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Foundation Grants

Accelerating Impact for Hard-to-Treat Cancers Award

  • Foundation: Children's Cancer Research Fund 
  • Type: Open
  • Cycle: Once per year
  • Age limit/Special Eligibility: Applicants must be PI-eligible at their sponsoring institution. Awardees are required to commit at least 10 percent of their research effort each year to activities supported by this award.
  • Indirect Cost: 10%
  • UTSW Handling Office: Development Office
  • Submit to Development Office via Email

Accelerator Award (ACE)

  • Foundation: American Diabetes Association
  • Type: Limited
  • Cycle: Once per year
  • Age limit/Special Eligibility: early-career diabetes investigators proposing innovative and ambitious diabetes-related research programs. Applicants may currently hold independent NIH funding (K, U or R awards, including an initial R01/U01) but must not have applied for (regardless of outcome), or received, an R01/U01 renewal or a second R01/U01 award. 
  • Indirect Cost: 30%
  • UTSW Handling Office: SPA
  • Pre-Application required

 

Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellowship

  • Foundation: Alfred P. Sloan Foundation 
  • Type: Open
  • Cycle: Once per year
  • Age limit/Special Eligibility: Candidates must hold a Ph.D. in  neuroscience, , physics, or a related field,  be tenure-track, though untenured, as of September 15 of the nomination year and faculty position must carry a regular teaching obligation.
  • Indirect Cost: 0%
  • UTSW Handling Office: Development Office
  • Submit to Development Office via Email

Andrew MCDonough B+ Foundation Research Grants

  • Foundation: Andrew MCDonough B+ Foundation 
  • Type: Open
  • Cycle: Once per year
  • Age limit/Special Eligibility: Applicants must have a M.D., D.O., Ph.D, or PharmD degree, Assistant, Associate or Professor level investigators.
  • Indirect Cost: 0%
  • UTSW Handling Office: Development Office
  • Submit to Development Office via Email

Anna Lalor Burdick Program

  • Foundation: Lalor Foundation 
  • Type: Open
  • Cycle: Twice per year
  • Age limit/Special Eligibility: Bring women information and access to reproductive health care, contraception, and pregnancy termination.
  • Indirect Cost: 0%
  • UTSW Handling Office: Development Office
  • Submit to Development Office via Email

Beckman Young Investigator (BYI)

  • Foundation: Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation 
  • Type: Open
  • Cycle: Once per year
  • Age limit/Special Eligibility: Researchers within the first four years of a tenure-track position  conducting research in chemical and life sciences, citizens or permanent residents of the United States, Tenure-Track dates for the 2026 program must start after 1/1/2021, and on or before 8/1/2025.
  • Indirect Cost: none
  • UTSW Handling Office: Development Office
  • Submit to Development Office via Email

Bridge Grants

  • Foundation: National Psoriasis Foundation 
  • Type: Open
  • Cycle: Once per year
  • Age limit/Special Eligibility: Support researchers who have submitted meritorious but unfunded K-type  and R-type applications with a focus on psoriatic disease or its comorbidities. 
  • Indirect Cost: 0%
  • UTSW Handling Office: Development Office
  • Submit to Development Office via Email

Childhood Cancer Survivorship Research Award

  • Foundation: Children's Cancer Research Fund 
  • Type: Open
  • Cycle: Once per year
  • Age limit/Special Eligibility: This award is intended to shape the future of cancer survivorship treatment and care. Applicants must be PI-eligible at their sponsoring institution
    • Awardees are required to commit at least 10 percent of their research effort each year to activities supported by this award.
  • Indirect Cost: 10%
  • UTSW Handling Office: Development Office
  • Submit to Development Office via Email

Eliminating Disparities in Childhood Cancer Award

  • Foundation:  Children's Cancer Research Fund
  • Type: Open
  • Cycle: Once per year
  • Age limit/Special Eligibility: Applicants must be PI-eligible at their sponsoring institution. Awardees are required to commit at least 10 percent of their research effort each year to activities supported by this award.
  • Indirect Cost: 10%
  • UTSW Handling Office: Development Office
  • Submit to Development Office via Email

Elsa U. Pardee Foundation Award

  • Foundation: Elsa U. Pardee Foundation 
  • Type: Open
  • Cycle: Three times per year
  • Age limit/Special Eligibility: Early-stage funding to identify new treatment or cures for cancer.
  • Indirect Cost: 5%
  • UTSW Handling Office: Development Office
  • Submit to Development Office via Email

Emerging Research Grants

  • Foundation: Hearing Health Foundation
  • Type: Open
  • Cycle: Once per year
  • Age limit/Special Eligibility: Seed money to researchers working on the entire spectrum of hearing research and balance research
  • Indirect Cost: none
  • UTSW Handling Office: Development Office
  • Submit to Development Office via Email

