Objective:
This program aims to support early career investigator-led Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and related research projects disrupted by changes in federal research funding.
U.S. federal government-sponsored research funding has experienced a series of changes that challenges ongoing research initiatives and the future of the U.S. biomedical research enterprise. Maintaining continuity of funding for these projects enables further scientific progress and is critical to millions of Americans affected by Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and other neurodegenerative disorders and age-related causes of dementia — and millions more who may be affected by these diseases in the future, as rates for neurological disease are increasing around the world and expected to double as age is the biggest risk factor.
Recent advances in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disorders research show tremendous promise, and ensuring funding for priority research grants is vital for investigators to effectively and efficiently perform life-saving research and carry- out public health programs toward better health outcomes for the United States — and the world.
As the world’s largest nonprofit funders with a shared commitment and purpose to deliver better treatments and a cure for (respectively) Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and related disorders, the Alzheimer’s Association and The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research are evolving the Bridge Funding for Disrupted Neurodegenerative Research (BFDN) grant program. The Alzheimer’s Association has partnered with the Robertson Foundation to support this unique funding program.
This program specifically aims to ensure continuity of career support for early career researchers and researchers who are within 7 years of their designation as an Early Stage Investigator (ESI) based on the NIH definition. This program will provide funding for salary and other direct costs for research projects focused on Alzheimer’s disease, Frontotemporal Dementia, Parkinson’s disease, Dementia with Lewy Bodies, atypical Parkinson's and/or other related disorders that have been impacted by specific changes in the federal research funding landscape within NIH and/or other U.S. Federal Funding Agency.
Investigators meeting the ESI career stage eligibility (see above) and have been impacted by at least one of the following challenges may apply:
Delayed Review: Projects stalled due to study review process delays related to operational changes at the NIH and/or other U.S. Federal Funding agency.
Termination: Laboratories whose federal grants have been terminated and/or cut significantly due to changes in funding priorities and/or area of interest and are seeking other permanent funding.
Priority Misalignment: Projects that no longer fit the NIH and/or other U.S. federal agency focus areas requiring redirection to align with reframing to reflect adjusted priorities and areas of interest.
Gaps: Previously funded projects awaiting reapproval under new criteria.
Investigators whose proposals do not meet the above criteria and are experiencing challenges meeting revised paylines due to an increasingly competitive funding landscape do not meet the intent of this program.
Institutional Cost Sharing
This program requires institutions commit to investment in the career and/or research of the application’s named principal investigator applying to this opportunity. To demonstrate this, all applications are required to contain an element of institutional cost-sharing of up to 25% of the total requested budget. Institutional cost share may support the following, included but not limited to: protected research time, facility and core fees, salary and fringe, as well as computing and other equipment otherwise not allowable under Alzheimer's Association and The Michael J. Fox Foundation funding.
For questions about the application process, please email grants@michaeljfox.org.