NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS!

Issue Date: November 27, 2023
Submission Due Date: January 8, 2024 by 11:59 pm ET
Grant Selection Notification: By June 14, 2024
Period of Performance: 1 year
Amount of Grant: Up to $100,000 per grant
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The AASM Foundation is committed to developing the careers of sleep and circadian investigators by increasing support for sleep researchers. To meet this goal, the AASM Foundation has established research career development grants to assist sleep researchers at various stages of their career.

The Bridge to Success Grant for Mid-Career/Senior Investigators is an AASM Foundation career development grant targeted to mid-level and senior investigators in sleep and circadian science research who need ‘bridge’ funding while re-applying for research support. Through this grant, the AASM Foundation aims to assist investigators whose large grant proposal, such as an R01 grant from the National Institutes of Health, a merit grant from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, a research or implementation grant from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, or an equivalent large grant from another federal agency, was submitted but not funded. The Bridge to Success Mid-Career/Senior Investigator Grant will help an independent investigator stay in the field of sleep and circadian research while reapplying for external funding. While this grant is intended for established investigators, individuals applying for their first independent grants (e.g., first Ro1) after a career development award (e.g., K-award) are also eligible to apply.

This AASM Foundation research grant is supported by AASM Foundation general funds.

The Bridge to Success Grant for Mid-Career/Senior Investigators provides funds for one year and can be for up to $100,000 per grant (includes direct and indirect costs). There are no restrictions on the distribution of expenses, however, indirect costs are capped at 8%. The grant is a contract between the AASM Foundation and the grantee’s institution. A sample contract is available here.

The following individuals are eligible to apply:

  • Sleep scientists (MD, DO, DDS, DMD, DNP, DNSc, PharmD, PhD, or equivalent) who submitted at least one NIH grant proposal (or the equivalent in the VA or other federal system) during the past two years that was scored in the peer-review process but fell below (or is likely to fall below) the funding agency’s pay line are eligible to apply.

Note: The proposal must have been for a grant suitable for a mid-career or senior investigator, such as an R01, VA Merit Review.

  • Individuals may apply for multiple AASM Foundation grants however, the same proposal (i.e. projects with budgetary and scientific overlap) may not be submitted for multiple requests for applications in a given cycle. Additionally, if an individual submits more than one application in a given Career Development Grant cycle, the AASM Foundation will only approve funding one grant should multiple proposals submitted by the applicant receive a competitive score.
  • Individuals who are the Principal Investigator on an open AASM Foundation research grant at the time of the application deadline are eligible to apply if they can demonstrate that there is no budgetary or scientific overlap between their open grant and the new project they are applying for funding. If there is budgetary and/or scientific overlap between projects, the applicant must indicate their plan to close their open grant in the event their new application is selected for funding (e.g., relinquish the current grant or complete the current grant to start the new grant).
  • Since these grants are intended as bridge support, if the NIH/VA or equivalent grant is received, the principal investigator must notify the AASM Foundation and the following would apply:
    • If external funds are received prior to distribution of AASM Foundation funds, AASM Foundation funds would not be released, and the grant would be closed out with the AASM Foundation.
    • If external funds are received after distribution of AASM Foundation funds, the principal investigator would be permitted to submit updated documents (i.e., a new budget, justification and project timeline) and would be allowed to retain the funds if the grant recipient can provide evidence for non-overlap.
  • International individuals who meet all the eligibility criteria are eligible to apply; however, payment of grant funds must be accepted by the institution in US dollars.

The following individuals are not eligible to apply:

  • Applicants with two or more current, large, federally funded grants (e.g., >1 R01 or equivalent) are not eligible to apply for bridge funding through this mechanism. Applicants with one current, federally funded grant must provide clear justification for why the bridge funds are needed to continue the program of research.
  • 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.
  • Individuals who are seeking funding from AASM Foundation research grants to support ongoing projects that are currently funded by another granting body or supplement ongoing work (e.g., enrolling additional subjects into an ongoing trial) are not eligible to apply.

Note: The principal investigator will be required to make a statement to this effect prior to execution of the contract.

  • 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.

Note: In rare instances, AASM and AASM Foundation Board members may serve as unpaid consultants on an application, however, this requires Executive Committee approval prior to submitting the application.

