Introduction

Grants awarded through this RFA are intended to provide early support for exploratory ideas, particularly those with novel hypotheses for autism. Appropriate projects for this mechanism include those considered higher risk with less assurance of ultimate impact, but with the potential for transformative results.

Call objectives

The goal of the Pilot Award is to provide early support for exploratory ideas, particularly those with novel hypotheses. Appropriate projects for this mechanism include those considered higher risk but with the potential for transformative results. Projects that represent continuations of ongoing work (whether funded by SFARI or other funders) are not appropriate for this mechanism.

Call options

In particular, they encourage applications that propose research to link genetic or other ASD risk factors to molecular, cellular, circuit or behavioral mechanisms and set the stage for development of novel interventions. Please read more about SFARI's scientific perspectives. They also strongly advise applicants to familiarize themselves with the current projects and other resources that SFARI supports and to think about how their proposals might complement existing efforts.

Budget

The total budget of a Pilot Award is $300,000 or less, including 20 percent indirect costs, over a period of up to two (2) years. Allowable Indirect costs to the primary institution for subcontracts are not included in the $300,000 total budget threshold Funding is for a duration of one year.

Eligibility

All applicants and key collaborators must hold a Ph.D., M.D. or equivalent degree and have a faculty position or the equivalent at a college, university, medical school or other research facility.

Applications may be submitted by domestic and foreign nonprofit organizations; public and private institutions, such as colleges, universities, hospitals, laboratories, and units of state and local government; and eligible agencies of the federal government. There are no citizenship or country requirements. 

Application

Applications must be completed electronically and submitted using forms provided at proposalCENTRAL webpage. There is a two-stage procedure for the submission:

• LoI: Letters of Intent for the 2021 call should be submitted by the deadline of 6^th May 2021.
• Full: A full application must then be submitted by preselected candidates by 12^th August 2021.

In case of interest, please contact lnorton(ELIMINAR)@fsjd.org