E.W. "AL" Thrasher Award

  • Foundation: Thrasher Research Fund 
  • Type: Open
  • Cycle: Twice per year
  • Age limit/Special Eligibility: A doctoral-level degree is required, no citizenship or residency requirements with projects that are changing pediatric clinical care.
  • Indirect Cost: 7%
  • UTSW Handling Office: Development Office
  • Submit to Development Office via Email

HHW Fellowship

  • Foundation: Helen Hay Whitney Foundation
  • Type: Open
  • Cycle: Once per year
  • Age limit/Special Eligibility: Supports early postdoctoral research training in all basic biomedical sciences.
  • Indirect Cost: none
  • UTSW Handling Office: Development Office
  • Submit to Development Office via Email

Initiator Award (INI)

  • Foundation: American Diabetes Association
  • Type: Limited
  • Cycle: Once per year
  • Age limit/Special Eligibility: Eligible applicants must currently be in research training positions (post-doctoral fellow, research fellowship) and have no more than seven years of research training following terminal doctoral degree. Applicants cannot concurrently hold an NIH K99/R00 grant. ADA will accept up to two (2) nominations per institution with one (1) nomination spanning basic through preclinical research and one (1) nomination spanning clinical through public health research. 
  • Indirect Cost: 10%
  • UTSW Handling Office: SPA
  • Pre-Application required

Keck Award (W.M. Keck Foundation)

UTSW is seeking research proposals for submission to the W.M. Keck Foundation.  The foundation holds two funding cycles each year—in June and December. UTSW may submit one application per grant cycle to each of the two research programs: The Medical Research Program and The Science and Engineering Research Program. A single internal competition will be conducted to select nominees for both cycles.

Eligibility

Both senior and early career investigators are encouraged to apply. Team approaches, including interdisciplinary teams, are encouraged.

Program Priorites:

  • Focus on important and emerging areas of research
  • Have the potential to develop breakthrough technologies, instrumentation or methodologies
  • Are innovative, distinctive and interdisciplinary
  • Demonstrate a high level of risk due to unconventional approaches, or by challenging the prevailing paradigm
  • Have the potential for transformative impact, such as the founding of a new field of research, the enabling of observations not previously possible, or the altered perception of a previously intractable problem
  • Fall outside the mission of public funding agencies. Keck likes projects that have previously been declined by public funding agencies for being too risky or too preliminary.
  • Demonstrate that private philanthropy generally, and the W. M. Keck Foundation in particular, is essential to the project’s success 

Do not fund:

  • Medical devices
  • Clinical, applied, or translational research
  • Treatment trials or research for the sole purpose of drug development
  • Capital Projects 

Grants range from $1 million to $5 million and are typically $2 million or less.  Please see abstracts from recent grant recipients.

Internal Submission Deadline

Counselling call

Phase I

App Due

Phase II

App Due

Board Meeting

June 1

Jan 1 - Feb 15

May 1

Aug 15

December grant cycle

June 1

July 1 - Aug 15

Nov 1

Feb 15

June grant cycle

Materials requested for internal competition:

  1. Single-paged concept papers must be in 12 point font with 1 inch margins and include:
    • Organization Name. List “University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center”
    • Project Title
    • Full name of Principal Investigator
    • An overview of the proposed project emphasizing any unique aspects and pilot studies (indicate area of emphasis for project – Medical Research or Science & Engineering Research)
    • A description of the methodologies and key personnel
    • A brief justification of the need for Keck Foundation support
    • An estimated budget broken down, if possible, by major areas, e.g. personnel, equipment, consumable supplies, etc.
    • With any remaining space within the 1-page limit, authors may add other details
    • If a reference is necessary, abbreviate it as (Science, 323, 45, ‘11). DO NOT USE (Jones et al., 2011). Please avoid any illustrations.
  2. PI's CV
  3. PI's current fundings

One pre-application will be selected each cycle to advance to the full application stage for submission to the foundation.

  • Indirect Cost: 0%
  • UTSW Handling Office: Development Office
  • Submit to Development Office via Email

Kidney Cancer Association Focus Award

  • Foundation: Kidney Cancer Association 
  • Type: Open
  • Cycle: Once per year
  • Age limit/Special Eligibility: Specific area of focus for Kidney cancer
  • Indirect Cost: 0%
  • UTSW Handling Office: Development Office
  • Submit to Development Office via Email

Kidney Cancer Association Trailblazer Award

  • Foundation: Kidney Cancer Association 
  • Type: Open
  • Cycle: Once per year
  • Age limit/Special Eligibility: Young Investigator in any focus in kidney cancer accepted
  • Indirect Cost: 0%
  • UTSW Handling Office: Development Office
  • Submit to Development Office via Email

Kleberg Foundation Award (Robert J. Kleberg, Jr. and Helen C. Kleberg Foundation)

UTSW is seeking research proposals for submission to the Robert J. Kleberg, Jr. and Helen C. Kleberg Foundation.  The foundation holds two funding cycles each year—in March and September—and UTSW may submit one application per cycle. A single internal competition will be conducted to select nominees for both cycles.  

