Early Career Research Programs: 'A' Award Grant
Funding Amount
Up to US $800,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Grant Type
Foundation
Overview
The Early Career Research Programs: 'A' Award Grant by Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation aims to support promising early career scientists in pediatric oncology. This grant fosters innovation in childhood cancer research by funding original projects that are not currently financed. Applicants must demonstrate a commitment to pediatric cancer investigation and provide a solid career development plan with mentorship. The funding can reach up to $800,000 over four years, with a maximum of $200,000 available annually.
About Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation
Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) emerged from the front yard lemonade stand of 4-year-old Alexandra “Alex” Scott, who was fighting cancer and wanted to raise money to find cures for all children with cancer. Her spirit and determination inspired others to support her cause, and when she passed away at the age of 8, she had raised $1 million. Since then, the Foundation bearing her name has evolved into a national fundraising movement. Today, ALSF is one of the leading funders of pediatric cancer research in the U.S. and Canada, funding research projects and providing programs to families affected by childhood cancer. ALSF is also the only childhood cancer research organization that has been given the NCI peer-reviewed funder designation for rigorous selection of research grants. The mission of ALSF is to change the lives of children with cancer through funding impactful research, raising awareness, supporting families, and empowering everyone to help cure childhood cancer.
Attracting and retaining the best and brightest early career scientists is critical to the future of childhood cancer research. Funding at this stage will encourage and steer promising researchers toward long-term careers in pediatric oncology investigation.
The purpose of the ‘A’ Award Grant is to advance ALSF’s mission to find cures and better treatments for childhood cancers by providing support to early career scientists who want to establish a career in pediatric oncology research. The ideal applicant has an original project that is not currently being funded. Demonstration of a future commitment to pediatric cancer investigation as well as institutional support for the career development of the investigator are critical components of a successful application. A mentor is required, and a career development plan must be included.
Funding
The requested budget should be in proportion to the scope of the proposed project and should be at or under $800,000 USD in direct costs over four years. A maximum of $200,000 in total costs may be requested per year.
What Alexs Lemonade Stand Foundation actually gave
Source: IRS Form 990, 2025
- Grants in 2025
- 58
- Total given
- $19.14M
- Median grant
- $162K
- Range
- $6,000–$2.32M
- By dollars: California 19%, Massachusetts 16%, Pennsylvania 15%. Top recipient cities: Boston, MA; New York, NY; Philadelphia, PA.
- 0% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
- 28% of recipients were new grantees, not repeat recipients.
Example grants
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia · Philadelphia, PA
Pediatric cancer research
$2.32M
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute · Boston, MA
Pediatric cancer research
$2.25M
University of California San Francisco · San Francisco, CA
Pediatric cancer research
$1.93M
St Jude Children's Research Hospital · Memphis, TN
Pediatric cancer research
$1.47M
Baylor College of Medicine · Houston, TX
Pediatric cancer research
$1.42M
Focus Areas & Funding Uses
Fields of Work
- Cancer
- Science research
Categories
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