Research Grants:

Online Application

To apply for a Fellowship, complete the Fellowship Application Research Grant Application Qualifying Projects Grant Deadlines Evaluation of Applications Application Format File Format, Size & Naming Standards Application Submission Other Requirements Contacts

QUALIFYING PROJECTS
The NNPDF is seeking to fund excellent projects that directly investigate Niemann-Pick Disease (NPD).

Pilot Studies of up to $50,000 per year are funded for one year for researchers who are new to the NPD field or established NPD investigators who wish to test an innovative idea.

Research Grants of up to $100,000 per year are funded for two years to investigators who are studying either basic mechanisms or treatment approaches of direct relevance to NPD.

Applications are also accepted for larger studies with prior approval from the Chair, NNPDF Research Committee.

Applications are accepted from U.S. and non-U.S. scientists. Please see our Research Grants page for a list of grants approved to date.


GRANT DEADLINES
Our next grant deadline is November 30, 2007. A funding decision will be made by February 15th, 2008 and funds will be disbursed by March 15, 2008.


EVALUATION OF APPLICATIONS
Applications will be evaluated on their significance, soundness of approach, feasibility, and projected scientific impact. Reviewers will include members of the NNPDF Scientific Advisory Board and the Board of Directors. The latter are parents of children with NPD; therefore the lay summary is a very important part of the proposal.


APPLICATION FORMAT
Applications must be submitted in a format which allows for on-line storage and retrieval – preferably as an email attachment; however applications submitted on 3 1/2" diskette or on CD (formatted for the PC only) will also be accepted.

The grant application consists of the following:

• Form A: Applicant Information
  This page no longer requires signatures so it can be emailed with the rest of the application. Form can be downloaded below.
  
  
• Form B: Budget and Budget Justification (may be continued on another page if necessary)
  
  Indirect Costs are limited to 10% of the Total Direct Costs.
  
  Acceptable direct cost items are:
  • Salaries of post-docs, students, and technical assistants working on the project.
  • Minimal but essential permanent equipment directly relevant to the grant.
  • Expendable supplies
  • Other expenses relevant to the project (i.e. animal purchase and housing)
  
  Grant items that are not acceptable include, but are not limited to:
  • Salary for the Principal Investigator(PI) or participants with faculty appointments;
  • Travel
  • Tuition
  • Service Contracts
  • Construction, alteration, maintenance or rental of buildings or building space;
  • Office equipment and furniture;
  • Office supplies;
  • Dues for membership in scientific societies;
  • Journal subscriptions.
  
  Other items will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
  
  
• Biographical Sketch
  A biographical sketch must be included for the PI and for any individuals supported by the grant. Do not exceed 4 pages for each biographical sketch. The NIH R01 grant (PHS 398) format should be used. See NIH website for complete instructions.
  
  
• Other Support
  Other support is defined as any funds, whether Federal, non-Federal or institutional, available to the PI (and other key personnel named in the application) in direct support of their research endeavors. Applicants must list each active or pending grant. For each grant, state the PI, the applicant's percentage effort on the grant, the grant source, title, dates and direct costs of the entire grant period. List the Specific Aims. For active and pending grants, indicate if there is any project or budgetary overlap with the present application.
  
  
• Lay Summary (1 page)
  This is a very important page because the Scientific Advisory Board only makes a funding recommendation to the NNPDF Board of Directors. The family members on the Board make all funding decisions.
  
  
• Research Proposal (not to exceed 6 pages, excluding references)consisting of:
  
  • Specific Aims (one half page suggested)
  • Background and Significance (1 page suggested)
  • Preliminary Studies (1 page suggested; this section is less important for pilot grants but is critical for research grants)
  • Experimental Design and Methods (3 pages suggested)
  
  
• Reprints of relevant publications are not required; however, manuscripts that are in press may be submitted if they pertain directly to the research project.
  
  
• Approval by Official of Sponsoring Organization
  Approval from an official of the organization where research will be conducted should be emailed directly to the Chair, NNPDF Research Committee, separate from the candidate's application package. The name of the Principal Investigator and the title of the project must be referenced in the approval.

FILE FORMAT, SIZE & NAMING STANDARDS
The file format used to submit your application must be one of the following:

• Microsoft Word (file extension ".doc") – version 6.0 or above
• Portable Document Format (file extension ".pdf") - created with a full version of Adobe Acrobat software

As an example, if Dr. Jerome Paretti submits to the NNPDF a research grant application as a Microsoft Word document, his file should be called "gaparett.doc". His associated graphics file should be named "gaparett-pics.doc".

FILE FORMAT	APPLICATION FORM
Microsoft Word (file extension ".doc")	Click to open or right click to save
Portable Document Format (file extension ".pdf")	Click to open or right click to save

APPLICATION SUBMISSION
Applications should be E-mailed as an attachment to< the Chair, NNPDF Research Committee. If submitting on diskette or CD, enclose in protective mailer and sent to the Director of Research. PLEASE NOTE: Email submission is preferred.

Within 24 hours of sending your application, you should receive a confirmation of receipt from the Chair, NNPDF Research Committee. If for some reason, this confirmation is not received, please contact the Chair, NNPDF Research Committee by phone.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

• Progress Reports
  Progress reports from grant recipients are required every 6 months during the life of the grant. If the Principal Investigator chooses to apply for competitive renewal, the progress reports will be evaluated along with the new application. When the grant terminates, a final progress report must be submitted.
  
  A lay summary of the project and its findings must be part of each progress report. The lay summary should be suitable for distribution in the NNPDF newsletter and on the NNPDF website. Other than the lay summary, progress reports are confidential.
  
  
• Unspent Funds
  For 1-year grants, unspent balances must be returned at the end of the 12-month award period.
  
  For 2-year grants, up to 20% of the year 1 funds may be carried to year 2 with no additional approval required. At the end of the grant award period, unspent balances must be returned.
  
  The Investigator may petition the Chair, NNPDF Research Committee for a no-cost extension. The petition must be submitted in writing (mail or email) no later than two months before the grant termination date.
  
  
• Overlapping Funding
  Full disclosure of all funds for research support available to the Principal Investigator from private, governmental and institutional sources is required in the research grant application. If funds to pursue a Niemann-Pick disease project become available to the applicant from other sources during the review or tenure of the NNPDF grant, then the Principal Investigator must so inform the Chair, NNPDF Research Committee in writing.
  
  
• Publication
  Any publication resulting from NNPDF funding should carry a credit line reading "supported in part by a research grant from the National Niemann-Pick Disease Foundation". A reprint or other copy of any publication should be sent to the Chair, NNPDF Research Committee.
  
  
• Collaboration
  Grant recipients are requested to collaborate with other investigators engaged in NPD research, provided that those seeking information comply with any government regulations pertaining to the sharing of such information. This requirement includes sharing products with whoever has a legitimate interest in or need for them, in order to expedite progress in NPD research.
  
  
• Patient Education & Demographics
  For grant recipients who deal with NPD patients, you are required to distribute NPD pamphlets, fact sheets and other educational materials to those patients with whom you come in contact. (The Foundation will supply these materials to you upon request.) We also ask that you cooperate with the NNPDF in its efforts to update and maintain its demographics by encouraging your NPD patients and families to contact the Foundation.

CONTACTS
Questions may be addressed to:

Susan Green Chair , NNPDF Research Committee susangee@zetnet.co.uk 011-44-1592-713409 (Phone) Street Address: Kingslaw House East Brae East Wemyss Fife KY1 4RS Scotland UK

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