Each year, fewer than 10 awards are granted, with funding ranging from $500,000 to $3 million for single or multi-year projects. Renewal grants are also favorably considered. Applications are highly competitive.

Eligibility

Faculty members at all levels with full-time appointments, provided they have outstanding research backgrounds and a record of productive and visible publications.

Program Priority:

  • The Foundation is seeking highly innovative and groundbreaking medical research proposals from top tier institutions in both basic biological and applied research that will have the greatest impact on scientific knowledge and human health. Proposals should be distinctive and novel in their approaches, not being done elsewhere, question the prevailing paradigm, and lead to advancement of knowledge in the field. Proposals should clearly articulate the significance of the research in addressing a critical need in the field.
  • Key areas of interest include cancer, neurological conditions, genetic research and projects, viruses, vaccines, infectious diseases, and antibiotic resistance.
  • Priority is given to organizations with whom the Foundation has established long-standing relationships. UT Southwestern is one of these esteemed institutions, thus presenting an excellent opportunity for interested faculty members. If you know any interested faculty members, please bring this opportunity to their attention.
  • For more information, please visit the Kleberg Foundation website. 

Internal submission deadline

Full application due to Foundation

Board Meeting

June 10

March 31

Spring Grant Cycle

June 10

September 30

Fall Grant Cycle

Pre-application materials for internal competition:

  • A 1-page statement of proposed work
  • Candidate’s Curriculum Vitae (CV)
    • 12-point font, 1-inch margins
    • Include project title, full name of applicant, and research proposal

One pre-application will be selected each cycle to advance to the full application stage for submission to the foundation.

  • Indirect Cost: 0%
  • UTSW Handling Office: Development Office
  • Submit to Development Office via Email

Klingenstein-Simons Fellowship Awards in the Neurosciences

  • Foundation: Esther A. and Joseph Klingenstein Fund 
  • Type: Open
  • Cycle: Once per year
  • Age limit/Special Eligibility: Supports early-career investigators engaged in basic or clinical research for a better understanding of neurological and psychiatric disorders. 
  • Indirect Cost: 10%
  • UTSW Handling Office: Development Office
  • Submit to Development Office via Email

Make a Difference Grants

  • Foundation: Greenwall Foundation
  • Type: Open
  • Cycle: Twice per year
  • Age limit/Special Eligibility: Supports research to help resolve important emerging or unanswered bioethics problems in clinical, biomedical, or public health decision-making, policy, or practice.
  • Indirect Cost: none
  • UTSW Handling Office: Development Office
  • Submit to Development Office via Email

Mathers Foundation Grants (G. Harold and Leila Y. Mathers Charitable Foundation)

UTSW is seeking research proposals to the G. Harold and Leila Y. Mathers Charitable Foundation, The foundation holds two funding cycles each year—in Spring and Fall—and UTSW may submit three concept papers per cycle. A single internal competition will be conducted to select nominees for both cycles.

Eligibility

Faculty members at all levels with full-time appointments, provided they have exceptional research backgrounds and a track record of productive and prominent publications. 

Program priority:

  • The Foundation is committed to supporting basic science research that investigates the fundamental mechanisms behind natural phenomena. This approach aims to achieve transformative breakthroughs with potential translational applications. Competitive proposals should focus on basic scientific research with potential for translational impact. 
  • Current research support areas of interest to the Foundation include immunology, microbiome, genomics, structural biology, cellular physiology, and neuroscience.
  • For more information about the Mathers Award competitions, please visit their website. 

Total project budget: $600,000-$700,000/3 years

Do not fund: Covid-19 related research projects, medical imaging technology related projects, electrical engineering technology development projects, plant biology research, oceanography, space exploration. or global warming related research.

Internal submission deadline

Nominee registration due at Foundation

LOI due to Foundation

Full application due to Foundation

Board Meeting

July 1

September 19

October 3

December 12

Fall Grant Cycle

July 1

February 28

March 14

May 23

Spring Grant Cycle

Pre-application materials for internal competition

  1. Single-paged concept papers must be in 12-point font with 1-inch margins and include
    • Project Title
    • Full name of Principal Investigator
    • Description of proposed research, including specific aims
  1. PI’s CV 

Up to three pre-applications will be selected each cycle to advance to the full application stage for submission to the foundation. 

  • Indirect Cost:0%
  • UTSW Handling Office: Development Office
  • Submit to Development Office via Email

Mallinckrodt Foundation Grant (The Edward Mallinckrodt, Jr. Foundation)

The Edward Mallinckrodt, Jr. Foundation Grants supports early-stage biomedical investigators engaged in basic and translational research with the potential to make significant contributions to biomedical science. This grant competition is held every two years in odd-numbered years, and UT Southwestern may nominate one candidate per cycle.

