Transformational Project Award

FUNDING MEMO

Title: Transformational Project Award

Funding Agency: American Heart Association

External Deadline(s):

02/16/2023 02:00 PM PST (Full Proposal)

Cognizant Office: Office of Sponsored Research/Office of Foundation Relations

Description:

The American Heart Association (AHA) is accepting applications for the Transformational Project Award, which funds highly innovative, high-impact projects that build on work in progress that could ultimately lead to critical discoveries or major advancements that will accelerate the AHA's mission. Research deemed innovative may be built around an emerging paradigm, approaching an existing problem from a new perspective, or exhibit other uniquely creative qualities. Successful applications are likely to be those building on strong preliminary data supportive of the hypothesis.

Frequency: Typically annual

Total Award: $300,000

$100,000 per year for 3 years ($300,000 total).
- The award may be used for salary and fringe benefits of the principal investigator, collaborating investigator(s), and other participants with faculty appointments, and for project-related expenses, such as salaries of technical personnel essential to the conduct of the project, supplies, equipment, computers/electronics, travel (including international travel), volunteer subject costs, data management, and publication costs, etc.
- The proposed budget must be justified in the application.
- Awards are not intended to supplement or duplicate currently funded work.

Indirect Costs: 10% of Direct Costs

Caltech’s minimum overhead rate is based on the award’s annual gross funding. Please refer to the FY23 Annual Rate Memo for applicable minimum overhead requirements. Applicants must work within their division to account for the required overhead via an approved MORA form.

Duration: 3 years

Award state date is July 1, 2023.
Transformational Project Awards are not renewable. An awardee may submit an application for a new Transformational Project Award, provided the projects are separate in nature and concept.

Discipline(s): Biology and Biological Engineering; Chemistry and Chemical Engineering; Engineering and Applied Science

Eligibility: Research Faculty, Tenure-Track Faculty, Tenured Faculty

Each applicant must be an AHA Professional Member.
- Membership processing may take 3-5 days.
Awardees must be U.S. citizens or have one of the designations listed in the Application Information.
At the time of award activation:
- The candidate must hold a post-baccalaureate Ph.D. degree or equivalent, or a doctoral-level clinical degree, such as M.D., D.O., D.V.M., Pharm.D., or Ph.D. in nursing, public health, or other clinical health science.
- This program places no limit on eligibility based on career stage, academic rank, or discipline. It requires only evidence of a faculty/staff position, above the rank of trainee/postdoctoral fellow, at a qualified institution.
  - Caltech researchers other than tenure-track faculty will need to obtain approval from the Division Chair and Vice Provost for Research prior to submitting an application.
  - Postdoctoral fellows and others in research training positions at the time of application must obtain a faculty appointment by the award activation date.
- While no minimum percent effort is specified, the principal investigator must demonstrate that adequate time will be devoted to ensuring the successful completion of the proposed project.
An applicant may submit a maximum of one Transformational Project Award per deadline.
The applicant may submit the same or similar application three times (the original plus two resubmissions). The same or similar application submitted the fourth time will be administratively withdrawn.
Applicants to this program may also submit proposals for other AHA research award programs; an applicant may submit only one investigator-based application (Career Development Award, Established Investigator Award, or AHA Institutional Research Enhancement Award) per fiscal year.
The Transformational Project Award may be held concurrently with another Association award; however, the projects must have clearly distinct aims, with no scientific or budgetary overlap.
The project submitted may have no scientific or budgetary overlap with other funded work.

Research Areas of Interest:

Highly innovative, high-impact projects that build on work in progress that could ultimately lead to critical discoveries or major advancements that will accelerate the field of cardiovascular and/or cerebrovascular research.
Research deemed innovative may be built around an emerging paradigm, approaching an existing problem from a new perspective, or exhibit other uniquely creative qualities.
Successful applications are likely to be those building on strong preliminary data supportive of the hypothesis.
This program aims to provide funding that should lead to successful competition for additional funding beyond the award period. The PI is responsible for clearly and explicitly articulating the project's innovation and the potential impact on cardiovascular and/or cerebrovascular research.

Post-Award Obligations:

Annual reporting is required.

Recent Caltech Recipients:

Wei Gao, 2019

Guidelines & Other Information:

Overview, Deadlines, and Application Information: https://professional.heart.org/en/research-programs/application-information

Guidelines: https://professional.heart.org/en/research-programs/application-information/transformational-project-award

Application Instructions: https://professional.heart.org/-/media/PHD-Files/Research/Application-Information/Application-Instructions/AHA_Research_Funding_Application_Instructions_ucm_495100.pdf

AHA Award Guide (All Programs): https://professional.heart.org/-/media/PHD-Files/Research/Research-Policies-and-Awardee-Hub/aha_award_guide.pdf

Note: Applications must be submitted by a grants officer (your Office of Sponsored Research Analyst). Please allow sufficient time for grant officer review and approval.

Please notify the Foundation Relations team if you anticipate making a submission or if you have any questions regarding this opportunity. We are here to help ensure that Caltech’s proposals are competitive. We can assist with proposal development and advise you on the routing of your paperwork. Interested researchers should work with their division grant manager to prepare the budget, the MORA form, and the Division Approval Form (DAF). Submissions and awards for this grant program will be processed through the Office of Sponsored Research.

Opportunity ID: 1348