FUNDING MEMO

Title: Early Career Awards - 2023 Fall Cycle - Concept Submission

Funding Agency: Thrasher Research Fund

External Deadline(s):

09/12/2023 11:00 AM PDT (Pre-Proposal)
10/31/2023 11:00 AM PDT (Full Proposal)

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

Description:

The Thrasher Research Fund recognizes that young investigators may find it difficult to remain in pediatric research because of a lack of funding. Therefore, the purpose of the Early Career Award Program is to encourage the development of medical research in child health by awarding small grants to new researchers, helping them gain a foothold in this important area. The goal is to fund applicants who will go on to be independent investigators. The Fund will make up to 16 awards per funding cycle.

Frequency: Typically offered multiple times per year

Total Award: $26,750

• The grant amount is based on the actual budgetary needs of the project, with a maximum of $25,000 in direct costs for the entire grant.
  • Up to $12,500 in total of the proposed budget may be used for salary (including fringe) of the new researcher.
  • Funds not needed for salary are to be used for research supplies or other research-related expenses.
  • The costs of attending conferences are allowed for the applicant to report findings resulting from Thrasher-supported research. Such travel costs may not exceed $2,000.
  • Requests for purchase of major equipment (items >$4,000) are discouraged and rarely funded.

Indirect Costs: 7% 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: 1-2 years

• Projects should be feasibly accomplished between 1-2 years.

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

Eligibility: Postdoc

• Open to physicians who are in a residency/fellowship training program, or who completed that program no more than one year before the date of submission of the Concept Paper; or post-doctoral researchers who received the doctoral level degree no more than three years prior to the date of submission of the Concept Paper.
  • Each project needs to be under the guidance of a mentor (a mentor may have only one Thrasher Research Fund Early Career Awardee at a time).
• A new investigator who holds a National Institutes of Health (NIH) K award (including a K12 award) or a Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) is not eligible to apply.
• There are no citizenship restrictions.
• While the award is open to all who are eligible, The Fund especially hopes to encourage applications from those in the United States who are part of underrepresented minority groups in research.

Research Areas of Interest:

• All funded projects will deal directly with children's health.
  • The Fund is open to a wide variety of research topics, they do not focus on a particular disease.

Post-Award Obligations:

• TBD

Recent Caltech Recipients:

• None

Guidelines & Other Information:

Overview and Guidelines: https://www.thrasherresearch.org/early-career-award?lang=eng

Past Recipients: https://www.thrasherresearch.org/grants/current?filter=Early%20Career

Advisory Committee: https://www.thrasherresearch.org/committee-members?lang=eng

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: 1612