Grant Details

  • Award Amount: $75,000 per year for three years
  • Eligibility: Applicants must be tenure-track faculty members within their first four years of appointment, holding an M.D. and/or Ph.D. For detailed eligibility criteria and additional information about the Mallinckrodt grant competitions.
  • This grant is intended to support researchers in advancing their projects to a stage where they can secure R01 or other independent funding. Applicants who currently hold R01 funding are not eligible. 

Pre-application materials for internal competition:

  • A 1-page statement of proposed work
  • A letter of recommendation from the candidate's Department Chair or Center Director, not exceeding 2 pages
  • Candidate’s Curriculum Vitae (CV)
    • 12-point font, 1-inch margins
    • Include project title, full name of applicant, and research proposal

One pre-application will be selected to advance to the next stage for submission of a full application to the foundation.

  • Indirect Cost: 0%
  • UTSW Handling Office: Development Office
  • Submit to Development Office via Email

Mallinckrodt Foundation Scholar Award (The Edward Mallinckrodt, Jr. Foundation)

The Edward Mallinckrodt, Jr. Foundation Scholar Award provides four years of funding to support early-stage, highly promising investigators engaged in biomedical research. This invitation-only competition is held every two years in even-numbered years. Institutions with previously funded Mallinckrodt grant recipients may be considered for an invitation to participate. 

Grant Details

  • Award Amount: $125,000 per year for four years
  • Eligibility: Applicants must be tenure-track faculty members in their fifth to eighth year, at American Institutions, who hold M.D. and/or Ph.D. degrees, start-up support to move the project forward to the point where R01 or other independent funding can be obtained. Learn more regarding detailed eligibility criteria and additional information about the Mallinckrodt grant competitions.

Pre-application materials for internal competition:

  • A 1-page statement of proposed work
  • A letter of recommendation from the candidate's Department Chair or Center Director, not exceeding 2 pages
  • Candidate’s Curriculum Vitae (CV)
    • 12-point font, 1-inch margins
    • Include project title, full name of applicant, and research proposal

Two pre-applications will be selected to advance to the next stage for submission of a full application to the foundation. 

  • Indirect Cost:0%
  • UTSW Handling Office: Development Office
  • Submit to Development Office via Email

McKnight Neurobiology of Brain Disorders Award (NBD Award) 

  • Foundation: The McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience 
  • Type: Open
  • Cycle: Once per year
  • Age limit/Special Eligibility: an independent investigator at a not-for-profit research institution in the United States, and must hold a faculty position at the rank of Assistant Professor or higher.
  • Indirect Cost: 10%
  • UTSW Handling Office: Development Office
  • Submit to Development Office 

McKnight Scholar Awards

  • Foundation: The McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience 
  • Type: Open
  • Cycle: Once per year
  • Age limit/Special Eligibility: independent investigators at not-for-profit research institutions in the United States and must hold a faculty position at the rank of Assistant Professor and must have served at that rank for less than five years at the application deadline.
  • Indirect Cost: 0%
  • UTSW Handling Office: Development Office
  • Submit to Development Office via Email

Next Generation Award

  • Foundation: Michelson Medical Research Foundation 
  • Type: Open
  • Cycle: Once per year
  • Age limit/Special Eligibility: Younger than 35 yrs., Doctoral students, postdoctoral fellows, clinical fellows, and others in training or non-tenure track positions are eligible to apply for research in immunology and vaccine development.
  • Indirect Cost: 0%
  • UTSW Handling Office: Development Office
  • Submit to Development Office via Email

Ono Pharma Breakthrough Science Initiative Award (Ono Pharma Foundation)

UTSW is seeking research proposals for submission to the Ono Pharma Foundation for the annual Breakthrough Science Initiative Awards Program (Ono Initiative) in the United States and Canada. Proposals from Principal Investigators will be considered for high-risk and high-reward science research projects which have the potential to lead to science discoveries/solutions and, based on further research, to breakthrough treatments for patients.

Grant Details

  • Award Amount: Awards will provide $900,000 over three years for research and will provide up to 15% in additional funding to cover institutional indirect costs.
  • Areas of interest: Target research of Chemical Biology is not specified by the Ono Initiative. For 2025, subjects of interest include but are not limited to:
    • Modulating interactome and cell/tissue crosstalk
    • Manipulating biomolecular condensates and protein quality control systems
    • Deep understanding and emerging applications of chemical glycobiology
    • New concepts of drug delivery and localization to tissue/cell/organelle
    • Understanding and leveraging allostery in biology
    • For further information, see the attached Grant guideline and Announcement documents. You may also e-mail questions through the Onofound website.

Pre-application materials for internal competition:

  • A 1-page statement of proposed work
  • Candidate’s Curriculum Vitae (CV)
    • 12-point font, 1-inch margins
    • Include project title, full name of applicant, and research proposal

Two pre-applications will be chosen by an internal committee to advance to the next stage for the submission of a full application to the foundation.

