March of Dimes Discovery Research Grants

These grants are awarded to seasoned researchers seeking to make consequential translational discoveries that will drastically alter clinical care for pregnant people and babies, whether through evidence-based prevention, diagnosis, or intervention.

Simply put, Discovery Grants are funding vehicles for research inquiries that are as practical as they are ambitious, as attainable as they are groundbreaking, and as transformative as they are necessary. These grants are given to researchers with inquiries that have the power to drastically reshape outcomes for families across the US and strike a decisive blow against the maternal and infant health crisis.

Priority Areas

• Priority topic 1
  • Spontaneous preterm birth
    • This topic focuses on prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disorders leading to spontaneous preterm birth. Proposed studies must have the potential to improve clinical care to prevent adverse maternal and child outcomes.
• Priority topic 2
  • Racial inequities as they relate to morbidity, mortality, and access to care
    • Research in this topic area focuses on racial inequities influencing the physical, mental, and psychological health of moms and babies. Proposals should produce tangible solutions to improve access to care and health outcomes.
• Priority topic 3
  • Cardiovascular health conditions developed during pregnancy or exacerbated during pregnancy
    • Proposed studies in this topic area should focus on cardiovascular conditions that begin, develop, or worsen during pregnancy and identify tangible ways to characterize, prevent, and/or mitigate their development.

Funding Information

• $200,000 over two years inclusive of 10% indirect costs

Eligibility Criteria

• March of Dimes invites submissions from:
  • Health professionals, health researchers, epidemiologists, and social scientists with doctoral academic degrees and either a faculty appointment or equivalent at academic universities, hospitals, and research institutions;
  • Those who are employees of small businesses, startup companies, non-profit organizations; or
  • Pharmaceutical companies committed to research in the area of maternal and infant health.
  • These applications are not limited to US citizens/are open to global applicants. Applicants may not hold any other current March of Dimes grants when applying.

For more information, visit March of Dimes.