days prior to sponsor due date – ALL required elements of your proposal should be complete(*) and in the hands of the Grant Manager for Department Chair review & approval
    4.  
      1. *DRAFT science sections: 10-business days prior to due date
      2. *FINAL science sections: 2-business days prior to due date

    Following these guidelines will allow for us to submit proposals of the highest quality by performing  a thorough review for compliance with Harvard and sponsor requirements, editing, and correction of errors or omissions.

    We appreciate your understanding and for supporting our efforts to provide comprehensive, substantive and productive assistance to all Neurobiology PIs when submitting proposals for external funding.

  • Department Services

    Grant managers will work with grant seekers on all submissions to external and internal sponsors. Neuro grant managers take an individualized approach to support each proposal, tailored to the needs of the Principal Investigator. Key services provided include:

    ·        Review of funding opportunity announcement (NOFO, RFA, RFQ, etc)

    ·        Coordinating with HMS Office of Research Administration

    ·        Creation of application checklist

    ·        Establishment of submission timeline to meet Neuro and HMS Office of Research Administration deadlines.

    ·        Drafting of budgets and budget justification outlines

    ·        Coordinating materials with co-PIs, collaborators and subrecipient institutions

    ·        Completion of standard application forms (ASSIST, Research.gov, Grants.gov forms, etc) and upload of attachments.

    ·        Early review of application materials for compliance with Harvard and sponsor requirements

     

  • Applicant Resources

    General Application Resources:

    ·        NIH Biographical Sketch: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/forms/biosketch.htm

    ·        Other Support and Disclosures guidance (including templates): https://research.harvard.edu/faculty-disclosure-guidance/

    ·        Data Management Plan: https://countway.harvard.edu/services/publishing-data-services/countway-data-management-plan-review-service

    ·        Budget Justification template

    ·        Facilities & Other Resource template

    ·        Equipment template 

    NIH Resources:

    ·        Application Guides: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/how-to-apply-application-guide.html

    ·        Standard Due Dates: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/how-to-apply-application-guide/due-dates-and-submission-policies/due-dates.htm

    o   Check the funding opportunity to confirm application due date

    ·        Data Management and Sharing Policy: https://sharing.nih.gov/data-management-and-sharing-policy

    ·        Policies and Compliance: https://grants.nih.gov/policy/index.htm

    ·        Historical NIH success rates: https://report.nih.gov/funding/nih-budget-and-spending-data-past-fiscal-years/success-rates

     

    NSF Resources:

    ·        Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG): https://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=papp

    ·        Overview: https://new.nsf.gov/funding/getting-started

    ·        Due Dates: See funding opportunities for deadlines.

  • Finding Funding

    Federal opportunities:

    Grants.gov: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants

    NIH Funding: https://grants.nih.gov/funding/searchguide/index.html#/

    NSF Funding: https://new.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities

    SAM.gov: https://sam.gov/content/opportunities (for Federal Govt Contracts)

    Non-profit/foundation opportunities:

    PIVOT: https://pivot.proquest.com/

    Limited Submissions: https://hms.harvard.edu/departments/office-academic-clinical-affairshms-foundation-funds/current-nomination-opportunities

     

    SPIN InfoEd Search

    Searchable database of federal and private funding opportunities in all fields. Click HERE to access this resource, free to all with Harvard Key.

  • Select opportunities for postdocs and early-career researchers:

    Early-career researchers/junior faculty:

    SponsorFunding RangeSponsor DeadlineNotes
    NIH Director's Early Independence Award (DP5)Awards up to $250K in direct costs per year for up to five years.Please see the most recent RFA DP5 program supports exceptional investigators who wish to pursue independent research directly after completion of their terminal doctoral degree.
    American Cancer Society Research Scholar Grants$165K direct cost per year up to 4 yearsApril 1, October 15Provides support to investigators who are within the first 10 years of an initial independent research career or full-time faculty appointment
    Rita Allen Foundation Scholars$110,000 per year for up to five yearsPlease refer to sponsor websiteThe Rita Allen Foundation Scholars program funds basic biomedical research in the fields of cancer, immunology and neuroscience. Limited to one nomination per institution.
    McKnight Neurobiology of Brain Disorders Award$100,000 per year for three years

    LOI: December

    Full proposal: May

    		The McKnight Neurobiology of Brain Disorders Award (NBD Award) assists scientists working to apply the knowledge achieved through basic research to human brain disorders, and who demonstrate a commitment to equitable and inclusive lab environments.
    McKnight Scholars Awards$75,000 per year for three yearsJanuaryThe intent of the program is to foster the commitment by these scientists to research careers that will have an important impact on the study of the brain. The program seeks to support scientists committed to mentoring neuroscientists from underrepresented groups at all levels of training.
    Searle Scholars Program$300K for a three-year periodFebruary 1Applicants should hold an independent investigator position at the assistant professor level. The appointment must be their first tenure-track position. 
    Sloan Research Fellowships$75,000 up to 2 years2024 applications are due 9/15/2023.Candidates must hold a tenure track or equivalent position at a degree-granting institution in the US or Canada. Please refer to sponsor website for more detailed eligibility criteria. 
    Smith Family Awards Program in Excellence in Biomedical Research$400K for 3 years, inclusive 5% IDC. Eligible institutions may submit up to 2 applications per funding round.2024 initial proposal due 6/20/23Program supports new faculty who are within 3.5 years of their first independent faculty appointment by the start of funding on April 1.