  • Indirect Cost:0%
  • UTSW Handling Office: Development Office
  • Submit to Development Office via Email

One Mind for Research Rising Star

  • Foundation: One Mind for Research Inc 
  • Type: Open
  • Cycle: Once per year
  • Age limit/Special Eligibility: Applicants must be independent investigators at the rank of assistant or associate professor within 6 years of their initial independent appointment. Applicants must have a doctoral level degree in scientific fields relevant to  mental health and psychiatry. 
  • Indirect Cost: 0%
  • UTSW Handling Office: Development Office
  • Submit to Development Office via Email

Packard Foundation Fellowships for Science and Engineering (The David and Lucile Packard Foundation)

UT Southwestern is honored to be among the 50 selected universities entrusted with submitting nominations. We have the opportunity to nominate up to two faculty members. 

The goal of this Fellowship is to support the exceptional tenure-track faculty in establishing robust research programs. 

Summary

  • Award Amount: $875,000 over five years
  • Eligibility: Tenure-track faculty within the first three years of their faculty careers.
  • Areas of Interest: The proposal must focus on engineering but may encompass various disciplines, including physics, chemistry, mathematics, biology, and computer science. Proposals focused on elucidating molecular or cellular mechanisms or identifying new genes, molecules, or pathways will not be selected to advance.

Pre-application materials for internal competition:

  • A 1-page research proposal outlining the significance of the candidate's research and describing the general goals and methods. The proposal should be formatted as follows:
    • 12-point font
    • 1-inch margins
    • Include the project title, candidate’s full name, and the research proposal itself
  • A letter of recommendation from the candidate's Department Chair or Center Director, not exceeding 2 pages
  • Applicant’s Curriculum Vitae (CV)

Two pre-applications will be selected to advance to the next stage for submission of a full application to the Foundation.

  • Indirect Cost:10%
  • UTSW Handling Office: Development Office
  • Submit to Development Office via Email

Pathway and Pipeline Grants

  • Foundation: CUREPSP 
  • Type: Open
  • Cycle: Once per year
  • Age limit/Special Eligibility: For Researchers - To advance understanding of the underlying PSP/CBD fundamental neurobiology.
  • Indirect Cost: 0%
  • UTSW Handling Office: Development Office
  • Submit to Development Office

Pew Biomedical Scholars Award (Pew Charitable Trusts)

The Pew Scholars Program has invited us to nominate one UT Southwestern faculty member for the 2026 Pew Biomedical Scholars Award.   

Award Amount: $300,000 over four years

Eligibility

Applicants must be tenure-track faculty members and must not have held an assistant professorship at any institution prior to June 11, 2021, regardless of whether that appointment was tenure-track or not.

Selection criteria:

“Based on their performance during their education and training, candidates should demonstrate outstanding promise as contributors in science relevant to human health. This program does not fund clinical trials research. Strong proposals will incorporate particularly creative and pioneering approaches to basic, translational, and applied biomedical research. Candidates whose work is based on biomedical principles but who bring in concepts and theories from more diverse fields are encouraged to apply.

Ideas with the potential to produce an unusually high impact are encouraged. Selection of the successful candidates will be based on a detailed description of the work that the applicant proposes to undertake, evaluations of the candidate’s performance, and notable past accomplishments, including honors, awards, and publications. In evaluating the candidates, the National Advisory Committee gives considerable weight to both the project proposal and the researcher, including evidence that the candidate is a successful independent investigator and has the skill set needed to carry out their high-impact proposal.” Please see the grant guideline details on Pew Foundation website.

Pre-application materials for internal competition:

  • A 1-page statement of proposed work
  • A letter of recommendation from the candidate's Department Chair or Center Director, not exceeding 2 pages
  • Candidate’s Curriculum Vitae (CV)
    • 12-point font
    • 1-inch margins
    • Include the project title, full names of applicant, and the research proposal itself

One pre-application will be chosen to advance to the next stage for submission of a full application to the foundation.

  • Indirect Cost: 8%
  • UTSW Handling Office: Development Office
  • Submit to Development Office via Email

Prostate Cancer Foundation Young Investigator Award

  • Foundation: Prostate Cancer Foundation 
  • Type: Open
  • Cycle: Once per year
  • Age limit/Special Eligibility: The Young Investigator Awards offer career and project support for young (generally 35 and younger) proven investigators in postdoctoral fellowships or who have recently achieved junior faculty positions and are committing their lives to the field of prostate cancer. Also have PCF Challenge Awards and TACTICAL Awards.
  • Indirect Cost: 0%
  • UTSW Handling Office: Development Office
  • Submit to Development Office via Email

Rising Stars in Urology Research Award

  • Foundation: Urology Care Foundation 
  • Type: Open
  • Cycle: Once per year
  • Age limit/Special Eligibility: Be a board-certified or -eligible urologist or be participating in a training program to obtain board certification in urology.
  • Indirect Cost: 0%
  • UTSW Handling Office: Development Office
  • Submit to Development Office via Email

Rita Allen Scholars Program (Rita Allen Foundation)

This is a highly competitive and esteemed program that recognizes outstanding early-career researchers who are making innovative and high-impact contributions to their field. Please share this opportunity with your faculty colleagues who you believe would be strong candidates for this award.

