Data Analysis — RFA Grant

Data Analysis — RFA Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Simons Foundation Inc.
Amount: Up to US $300,000
Last Updated: July 05, 2025

Summary

The Simons Foundation's Data Analysis RFA aims to enhance the utilization of large, publicly available datasets to advance autism research. By supporting investigators in analyzing these existing data resources, the initiative seeks to foster new inquiries and insights pertinent to autism and related neurodevelopmental disorders. Applications that leverage SFARI-supported datasets will be prioritized, though all publicly accessible data applications will be considered. With a budget of up to $300,000, this initiative encourages innovative research in the field.

Overview

Simons Foundation The Simons Foundation’s mission is to advance the frontiers of research in mathematics and the basic sciences. Since its founding in 1994 by Jim and Marilyn Simons, the foundation has been a champion of basic science through grant funding, support for research and public engagement. We believe in asking big questions and providing sustained support to researchers working to unravel the mysteries of the universe. Through our work we make space for scientific discovery. Our Work The Simons Foundation makes grants in four areas: Mathematics & Physical Sciences, Life Sciences, Autism & Neuroscience, and Science, Society & Culture. About SFARI Launched in 2006, SFARI is a scientific initiative within the Simons Foundation’s suite of programs. SFARI’s mission is to advance the basic science of autism and related neurodevelopmental disorders. In 2007, SFARI issued its first request for applications, its goal being to attract top researchers to the field of autism research. Today, with a budget of over $100 million per year, SFARI supports over 300 investigators. Since 2003, the Simons Foundation has provided or committed more than $725 million in external research support to more than 700 investigators in the U.S. and abroad. SFARI awards research grants to investigators, nationally and internationally, through an open Requests for Applications process that is overseen by the SFARI science team and that includes external review by expert scientific panels. 2025 Data Analysis — Request for Applications The goal of this award is to increase use of large, publicly available data resources by supporting investigators to allocate time and personnel toward working in and publishing from these previously collected data. Applications should leverage existing publicly accessible datasets to ask new questions and extract new knowledge. Priority will be given to applications that use SFARI-supported resources, although all applications will be considered as long as data are publicly accessible at the time of application. Proposed questions should be relevant to SFARI’s mission. SFARI Mission The mission of the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI) is to advance the basic science of autism and related neurodevelopmental disorders. Background & Objective Advancing open science and developing research-ready resources that accelerate autism research are central components of the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI)’s mission. SFARI has generated a wealth of genomic and phenotypic data across several autism and related neurodevelopmental disorder cohorts and has also supported, through external grants, the generation of additional large datasets. In parallel, many other data resources have emerged. While such datasets have already been used to ask important questions relevant to autism, many opportunities for additional analyses and modeling remain, should scientists have the time and resources to invest in these directions. We are aware that further analyses of existing datasets are often not incentivized to the same degree as collection of new data. The goal of this award is to increase use of large, publicly available data resources by supporting investigators to allocate time and personnel toward working in and publishing from these previously collected data. Applications should leverage existing publicly accessible datasets to ask new questions and extract new knowledge. Proposed questions should be relevant to SFARI’s mission. Scientific Scope and Priorities We will fund applications that use previously collected data that are publicly available, either by open or controlled access, and are relevant to the basic science of autism and related neurodevelopmental disorders. We are open to the use of a range of different data types (e.g., genomic, transcriptomic, electrophysiological, brain imaging, phenotypic, epidemiological); investigators should justify their choice and the relevance to SFARI’s mission. This RFA will not fund new data collection. Applicants must have access to or permission to access the data resources at the time of application. We are interested in projects that are feasible for the investigator team to complete within the duration of the award period. We encourage applicants to explore datasets from which they have not already published and to include co-investigators, consultants or letters of support from data generators or hosts to facilitate project aims. Level and Duration of Funding Total project budget of $300,000 USD or less, inclusive of 20 percent indirect costs (see grant policies), over a two (2) year period. Compute costs can be requested separately (i.e., are not included in budget cap), with justification, including detailing institutional policy if computing locally or rates of commercial provider of choice. We encourage the use of funds to support trainees who can lead the analysis, modeling and publication efforts.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. All applicants and key collaborators must hold a Ph.D., M.D. or equivalent degree and have a faculty position or the equivalent at a college, university, medical school or other research facility. We encourage both applicants who have long been working in autism research and those new to the field and interested in asking new questions in existing datasets.Applications may be submitted by public and private institutions, such as colleges, universities, hospitals, laboratories, units of state and local government and eligible agencies of the federal government. There are no citizenship or country requirements.Any project personnel listed on the application who will receive funding for salary, travel, support for students, postdocs or research staff, lab equipment, computing time or other individual expenses may not be employees of the Simons Foundation, which includes the Flatiron Institute.

Ineligibility

Simons Foundation employees who receive a W-2 (Wage and Tax Statement) from the Simons Foundation, including employees of the Flatiron Institute, may not apply as a principal investigator (PI) to any Simons Foundation or Simons Foundation International Requests for Applications (RFAs) released by the Simons Foundation.This RFA will not fund new data collection.