A scientific grant review committee, appointed by the AASM Foundation Executive Committee, will evaluate and score all submitted applications. Factors that will be taken into consideration include:

  1. Significance: Significance of planned research in addressing important questions related to sleep, sleep disorders or sleep health.
  2. Investigators: The principal investigator’s accomplishments in advancing sleep health and key personnel are well-suited for the project.
  3. Approach: Planned research (overall strategy, methodology, and analyses) is scientifically sound, plan addresses protection of human subjects from research risks and inclusion/exclusion of individuals justified (if applicable).
  4. Environment: Institutional support and availability of equipment and other physical resources for the planned research.
  5. Appropriateness: A clear and feasible plan on how the Bridge to Success Grant for Mid-Career/Senior Investigators will facilitate the resubmission of a competitive application, what will be achieved with the Bridge funds and how it will sustain the applicant’s career in the sleep field.

Only materials submitted within the application will be used in the evaluation of applications. The AASM Foundation Executive Committee will submit funding recommendations to the AASM Foundation Board of Directors based on the scientific grant review committee scores. The AASM Foundation Board of Directors will make the final funding decisions.

Payment #1 – Upon execution of contract 90%
Payment #2 – Upon receipt and approval of Final Report 10%

If unique circumstances are explained in the budget justification of the applicant’s proposal, the Board of Directors will consider requests for an alternate payment schedule, with a maximum variance of 10%.

 

Note: Once the grant contract is executed, reallocation of funds of <10% do not require approval.

The AASM Foundation intends the Bridge to Success Grant for Mid-Career/Senior Investigators to provide funding for sleep and circadian researchers who are 1) transitioning to a mid-career level and have applied for their first large federal grant that was not funded, and bridge funding will ultimately help establish their career as an independent sleep and circadian scientist, or 2) are established investigators that have applied for a large federal grant that was not funded, and bridge funding will help sustain their research and contribute to their retention as a sleep and circadian scientist.

Applicants are expected to address the specific aims as described in the application. Major modification of the proposed aims requires AASM Foundation Board of Directors or Executive Committee approval.

During the project period, or shortly after project completion, the principal investigator will submit an abstract to the Associated Professional Sleep Societies (APSS) for presentation at the SLEEP annual meeting. The AASM Foundation also anticipates that projects funded by this grant will lead to the publication of original research in peer-reviewed journals, such as the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.

The expected results and deliverables should be clearly stated in the application. The applicant must submit progress and final reports during the project period, describing project activities and results, as outlined below. Failure to meet the deliverables or submit progress or final reports may result in termination of project funding.

Progress Reports Every six months
Final Report Within 90 days of award completion

Outcomes evaluation is an essential component of this grant. All proposals must identify the goals and appropriate outcomes measures of the research. The outcomes should align with the goals and objectives stated in the applicant’s proposal for this grant. The AASM Foundation intends that the research funded by this grant will lead to the publication of original research in peer-reviewed journals.

If using human or animal subjects, the applicant will be responsible for obtaining Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Institutional Animal Care and use Committee (IACUC) approval. The IRB or IACUC letter of approval for the specified project must be on file with the AASM Foundation office prior to the execution of the contract. No funds will be released for the project without receipt of written approval by an IRB or IACUC. Failure to obtain IRB or IACUC approval will result in retraction of the grant.

Step 1: AASM Foundation Grant Request registration

To apply for this grant, you must register on AASM Foundation Grant Request. Please refer to the AASM Foundation Grant Request User Access Guide for guidance on setting-up an account.

Step 2: Complete application

ACCESS THE 2024 BRIDGE TO SUCCESS GRANT FOR MID-CAREER/SENIOR INVESTIGATORS (CYCLE 1) APPLICATION

Full applications must be completed and submitted through AASM Foundation Grant Request. Instructions for required forms are available via the online submission system. For an overview of the information that is requested on the application form, please download the 2024 Bridge to Success Grant for Mid-Career/Senior Investigators Application Outline.

We encourage potential applicants to contact us early in the application process with questions. Eligibility questions may need to be reviewed by a member of the AASM Foundation Executive Committee, so please allow for at least a 1-week response time for eligibility questions. For all other inquiries, please allow a minimum of two business days for a response. Please note that questions received within 48 hours of an application deadline may not be answered before the deadline.