Summary

  • Award Amount: an annual grant of $110,000, covering both salary and laboratory support, for a duration of up to five years.
  • Eligibility: Tenure-track Assistant Professors in full-time positions, preferably within the first three years of their initial appointment to the faculty. Rita Allen Foundation Scholars may not accept an award from the Beckman Young Investigator Program, Pew Scholars Program in the Biomedical Sciences, Searle Scholars Program, or Vallee Scholars Program that would take effect beginning in year one of the RAF award. Rita Allen Scholars may apply for awards from these organizations that would take effect beginning in year two of the RAF award. Other sources of funding also may influence selection.
  • Funding Areas: The Foundation is particularly interested in research areas such as cancer, immunology, and neuroscience. For further details, please visit the Rita Allen Foundation website. 

Pre-application materials for internal competition:

  • A 1-page research proposal stating the significance of the candidate's research and outlining the general goals for the proposal. This single-paged concept paper must be in 12-point font with 1-inch margins and include:
    • Project Title
    • Full name of candidate
    • Research proposal
  • A letter of recommendation from the candidate's Department Chair or Center Director, not exceeding 2 pages
  • Curriculum Vitae (CV)

One pre-application will be chosen by an internal committee to advance to the next stage for submission of a full application to the foundation.

  • Indirect Cost: 0%
  • UTSW Handling Office: Development Office
  • Submit to Development Office via Email

Searle Scholars Program Award (Kinship Foundation)

UT Southwestern is invited to nominate two individuals to apply for the prestigious 2025 Searle Scholars Program Competition. The Searle Scholars Program is a highly competitive and esteemed program that recognizes outstanding early-career researchers who are making innovative and high-impact contributions to their field.

Summary

  • Award Amount: $300,000 for a three-year term with $100,000 payable each year
  • Eligibility: First-time tenure-track Assistant Professors who hold full-time appointments and have started their positions on or after May 1, 2023.
  • Funding Areas: The Program is seeking candidates who are pursuing independent research careers in biochemistry, cell biology, genetics, immunology, neuroscience, pharmacology, and related areas in chemistry, medicine, and the biological sciences. Learn more about the funding areas.
  • Areas excluded: Purely clinical research

Pre-application materials for internal competition:

  • A 1-page research proposal stating the significance of the candidate's research and outlining the general goals for the proposal. This single-paged concept paper must be in 12-point font with 1-inch margins.
  • A letter of recommendation from the candidate's Department Chair or Center Director, not exceeding 2 pages
  • Curriculum Vitae (CV)

Two pre-applications will be chosen by an internal committee to advance to the next stage for the submission of a full application to the foundation. 

  • Indirect Cost:0%
  • UTSW Handling Office: Development Office
  • Submit to Development Office via Email

Sontag Foundation Grant

The Sontag Foundation Grant is a funding opportunity specifically for junior faculty working in the area of brain cancer. You don’t need a background in neuro-oncology research as long as the proposed research project demonstrates to generate new knowledge relating to causes, cure, or treatments for primary brain tumors. The Foundation does not fund projects focused on metastatic brain cancer or clinical trials. See the attached grant guideline.

More than one individual from UTSW may apply for this award. However, all submissions must go through the Development Office. I’ve attached the grant guidelines from the Sontag Foundation for your reference. Please check your eligibility and let me know if this opportunity aligns with a project you are considering. 

No internal competition is required.

  • Indirect Cost: 13%
  • UTSW Handling Office: Development Office
  • Submit to Development Office via Email

Strategic to Mission (STM) Grant

The Baptist Health Foundation of San Antonio (BHFSA) has invited UT Southwestern, as a Texas R1 institution, to submit proposals for its 2025 Strategic to Mission (STM) grant funding (https://bhfsa.org/stm/). This opportunity supports innovative research or service addressing mental health or obesity and diabetes, aligning with the demographics of Greater San Antonio. UTSW may submit up to three proposals, coordinated through the Provost’s Office via an internal competition. 

