Medical Research Grants
Eleven funds at The Rhode Island Foundation support medical research:
- Alice W. Bliss Memorial Fund
- Charles V. Chapin Fellowship Fund
- Anne Elizabeth Chase Fund
- Gilbert J. Clappin, Jr. Memorial Fund
- Haire Family Fund
- Herbert E. Hopkins Fund
- Alice Newton Fund
- Phebe Parker Fund
- Esther S. Phillips Fund
- Edythe K. and Jane E. Richmond Memorial Cancer Fund
- Mary A. Young Cancer Fund
The Foundation awards 7-10 grants of up to $15,000 each. The primary purpose of the grants is to provide support to new investigators as seed money or for pilot projects.
The Foundation encourages biomedical researchers throughout Rhode Island to apply for start-up grant support for laboratory, clinical and population-based research. In addition to general medical research, areas of interest include infectious diseases, cardiac research, coronary artery disease, cerebral accidents, cancer, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, diabetes, and allergies.
Grants are rarely provided to senior investigators. Grants are generally provided to faculty during their first five years of appointment as assistant professors. Grants are provided for supplies and research animals. The Foundation generally does not provide funds for permanent equipment, equipment maintenance, travel, or printing. In most cases, this program does not provide funds for salary support of the principal investigator. Because of the limited funds available, the Foundation does not cover charges for overhead by the applicant hospitals and universities. All grants are for one year. Only under unusual circumstances will a proposal for second-year funding be considered.
Proposal Review Criteria
A review panel made up of scientists and physicians assists the Foundation in its review of medical research proposals. Criteria used to evaluate proposals include:
- Significance of the research
- Soundness of the methodology
- Feasibility of the research project
- Demonstration of independent research
- Likelihood of securing future external funding
Application Deadline
Grants are awarded annually. Applications are due October 29, 2010.
To Apply
A complete application consists of:
- Online application (Application is being updated; please check back.)
- 500-word abstract of the proposed project
- Description (brief, clearly articulated statement of the research to be carried out) including:
- Specific aims
- Experimental design
- Potential significance of research
- Potential obstacles
- Plans to secure external funding for this research in subsequent years
- Detailed annual budget for the project
- List of other funds that have been sought for this project and are currently available to the principal investigator in this area of research
- List of other research grants the investigator either will receive or expects to receive in the coming year (including those not related to the research topic for which the Foundation’s funds are sought)
- Required attachments, as described in the application form
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