2018 APFED HOPE Pilot Grant for Hypereosinophilic Syndrome Research

Objective
The 2018 APFED HOPE Pilot Grant has been established to foster the development of new projects relevant to hypereosinophilic syndrome. Investigators from a variety of disciplines are encouraged to apply. Successful applicants will focus on the development of new ideas which are likely to lead to future external funding.

Sponsor
American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders (APFED), a non-profit advocacy organization for those living with eosinophil-associated diseases, including eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases (e.g., eosinophilic esophagitis, eosinophilic gastritis, eosinophilic colitis), eosinophilic cystitis, eosinophilic fasciitis, and hypereosinophilic syndrome.

Grant Term: Two years

Award Amount: $25,000 per year (a total of $50,000 over the two-year grant term)

Funding
Funds will be distributed in two equal $25,000 payments. Grant funds may not be used for salary support for applicant. The grant may be used for the purchase of supplies and services directly related to the approved research endeavors. Funds may also be directed to the salaries of technical personnel and other direct expenses as necessary for the completion of the research project. Funds may not be used for institutional indirect costs or to acquire administrative or clerical support. This grant will include an additional travel grant of up to $1,000 which must be used to attend a professional meeting to present results of the funded research.

Eligibility
• Eligible applicants must have received doctoral degree (e.g., MD, DO, Nursing Doctorate, PhD, MD/PhD).
• At the time of grant award and for the duration of the grant, applicant must hold a full-time faculty position (instructor or higher) at a medical school/academic institution in the US or abroad.
• At the time of application and for the duration of the grant, candidates must be United States citizens or foreign nationals holding one of the following visa immigration statuses:
o Green Card – permanent resident
o J-1 – exchange visitor
o H-1, H-1B – temporary worker in a specialty occupation
o TN – professional business worker admitted under North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
o O-1 – temporary worker in the sciences
• Non-citizens must submit a notarized copy of proof of possession of a Green Card or J-1, H-1, H-1B, TN, or O-1 visas. At the time of application and for the duration of the grant, an applicant/recipient must be employed by a U.S. institution.

Deadline
• A Letter of Intent (single page .pdf or .doc attachment) must be submitted by September 22, 2017 via email to grants@apfed.org.
• The application deadline is midnight, EDT, October 27, 2017.
• Hope Pilot Grant award notices will be sent February 16, 2018.

Selection
Review and decision will be made by the APFED Grant Review Committee and the APFED Board of Directors. The APFED Grant Committee will be formed for the purposes of reviewing grant applications and will be comprised of members of the APFED Board of Directors, Medical Advisory Panel and other certified members of the medical community as deemed necessary by the APFED Board of Directors.

Terms

• The APFED HOPE Pilot Grant is designed to support the initiation of research that will be the basis of a larger research project within this subspecialty. Preference will be given to applicants with demonstrable interest and/or achievement in clinical care, education or research in eosinophil-associated diseases (EADs).

• Recipient must provide APFED with research project progress reports at the end of the first 6 months of the grant term and at the end of the first year. Each report will be two pages: a one-page summary of what has been completed, what is currently underway and work yet to be completed and a one-page financial update.  Recipient will also submit a final report at the end of the grant period outlining project results, financial report, and anticipated next steps.  Preference in awarding grant will also be given to research projects that are most likely to generate results or data to report at the end of one year.

• Recipient may be asked to attend an APFED-sponsored conference and present project status and results.  Research status and results will also be published in the APFED newsletter.

• Receipt of the APFED HOPE Pilot Grant does not preclude the applicant from obtaining grant support from other sources.

• Other existing support cannot conflict with the requirements of the APFED HOPE Pilot Grant.

• Support from the APFED HOPE Pilot Grant is to be acknowledged in all presentations and publications resulting from the APFED HOPE Pilot Grant sponsored research.

• The APFED HOPE Pilot Grant is non-transferable.

Pilot Grant Application Requirements
The proposal should contain the following components and be assembled in this order:

• An abstract of the proposed project (maximum 30 lines of text), including its public health significance, impact and relevance to the mission of APFED.

• Applicant’s Statement of Purpose:  current and future EADs-related research objectives, including planned future grant application based on the pilot project, and training plans as appropriate to current career status (1-page maximum).

• NIH-format bio-sketch for the PI and all co-investigators and key scientific personnel. Include a full disclosure of all currently active grants or grants pending review or funding decisions, addressing overlap, if any, with the APFED Pilot Grant application.

• Three (3) page description of project, including background and significance, innovation and impact, long-term objectives, specific aims, and research strategy/experimental approach.  Also include a description of the facilities for research and training needed by the applicant (1-page maximum, not included in the 3-page limit).

• Detailed Budget and Justification. Purchase of equipment may be proposed, if adequate justification is provided.

• For grants involving human subjects, include a letter showing IRB approval of the study protocol, or indication that the protocol has been submitted and is in review. Please indicate if IRB approval will be needed and issued only in the event of funding. For grants involving vertebrate animals, provide a letter showing protocol approval by the institution’s Animal Care Committee (ACC).

• Officially signed letter from the applicant institution’s Office of Sponsored Research (or equivalent) approving the submission and willingness to comply with APFED grant management and reporting requirements.