Summary

  • Focus: Research (empirical, clinical, or basic) or service addressing mental health or obesity and diabetes. Research may occur outside San Antonio but must reflect its demographics; service must occur in San Antonio. The focus may vary from year to year.
  • Eligibility: Tenured or tenure-track faculty at UTSW.
  • Funding: Up to three proposals: one not exceeding $2.2M, two not exceeding $1.1M each. Multi-year proposals (1–5 years) are allowed, with up to 10% indirect expenses.
  • Desired Characteristics: Proposals should emphasize innovation, capacity expansion, sustainability, metrics, and/or prevention/early intervention.
  • Research Fields: May include medicine, psychiatry, nutrition, pediatrics, or social sciences.
  • Service Partnerships: May involve collaboration with San Antonio nonprofits or other institutions.
  • Examples of Successful Research Proposals
    • Neural Predictors and Benchmarks of Youth Therapy
    • The Mitochondrial Implications of Childhood Diabetes in the Hispanic
    • Transitional Care for Individuals with Mental Illness
  • Examples of Unsuccessful Past Proposals
    • Research that is only indirectly/tangentially related to Community Need Areas.
    • Research that has no relevance to the population/demographics of Greater San Antonio.
  • Services

Proposals for provision of services are also welcomed if directly impacting the public. This can look like a university collaborating with another institution or San Antonio-based nonprofit to develop/implement new modalities of service or care, including modalities proven successful in a similar context elsewhere geographically but not present in Greater San Antonio. Unlike Research, Service must take place in Greater San Antonio.

Pre-application materials for internal competition:

  • A 1-page concept paper (12-point font, 1-inch margins) outlining the project’s significance, general goals, and alignment with Greater San Antonio’s demographics.
  • The candidate’s Curriculum Vitae (CV)

Indirect Cost: Pending

UTSW Handling Office: Development Office

Pre-Application required

Ted Nash Grant (Ted Nash Long Life Foundation)

Mr. Nash set up this foundation to support medical research. His vision was that the funded research would improve the length and quality of life for future generations. The Board of Directors wish to support higher risk projects if they had a moderate chance of success. There will be no restrictions on the projects except that they are medically related and would improve the length and quality of life for future Americans. The Board expects the results of the research supported by the grants to be published in the best possible journals to improve the chances that they will lead to improvements in health care. The financial support of the Ted Nash Long Life Foundation should be acknowledged in all publications resulting from research supported by the Foundation.

If awarded, the grant will fund up to $200,000 payable over two years. 

Pre-application materials for internal competition:

  • A 1-page research proposal stating the significance of the candidate's research and outlining the general goals for the proposal. This single-paged concept paper must be in 12-point font with 1-inch margins.
  • Curriculum Vitae (CV)

Two pre-applications will be chosen by an internal committee to advance to the next stage for the submission of a full application to the foundation.

  • Indirect Cost:0%
  • UTSW Handling Office: Development Office
  • Submit to Development Office via Email

Tina's Wish Rising Star Grant

  • Foundation: The Honorable Tina Brozman Foundation (“Tina’s Wish”) 
  • Type: Open
  • Cycle: Once per two year, even years only
  • Age limit/Special Eligibility: Applicants should hold a PhD, MD, or MD, PhD degree.
  • Applicants should hold a PhD, MD, and within three (3) years of their first faculty appointment studying the early detection or interception of ovarian cancer. 
  • Indirect Cost: 10%
  • UTSW Handling Office: Development Office
  • Submit to Development Office via Email

Tina's Wish Team Science Grant

  • Foundation: The Honorable Tina Brozman Foundation (“Tina’s Wish”) 
  • Type: Open
  • Cycle: Once per two year, even years only
  • Age limit/Special Eligibility: Collaborative team project for the early detection or interception of ovarian cancer.
  • Indirect Cost: 10%
  • UTSW Handling Office: Development Office
  • Submit to Development Office via Email

The Parker B. Francis Fellowship Program

  • Foundation: Francis Family Foundation 
  • Type: Open
  • Cycle: Once per year
  • Age limit/Special Eligibility: Support the development of outstanding investigators embarking on careers in pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine.
  • Indirect Cost: 0%
  • UTSW Handling Office: Development Office
  • Submit to Development Office via Email

Third Generation Fellowship Program

  • Foundation:  Klingenstein Third Generation Foundation
  • Type: Open
  • Cycle: Once per year
  • Age limit/Special Eligibility: Post-doctoral or junior faculty candidates who are investigating the causes, prevention, and treatment of children and adolescents with ADHD or depression
  • Indirect Cost: 10%
  • UTSW Handling Office: Development Office
  • Submit to Development Office via Email

Thrasher Research Fund Early Career Award

  • Foundation: Thrasher Research Fund 
  • Type: Open
  • Cycle: Twice per year
  • Age limit/Special Eligibility: to encourage the development of researchers in child health by awarding small grants to new researchers, helping them gain a foothold in this important area.
  • Indirect Cost: 7%
  • UTSW Handling Office: Development Office
  • Submit to Development Office via Email

Vallee Scholar Award (Vallee Foundation)

Recognizing that outstanding, young, independent investigators are the source for future advances in the biomedical sciences and of their need for flexible, unrestricted funding to conduct their research, the Vallee Scholars program makes grants of $400,000 – to be spent over a period of four years – to junior faculty carrying out basic biomedical research.  This award is available only to investigators who have been nominated by institutions that have been selected by the Vallee Foundation Board of Directors. One nomination will be accepted per institution.  The candidate must have received his/her PhD, MD, or other professional degree, within twelve years of the application deadline and, by the same date, have been in an independent research position (tenure track or equivalent) for six years or fewer.

