Funding Opportunities

The programs support research in the neurosciences. Applications may request up to $50,000 (funds depend on the specific program). Principal investigators must be faculty members (with or without tenure) within the neuroscience community at the University of Rochester. PIs must also be members of the Ernest J. Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience.  A short membership application is available on the Del Monte website or by clicking here.

Applications are now being accepted.

Users MUST connect to University VPN to access the application from remote locations.

Applications will be submitted online, with a short informational online page and a single pdf application file.

Online Component:

• Title, submitting PI information, co-PI information
• List of major collaborators (past 3 years)
• Technical abstract (300 words): This will be used to assign reviewers, and should include overall goal, specific aims, and techniques used.
• Lay abstract (300 words): this will be used to convey information to the public, and should be easily understandable to the non-scientist.  This will be public, and so should not contain proprietary information.

Written Component:

The written application is modeled after a short NIH research proposal (e.g. R03, R21), and should include:

• Cover letter with title, investigators, and description that indicates how the SPIN, MF, RCADR, DMINRPFP or FDMF mechanism would extend research objectives that will lead to a competitive extramural grant application [one page limit]. You may indicate more than one choice if relevant.
• Select which program(s) you are applying for: SPIN, Mangurian Foundation, Del Monte, or Del Monte Friends.
• Research description (limited to 6 pages) including Specific Aims, Background and Significance, Preliminary Studies, Research Design and Methods.
• Supporting materials (Human Subjects, Vertebrate Animals, and Literature Cited) can follow on additional pages.
• Budget (detailed, not modular) with justification (faculty salary support is specifically excluded).
• Bio-sketches of all Co-Investigators and key personnel.
• Other Support
• Resources and Environment

Review criteria will include but are not limited to:

• The likelihood of a subsequently successful application for extramural support (e.g. new NIH RO1).
• The significance and innovation of the proposed project.
• The relevance of the project to the strategic plan of the Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience.
• Where relevant, the interdisciplinary/collaborative character of the project (across faculty and laboratories).

Reporting - Following receipt of an award, investigators will be contacted to update their reported data annually for ten years.

Submission Deadlines

The application deadline is 5:00 pm on Tuesday, May 31^st, 2022. 
Applications must be submitted online Apply
Open Date (Earliest Submission Date) is April 11^th, 2022.

Recommended browsers: Firefox, Chrome, Edge, Internet Explorer.  Safari is not compatible with the application form.

Address all questions about applications to: Ian_Dickerson@urmc.rochester.edu ​

An internal review committee will work with a panel of independent external reviewers to determine the most competitive projects for support.  The Program is administered through the Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience.

Funding is scheduled to begin August 1, 2022. Funds are available for a maximum of a one-year term.

Grant Funding Purpose

The UR IDDRC provides a coordinating hub and scientific infrastructure to support IDD research and works with the research community to respond to emerging IDD research needs through a combination of core services and research projects.
As a precursor to recompeting for the next funding period for the UR IDDRC, applications are being solicited for the new principal research project.
The selected project should pertain to one or more of the seven focus areas listed in the RFA.

The current research project focuses on Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinoses (NCL) or Batten Disease. The application process is open to all faculty members across both the Medical School and the Undergraduate Campus.

Application Process

Applicants may request up to $75,000 to cover a project development phase of 18 months. Principal investigators must be faculty members (with or without tenure) within the University of Rochester community and will need to be a member of the IDDRC. A short membership application is available on the IDDRC website.

Application Submission Deadlines

IDDRC research project funding applications open on Monday January 2^nd, 2023 and have a deadline is 5:00 pm on Thursday, January 26^th, 2023.

Applications should be completed through the online application.

Address all questions about IDDRC applications to: sherry_mentor@urmc.rochester.edu.

Seed Grant Funding Purpose

To provide funds towards the use of IDDRC core equipment, services and technical staff. Applicants may request up to $10,000 (funds depend on the specific program); once approved, must be spent within 12 months of funding.

Application Process

Email Sherry Mentor completed applications for seed funds for CMI or TNN cores.

Review Process

• Each proposal will be evaluated by the respective Core Director and they will make subsequent funding decisions based on evaluations and project feasibility.
• Core director’s will rapidly review requests, advise users on experimental design, and interface with the directors of each Core component to design the best possible approach and alert staff members to upcoming studies and the training/assistance required.

Awardee Responsibilities

Awardees are required to:

• present their preliminary data at an IDDRC event at the end of the funding period describing how the funds were used, what data were collected, and how the data will be used to target an external funding opportunity.
• confirm submission of the grant for which the pilot funds were used or describe why the grant will not be submitted (i.e., pilot data were not compelling).  Note that the grant does not need to be submitted during the funding period.
  • provide feedback as to the funding/scoring of the grant submission and any revisions of the submission.
• submit a progress report 6 months after project commencement, and a final progress report along with a core user survey at the end of the funding period. The final progress report should describe the research activities undertaken, status of manuscript development if applicable and plans to secure extramural funding and any other research work that is planned. Awardees will be expected to cite funding support in any publication or grant that results from data collected through this award. Sample text below.

This publication (or project) was supported by P50 HD103536 provided by the DHHS/PHS/NIH. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the Funder. ^{a, b}

^aThe grant must also be associated with publications in "My Bibliography" on PubMed/NCBI.
^bPublications must be compliant with the NIH Public Access Policy.

Application Submission Deadlines

IDDRC seed grant funding applications deadline is 5:00 pm on Monday, May 23, 2022.  Applications should be emailed to Sherry Mentor.  Funding to begin July 1, 2022. Funds are available for a maximum of a one-year term.

Address all questions about IDDRC applications to: sherry_mentor@urmc.rochester.edu.