Eligibility + Guidelines + Application

The Leukemia Research Foundation provides grants of up to $150k over a 2-year period for new investigator research projects that will have an impact on leukemia. MDS proposals will also be accepted.

The funding cycle for the New Investigator Research Grant Program begins July 1, 2024. Below is a timeline of the application process.

  • December 11, 2023: Letter of intent opens and link to ProposalCentral is posted
  • February 16, 2024: Letter of intent due by 12pm CT
  • March 22, 2024: Notification if invited to submit a full application
  • April 26, 2024: Full application due (if invited to submit) by 12pm CT
  • By June 30, 2024: Grant recipients notified of award

Please review the eligibility, funding guidelines, and full application process, below.

Eligibility

Eligible

  • Applicants must be independent investigators affiliated with a non-profit academic institution at the time funding commences and for the duration of the award.
  • New investigators are considered to be within seven years of their first independent faculty-level position when the grant would be awarded. Years as a resident physician, fellow physician, or post-doctoral fellow are considered to be training years and are not included in the seven-year guideline.
  • A researcher must be in an independent faculty-level position at the time the application is submitted. An independent position is a scientist who has dedicated laboratory space, directly hires and supervises laboratory personnel, and makes all decisions concerning research activities and use of the grant funds.
  • Adjustments for career interruptions can be made. These could include but are not limited to family leave, military service, major illness, or injury. It is the responsibility of the applicant to point out and document such interruptions.
  • Applicants are not required to be US citizens. Research projects from outside the US are eligible.
  • Applicants with a KO8, R00, or R99 grant are eligible. The total grant amount will not be applied toward the $175K per year threshold on total direct costs.
  • DOE, DOD, NSF, R21, or other grants with less than $175K per year in total direct costs are permitted.
  • Only one LOI may be submitted from the same applicant (Principal Investigator).

Not eligible

  • Applicants with any active single grant (or multiple grants added together) that total $175K or greater in total direct costs per year are not eligible (as noted above, KO8, R00, R99 grant awards are excluded from this total threshold).
  • Fellows are not eligible to apply.
  • Applicants with NIH RO1 funding, VA Merit Award, or equivalent.
  • Renewal applications will not be accepted and investigators who have received a Leukemia Research Foundation new investigator award in the past are not eligible to apply.
  • Co-PI's are not permitted.

To apply, please visit the Application process tab above.

Minority and underrepresented applicants are valued members of the research community, vital to its success, and are encouraged to apply.

If you have questions about eligibility, please email grants@leukemiarf.org.

Funding guidelines
Application process