The Vallee Foundation alternates its list of invited institutions, so UT Southwestern is not invited to nominate candidates every year. To determine whether UTSW has been invited to submit a nomination this year, please refer to the Vallee Scholars FAQ.

In years when UT Southwestern is invited to submit a nomination, candidates must submit pre-application materials for internal consideration.

Pre-application materials for internal competition:

  • A 1-page research proposal stating the significance of the candidate's research and outlining the general goals for the proposal. This single-paged concept paper must be in 12-point font with 1-inch margins.
  • A letter of recommendation from the candidate's Department Chair or Center Director, not exceeding 2 pages
  • Curriculum Vitae (CV)

An internal review committee will select one pre-application to advance to the next stage for submission of a full application to the Vallee Foundation.

  • Indirect Cost: 0%
  • UTSW Handling Office: Development Office
  • Submit to Development Office via Email

Warren Alpert Distinguished Scholar Awards (Warren Alpert Foundation)

UT Southwestern is invited to nominate one individual to apply for the annual Warren Alpert Distinguished Scholar Award. The Award will support individual postdoctoral scientists of exceptional creativity in the field of neurosciences. These transitional awards are to enable a postdoctoral researcher to advance to become a full-time faculty member at the Assistant Professor level or higher and to promote the development of a laboratory program that will lead to independent funding. The medical school, research institute, or academic hospital appointing the scholar will be awarded $200,000 annually for two years to cover salary, lab costs, and related expenses.  Under certain circumstances, the awardee may transfer funding to support their beginning faculty position.  Indirect costs of up to 15% of direct costs may be included in the $200,000.

Eligibility Requirements:

  • Must have an MD, PhD, or both
  • Must hold a post-doctoral research position at a United States medical school, research institute, or academic institution.
  • Minimum of 3 years and no more than 6 years of a post-doctoral fellowship by July 1, 2026
  • Research focused in the field of Neuroscience
  • Must be nominated by the dean of the medical school or equivalent institutional senior leader.
  • Must include a nomination letter
  • Commitment of a minimum of 75% effort
  • 3 letters of recommendation
  • Budgets submitted in NIH G300 format

Scholars will be chosen on the basis of the success in their prior post-doctoral work and other research as well as in the importance and creativity of their proposed future research. The Foundation expects to make five or more awards in 2026.

UT Southwestern is invited to submit one nomination per year. Submit pre-application materials for internal consideration if you are interested in this opportunity. One pre-application will be chosen by an internal committee to advance to the next stage for the submission of a full application to the foundation.

Pre-application materials for internal competition:

  • A one-page summary outlining the candidate’s scientific accomplishments and future research plans. This single-paged concept paper must be in 12-point font with 1-inch margins.
  • A letter of recommendation from the candidate's postdoctoral mentor, not exceeding 2 pages
  • The candidate's Curriculum Vitae (CV)

One pre-application will be chosen by an internal committee to advance to the next stage for the submission of a full application to the foundation.

  • Indirect Cost: 15%
  • UTSW Handling Office: Development Office
  • Submit to Development Office via Email

Welch Catalyst for Discovery Program Grant

UT Southwestern has been invited by the Welch Foundation to submit two applications for a limited submission opportunity: the Catalyst for Discovery Program Grants, a prestigious 5-year, $5,000,000 grant designed to support transformative, fundamental research in chemistry and allied fields, including biochemistry, chemical biology, materials science, and nanoscience.

These grants, open exclusively to Texas institutions, require a single Program Director who is a tenured or tenure-track, full-time investigator. Additionally, the team may include up to four co-investigators who are also tenured or tenure-track faculty members. While highly competitive, UT Southwestern investigators have a strong track record with the Welch Foundation, making a well-prepared application highly competitive. Welch welcomes proposals with biomedical implications.

Program guidelines are available on the Welch Foundation website at and are also attached for your reference.

To apply, please submit your pre-application materials as outlined below. 

Pre-application materials:

  • A research proposal of up to three pages, formatted as follows:
    • 12-point font
    • 1-inch margins
    • Include the project title, full names of PI and co-investigator(s), and the research proposal itself
  • NIH-style biosketches of the PI and co-investigators

Indirect Cost: N/A

UTSW Handling Office: SPA

Pre-Application required

Whitehall Foundation Research Grants

  • Foundation: Whitehall Foundation 
  • Type: Open
  • Cycle: Three times per year
  • Age limit/Special Eligibility: Assistant Professor (or higher) hold Principal Investigator status. Independence - must be considered an independent investigator conducting basic research in vertebrate and invertebrate neurobiology.
  • Indirect Cost: 0%
  • UTSW Handling Office: Development Office
  • Submit to Development Office via Email
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