Medical Research Grants- Seed Grants

The Medical Research Grants- Seed Grants program, offered by the Rhode Island Community Foundation, supports early-career researchers at academic or hospital institutions in Rhode Island. These grants focus on laboratory, clinical, and population-based research, particularly in areas like cancer, heart disease, and infectious diseases. Funding is typically for one-time projects, with an emphasis on transitioning to external funding sources. Eligible applicants are assistant and associate professors within five years of appointment.

NOTE: There are three funding opportunities for Medical Research. The other two are Medical Research Grants- Redirection grants and Medical Research Grants- Resubmission Grants.
Medical Research Fund
The Foundation encourages researchers throughout Rhode Island to apply for grant support for laboratory, clinical and population-based research. In addition to limited funding for general medical research, areas of interest with designated funding include infectious diseases, cardiac research, coronary artery disease, cerebral accidents, cancer, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, spinal cord, diabetes, allergies, and performance enhancing substances.
Seed Grants are provided to Assistant and Associate Professors at Rhode Island academic or hospital institutions. Grants are generally targeted to faculty who have received faculty level appointments within the past five years and are one-time awards. Only under unusual circumstances will a proposal for second-year funding be considered.
Funding may be used for supplies, research animals, support personnel, and other operating costs. The Foundation generally does not provide funds for permanent equipment, equipment maintenance, travel, or printing unless it is part of the research itself. In most cases, this program does not provide funds for salary support of the principal investigator. Due to the limited funds available, the Foundation does not cover charges for overhead by the applicant hospitals and universities.
The proposed grant period for a Seed Grant is 18 months from the time funds are disbursed.

Eligibility

Criteria for Seed GrantLikelihood of the project transitioning to external funding (e.g. NIH RO1 funds)Grants are provided to faculty at a Rhode Island academic or hospital institution during their first five years of appointment as assistant or associate professors and are one-time awards.Grants are generally awarded to MDs or PhDs who have a faculty appointment at an assistant or associate professor level at a Rhode Island academic or hospital institution and have not received substantial funding.  Grants are provided for supplies and research animals.

Ineligibility

Please note: Applications will not be considered from organizations with overdue grant reports.Grants are rarely provided to senior investigators.Grants are not awarded to individuals in training, such as specialty training fellows or postdoctoral fellows, who do not hold faculty appointments at the time of initiation of the proposed research.The Foundation generally does not provide funds for permanent equipment, equipment maintenance, travel, or printing unless it is part of the research itself. In most cases, this program does not provide funds for salary support of the principal investigator. Due to the limited funds available, the Foundation does not cover charges for overhead by the applicant hospitals and universities.Only under unusual circumstances will a proposal for second-year funding be considered.For Seed Grants & Resubmission GrantsIn most cases, this program does not provide funds for salary support of the principal investigator. Due to the limited funds available, the Foundation does not cover charges for overhead by the applicant hospitals and universities.