     

    Postdocs:

    SponsorFunding RangeSponsor DeadlineNotes
    NIH NRSA Individual Fellowships (F series, all)Depending on training experience. See the NIH NRSA stipend guideline.April 8, August 8, December 5Funding period is for 3 years.
    NIH Research Career Development awards (K series,new)Varies per institute/center.February 12, June 12, October 12Funding period is up to 5 years. Requires a minimum of 75% effort to conduct research.
    American Cancer Society Postdoctoral Fellowship$66K - $70K progressively per year, plus $4K yearly fellowship allowanceApril 1, October 15Funding period is up to 3 years.
    American Heart SocietyAnnual stipend matches NIH sliding scale.Please refer to sponsor websiteIn addition to stipend, AHS also provides $12,200/yr for health insurance, and $3K/yr for project support. 
    American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)Annual stipend is updated yearly. Refer to the sponsor website.Please refer to the sponsor websiteSupports postdoctoral and clinical research fellows working at an academic, medical or research institution with less than 5 years of postdoctoral training at the start of the grant term.
    The Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships$70K CAD per year for up to 2 yearsMid to late September. Please refer to sponsor website.Please visit the following website for eligibility window for degree completion: http://banting.fellowships-bourses.gc.ca/en/app-dem_elig-adm.html
    Burroughs Wellcome Fund Postdoctoral Enrichment Program (PDEP)$60K over three years to support enrichment activities. Salary or indirect expenses are not supported by this fundPlease refer to sponsor websitePDEP supports the career development activities for underrepresented minority postdoc fellows as a supplement for the training of postdocs whose research activities are already supported.
    Cancer Research Institute Irvington Postdoctoral Fellowship to promote racial diversityUp to $228K over 3 years to support salary, plus $5K/yr allowance to host institution to defray relevant costs.March 1, September 1Applicants with 5 or more years of relevant postdoctoral experience are not eligible
    Charles A. King Trust Postdoctoral Research FellowshipTwo-year grants ranging from $194,100 to $215K over 2 years, inclusive of a $25,000 expense allowanceTypically January or February each year. Please refer to sponsor website.Candidates should have at least 3 years, but no more than 6 years of postdoctoral experience at the time of submission.
    Damon Runyon Cancer Research FoundationFrom $70K to $76K per year up to 4 years, plus $2k/yr research allowance and $1K dependent child allowance when applicable.On or about March 15th, August 15th. Please refer to sponsor website.Basic and physician-scientists must have received their degrees no more than one year prior to the application deadline.
    EMBO Long-term fellowshipStipend amount variable, support up to 2 years, plus dependent and child care allowance.No specific application deadline. Applications should be submitted prior to two annual evaluation deadlines - second Friday of February and second Friday of August. For eligibility, please visit  http://www.embo.org/funding-awards/fellowships/long-term-fellowships#eligibility.
    HHMI Hanna H. Gray Fellows ProgramUp to 4 years of postdoc training support with a starting salary of $70K, followed by a non-renewable grant of $270K annually for up to 4 years of the faculty phase.Please refer to sponsor website.Supports postdoc fellows from underrepresented groups and early in their training period. Applicants should have no more than 18 months of postdoctoral training at the time of the application due date. Please refer to sponsor website for more detailed eligibility criteria. 
    The Helen Hay Whitney Foundation Research Fellowship$68K - $72K progressively per year, plus $1,500 yearly research allowanceJune. Refer to the sponsor website for exact deadlineEligible candidates would have no more than one year of postdoctoral research experience at the time of the deadline for submitting the application, and who have received a PhD (or D.Phil. or equivalent) degree no more than two years before the deadline.
    Human Frontier Science Program Postdoctoral Long-Term Fellowship (LTF)Stipend support up to three years. August or September of each year. Please refer to sponsor website.Funding priority on innovative, high risk research that represents a significant departure from the candidate’s past research.
    Jane Coffin Childs Memorial Fund for Medical Research$216K over three years, plus $2k/yr research allowance to sponsoring lab and $1K for each dependent child.February 1. Please refer to sponsor websiteApplicants should not have more than one year of postdoctoral experience at the time of application.
    The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Fellowship$70K per year for up to 3 yearsPlease refer to sponsor website.Should have less than two years of postdoc research training experience as of January of the application year
    Life Sciences Research Foundation Fellowship$198K for three years (stipend), plus $11K/yr research allowanceOctober 1Individuals who held PhD/MD degree(s) for more than 5 years at the time of application are not eligible.
    Muscular Dystrophy Association Development Grants$70K per year for up to 3 years.Refer to sponsor websiteDevelopment grants are awarded to senior postdoc researchers on the brink of becoming independent PI. Must have a minimum of 18 months of post-degree research training but no more than 7 years from receiving their most recent advanced degree. 
    National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Postdoctoral Fellowship$45K CAD per year for 2 yearsMid-October. Refer to sponsor websiteCandidate must be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada as of the application deadline date, and hold a doctorate in one of the fields of research that NSERC supports. Please see the sponsor website for additional eligibility criteria
    National Science Foundation Postdoctoral fellowship in BiologyPlease refer to sponsor RFAFirst Tuesday in November. Please refer to sponsor website.US Citizens or Permanent Residents only. All payments are paid directly to the fellow.