R Accelerated Award Grants

R Accelerated Award Grants

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer
Amount: Up to US $800,000
Last Updated: April 25, 2025

Summary

The R Accelerated Award Grants by Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation aim to support innovative pediatric oncology research. These grants are designed for early-career scientists focused on developing less toxic therapies for childhood cancers. Eligible applicants must be first-time principal investigators with a strong institutional backing and a commitment to pediatric cancer research. The program emphasizes the importance of scientific rigor and aims to accelerate the discovery of effective treatments, thereby improving outcomes for children with cancer.

Overview

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 more than 1,000 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. R Accelerated Grant Program Description The purpose of the R Accelerated Award Grant is to advance ALSF’s mission to find cures and better treatments for childhood cancers by providing support to scientists focused on pediatric oncology research. Applicants must have an original project that is not currently being funded that has a clear focus on accelerating the discovery of more effective, less toxic therapies for childhood cancers. Research projects should address a testable hypothesis based on strong scientific rationale. Applicants must be a first-time PI or co-PI of a pediatric cancer research-focused NIH R01 award or equivalent independent award. Demonstration of continued commitment to pediatric cancer investigation as well as institutional support are critical components of a successful application. The R Accelerated Award is a four-year grant. Childhood Cancer Data Lab Collaboration (optional) Applicants may elect to work with the Childhood Cancer Data Lab, at no cost to the investigator(s), as part of this award. This is not required and is meant to serve as a benefit. If you are interested in collaborating with the Data Lab, please fill out this form (preferably 4 weeks before Grant due date) and indicate your submission is associated with an Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation grant application. This resource does not have a cost associated with it and should not be included in the budget.

Eligibility

We've imported the main document for this grant to give you an overview. You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Applicant institutions must be based in the United States or Canada. Applicants need not be United States citizens. Funds must be granted to nonprofit institutions or organizations. Applicants must have an MD, PhD, or MD/PhD (DO, MBBS, or equivalent) and be within ten years of their first faculty appointment at the Assistant Professor level (higher academic ranks allowed) at the time that their application is submitted.Applicants must be a PI or co-PI of their first independent award such as R01 and must be within five years of notice of award of this award or its equivalent. A Notice of Award document from the NIH or other funding organization must be submitted with the application. There must be clear documentation of how scientific and budgetary overlap will be avoided. R01 equivalent NIH awards include the DP1, DP2, DP5, R37, R56, RF1, RL1, U01 and selected R35 activity codes. Applicants with a K99/R00 award are eligible, if the PI is in the first year of the R00 phase of the award at the time of submission. Funding from other agencies should be peer-reviewed awards of $200,000 (USD) a year for 4 or more years. R01-equivalent grants cannot be mentored career development awards. If applicant's RO1 equivalent award is not listed above or in the ALSF R01 Equivalency policy, prior approval is required, reach out to Margaret Poore at M.Poore@AlexsLemonade.org at least 4 weeks before application due date. Proposals must fall within the scope of Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation’s mission, focused on childhood cancers.

Ineligibility

Applicants cannot be lead PIs on active ALSF-funded grants concurrent with the R Accelerated Award.ALSF does not fund proposals for research utilizing human embryonic or fetal stem cells, or non-human primates. Research with human induced pluripotent stem cells is permissible. Proposals studying social determinants of health will only be considered if they are focused on improving oncologic outcomes or reducing toxicity of therapy. Projects focused on epidemiological aspects of pediatric cancer and/or cancer control are not eligible for the R Accelerated Award. Proposals with a sole/primary focus on patients >19 years of age will not be considered.