SCGB Transition to Independence Award

FUNDING MEMO

Title: SCGB Transition to Independence Award - LOI

Funding Agency: Simons Foundation

External Deadline(s):

02/16/2023 09:00 AM PST (LOI)

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

Description:

The Simons Collaboration on the Global Brain (SCGB) is dedicated to supporting advances in systems and computational neuroscience with the goal of expanding our understanding of the brain's internal states. The Transition to Independence (TTI) Award aims to facilitate the transition of outstanding systems and computational neuroscientists from historically underrepresented backgrounds to research independence. Through this effort, the Foundation seeks to fund scientists doing work consistent with SCGB's scientific mission, ideally investigating large-scale circuits at single-cell resolution to understand neural dynamics and coding. SCGB launched this program in 2021 (formerly known as the SCGB Bridge to Independence Award) with the recognition that diversity improves scientific innovation and collaboration. SCGB's TTI Award program engages talented early-career scientists in systems and computational neuroscience by facilitating their transition to research independence and by providing up to two years of postdoctoral support as well as three years of grant funding at the start of their professorships. This request for applications (RFA) is aimed at Ph.D. and M.D.-holding scientists who are currently in training positions but intend to seek tenure-track research faculty positions during the upcoming academic job cycle.

Frequency: Typically annual

Total Award: Varies

Upon selection as a TTI fellow, fellows will receive up to 2 years of postdoctoral support at their postdoc institution with an annual salary of $70,000, as well as a resource and professional development allowance of $10,000 per year. During this time, postdocs will receive mentorship and professional development resources to assist in their search for a faculty position.
- In order to receive the postdoctoral support portion of the award, your institution must appoint you as an employee of the university with no teaching obligation, and provide the standard benefits package that the university provides to employees.
Fellows have 24 months to secure a tenure-track professorship at an academic institution and submit a second-stage approval application. Review of the approval application is a non-competitive, internal process intended to confirm that the fellow has secured an academic research position and adequate institutional resources to support their research program. After the Simons Foundation accepts the second-stage approval application, the awardee will receive research support at the level of $600,000 over 3 years.

Indirect Costs: 20% of Modified Direct Costs

Indirect costs to the primary institution are limited to 20 percent of direct costs with the following exceptions: equipment, tuition and any portion of each subcontract in excess of $25,000.
- Postdoc portion: If administered at Caltech, this award will be considered a “true fellowship” and will not be subject to the minimum overhead requirement beyond the allowable 20%. An approved MORA and DAF are still required.
- Faculty portion: The award is administered through the institution at which the TTI fellow has a tenure-track faculty appointment. If administered through Caltech, 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: Up to 5 years

Postdoc portion: Up to 2 years.
Faculty portion: Up to 3 years.

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

Eligibility: Postdoc

The program application is open to individuals who are from racial, ethnic, and other groups underrepresented in cognitive aging, including individuals with disabilities and individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. This includes, but is not limited to, any individual identifying as Hispanic or Latine, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, or American Indian or Alaska Native.
- The Foundation will consider applicants to have come from a disadvantaged background if they meet at least two of the following criteria:
  - Were or currently are homeless;
  - Were or currently are in the foster care system;
  - Were eligible for the Federal Free and Reduced Lunch Program* for two or more years;
  - Have/had no parents or legal guardians who completed a bachelor’s degree;
  - Were or currently are eligible for Federal Pell* grants;
  - Received support from the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children* as a parent or child;
  - Grew up in one of the following areas: a) a U.S. rural area, as designated by the Health Resources and Services Administration Rural Health Grants Eligibility Analyzer, or b) Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services-designated Low-Income and Health Professional Shortage Areas (qualifying zip codes are included in the file). Only one of the two (2) possibilities in this bullet can be used as a criterion for the disadvantaged backgrounds.
  - * For non-U.S. applicants, please consider approximately equivalent programs.
A previous background in aging research is not required; candidates with a background in fields including neuroscience, molecular biology, genetics, immunology, cell biology and the physical and information sciences are encouraged to apply.
Applicants must hold a Ph.D., M.D. or equivalent degree.
Applicants must be currently in non-independent, mentored training positions, as recognized by their institution.
Applicants must be actively seeking a tenure-track position at an institution of higher education during the next job cycle.
Applicants are not eligible if they are recipients of other career development awards with similar budgetary scopes as the SCGB TTI Award.
Applicants must not have accepted a formal offer for a tenure-track faculty position.
There are no citizenship requirements.

Research Areas of Interest:

Proposed research should be relevant to SCGB's mission, ideally investigating large-scale circuits at single-cell resolution to understand neural dynamics and coding.

Post-Award Obligations:

Recent Caltech Recipients:

None

Guidelines & Other Information:

RFA: https://www.simonsfoundation.org/grant/scgb-transition-to-independence-award/

How to Apply: https://www.simonsfoundation.org/grant/scgb-transition-to-independence-award/?tab=how-to-apply

FAQ: https://www.simonsfoundation.org/grant/scgb-transition-to-independence-award/?tab=faq

Simons Foundation Policies and Procedures: https://www.simonsfoundation.org/funding-opportunities/policies-and-procedures-text/

SCGB-funded Projects: https://www.simonsfoundation.org/collaborations/global-brain/projects/?status=current

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: 1372