Focused Projects Grant for Junior Investigators

This opportunity provides seed funding for mentored research projects to jumpstart an early career investigator’s research career and provide the necessary support and resources needed to establish a track record of funding. There are several categories for applications, including pediatric sleep, using the National Sleep Research Resource, and an option for general topics.

Focus Areas

• The Focused Projects Grant for Junior Investigators requires applications and is open to general and specific topics. The applicant must select one of the following topics.
  • General: Open to mentored projects that address one or more important unanswered scientific questions related to sleep, sleep disorders and/or sleep health.
  • Madeleine Grigg-Damberger Grant for Pediatric Sleep: Open to mentored projects that address one or more important unanswered scientific questions related to pediatric sleep, sleep disorders and/or sleep health.
  • National Sleep Research Resource: Open to mentored projects that use the National Sleep Research Resource and address one or more important unanswered scientific questions related to sleep and/or sleep disorders.

Funding Information

• The Focused Projects Grant for Junior Investigators provides funds for one year and can be for up to $40,000 – $50,000 per grant, depending on the research focus. There are no restrictions on the distribution of expenses, however, indirect costs are capped at 8%. The grant is issued as a contract between the AASM Foundation and the grantee’s institution.
• General and National Sleep Research Resource: Up to $40,000 for 1 year, with indirect costs capped at 8%.
• Madeleine Grigg-Damberger Grant for Pediatric Sleep: Up to $50,000 for 1 year, with indirect costs capped at 8%.

Expected Outcomes

• Outcomes are an essential component of this grant. All proposals must identify the goals and appropriate outcome measures of the research. The outcomes should align with the goals and objectives stated in the applicant’s proposal for this grant. As such, the following deliverables are required:
  • The applicants must address the specific aims and any major modification requires AASM Foundation Board of Directors or Executive Committee approval.
  • The AASM Foundation expects that the research funded by this grant will lead to the publication of original research in peer-reviewed journals, such as the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, and submission of an abstract to the Associated Professional Sleep Societies (APSS) for presentation at the annual SLEEP meeting. The plan and costs for these deliverables must be stated in the application.
  • The applicant must submit progress and final reports during the project period and set deadlines, describing project activities and results. Failure to submit reports per the established schedule will result in withholding grant payments from the sponsoring organization and the grant recipient becoming ineligible to apply for future AASM Foundation funding until all outstanding reporting is up to date.

Eligibility Criteria

• The following individuals are eligible to apply:
  • Individuals with an MD, DO, DDS, DMD, DNP, DNSc, PharmD, PhD, or equivalent professional degree.
  • Individuals within 10 years of their terminal degree, post-doctoral training, or clinical training.
  • US and international applicants are eligible to apply.

Ineligibility Criteria

• The following individuals are not eligible to apply:
  • Individuals who have received independent research funding of more than $250,000 are not eligible to apply. This does not apply to post-doctoral/ fellowship level training grants primarily covering the applicant’s salary (e.g., NRSAs).
  • Individuals who have a financial conflict of interest or have the potential to incur significant financial benefit from the proposed work and beyond the work itself are not eligible to apply.
  • Current AASM and AASM Foundation Board of Directors members are not eligible to apply and cannot be listed as a PI, co-PI, key personnel, mentor (paid or unpaid) or paid consultant for one year after their term ends.

For more information, visit AASM.