Non-NIH Sponsor Updates
The Komen Grants Management System (KGMS) is online(4/9/09): Susan B. Komen grantees have been notified during the past several weeks of their awards’ management being transitioned into the new site. Post-award administration, change of institution requests, and annual reporting are now available in KGMS, as well as other significant improvements in rapid reporting and communication with grantees.
The The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Grand Challenge Exploration Grants, due May 28, 2009 (4/7/09): Round 3.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: Five-year, $100 million initiative to encourage bold and unconventional research on new global health solutions. Initial grants will be $100,000 each. Projects showing success will have the opportunity to receive additional funding up to $1 million. The Explorations initiative focuses on research areas where creative, unorthodox thinking is most urgently needed. The topic areas for which proposals will be accepted in Round 3 are:
• Creating Low-Cost Diagnostics for Priority Global Health Conditions
• Creating New Tools to Accelerate the Eradication of Malaria
• Creating New Vaccines for Diarrhea, HIV, Malaria, Pneumonia and Tuberculosis
• Creating New Ways to Induce Mucosal Immunity
Many of the projects that received grants from the first round of Grand Challenges Explorations pursued approaches that challenge conventional wisdom, such as using engineering techniques to enhance the natural human immune system. The grants from Round 2 will be announced by May 2009.
ELIGIBILITY: Grand Challenges Explorations is open to both foreign and domestic non-profit organizations, for-profit companies, international organizations, government agencies and academic institutions. Grants will not be provided to individuals.
APPLICATION PROCESS: Online. Two-page applications; preliminary data are not required.
Full descriptions, topic areas, and application instructions are available at the Grand Challenges Explorations web site. The Foundation and an independent group of reviewers will select the most innovative proposals, and grants will be awarded within approximately three months from the proposal submission deadline.
The American Heart Association’s new on-line application system, Grants@Heart began accepting new applications Jan 22, 2009. Applicants may submit one application only to the affiliate and one application to the National Center (if appropriate); if both are funded, he or she may accept one award only. New AHA practice is the requirement that institutional Grants Officers now submit applications to the AHA whereas in the past, investigators submitted their own applications. Questions about use of the system: Lora Wong, Manager, Applicant and Awardee Services, (410) 637-4539, or your ORA research administrator.
