Grants Program

The CURE Epilepsy Catalyst Award (2 years / $250,000) supports nimble development of data necessary to advance ideas toward larger commercialization funding opportunities and is not intended to replace those opportunities.

Please refer to the Request for Proposals for an overview of the priority areas, application instructions, and FAQs.

Eligibility

This award is available to independent researchers at or above the level of Assistant Professor (or equivalent) at universities and non-academic research institutions, including small biotechnology companies, that seek to develop new interventions for epilepsy. International applicants are welcome to apply. Postdoctoral fellows may not apply for this award. All materials must be submitted in English.

Budget
Requests may be made for up to a total of $250,000 paid over 2 years. Funding requests may include salary support for the PI, technical staff and/or collaborators, supplies, animal costs, etc., and travel to an epilepsy-related conference if the PI is presenting his/her CURE Epilepsy-funded research. Limited equipment purchases that are required to complete goals will be considered.  Indirect costs are not supported.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS  GRANT PROCESS

KEY ACTIVITIES AND DATES

The CURE Epilepsy Award (2 years / $250,000) reflects CURE Epilepsy’s continued focus on scientific advances that have the potential to truly transform the lives of those affected by epilepsy, with prevention and disease modification as critical goals. Key priority areas for the award include: 1) Basic mechanisms of epilepsy; 2) Acquired epilepsies; 3) Pediatric epilepsies; 4) SUDEP; 5) Treatment-resistant epilepsies; and 6) Sleep & epilepsy.

Please refer to the LOI guidelines for an overview of CURE Epilepsy’s priority areas, application instructions, and FAQs.

Eligibility
This award is available to both established and early career investigators*. Researchers who serve on CURE Epilepsy’s Scientific Advisory Council are ineligible to apply for or sponsor a grant for the duration of their term. International applicants are welcome. All materials must be submitted in English.

* Generally, early-career investigators are university faculty at the assistant professor level (or hold an equivalent position in a non-university research organization).  Established investigators are university faculty at the associate professor level or above. Post-doctoral fellows may not apply for this award.

Budget
Requests may be made for up to a total of $250,000 paid over 2 years. Funding requests may include salary support for the PI, technical staff and/or collaborators; supplies, animal costs, etc.; and travel to an epilepsy-related conference if the PI is presenting his/her CURE Epilepsy-funded research. Limited equipment purchases that are required to complete goals will be considered.  Indirect costs are not supported.

SEE LOI GUIDELINES  GRANT PROCESS

KEY ACTIVITIES AND DATES

The Taking Flight Award (1 year / $100,000) seeks to promote the careers of young epilepsy investigators to allow them to develop a research focus independent of their mentor(s).

Eligibility
You must fall into one of the following categories to be eligible for the Taking Flight Award:

• A senior postdoctoral fellow who has a minimum of 3 years postdoctoral experience
• A clinical fellow who is a Neurology Resident in his/her Neurology training and considering Epilepsy Fellowships
• Newly appointed faculty within one year of having completed postdoctoral training

International applicants are welcome; you do not have to be a US citizen or working in the US to apply for this award. All materials must be submitted in English.

Budget
Requests may be made for up to $100,000 for one year. Funding requests may include salary support for the PI, technical staff and/or collaborators; supplies, animal costs, publication fees etc.; and travel to an epilepsy-related conference if the PI is presenting his/her CURE Epilepsy-funded research. Funds are not to be used to purchase equipment. Indirect costs are not supported.

SEE LOI GUIDELINES   GRANT PROCESS

KEY ACTIVITIES AND DATES

The Rare Epilepsy Partnership Award (1 year / $100,000) will support the development of necessary research tools, techniques, model systems, and data collection platforms to stimulate and accelerate research on rare epilepsies. Each award will be co-funded by CURE Epilepsy and one or more of the rare epilepsy advocacy groups (partners) identified in the Request For Proposals. Applications must focus on one or more of the specific rare epilepsies that are represented by each group as well as address CURE Epilepsy’s mission to cure epilepsy.

Eligibility

This award is available to both established and early-career investigators. Early career investigators must have a mentor committed to advising the applicant. A clearly articulated mentorship statement from the mentor must be submitted along with the application. See RFP for details.

Budget

Funding requests must be itemized and based on specific, milestone-defined scientific aims. Requests may be made for up to a maximum of $100,000 paid over 1 year. CURE Epilepsy reserves the right to fund only select specific aims or stage funding of proposals based on the achievement of milestones. Budgets may include salary support for the Principal Investigator (PI), technical staff and/or co-PIs, supplies, animal costs, vendor costs, limited equipment cost, and travel to an epilepsy-related conference only if the PI is presenting his/her CURE Epilepsy-funded research. Indirect costs are not supported.

GRANT PROCESS

KEY ACTIVITIES AND DATES