Rapid Response Grants

Designed to support urgent, time-sensitive opportunities and bridge critical funding gaps for childhood-onset SPG4 research.

Geographic Scope: International eligible (academic or nonprofit research institutions, research hospitals, and international institutions)

Funding Duration: 6-month projects

Decision Timeline: ~4-week turnaround

Research Priorities

Highest Priority: Therapeutic Development

• AAV9 gene therapy
• ASO development
• Drug repurposing with clear clinical pathways
• Combination therapies
• Preclinical safety and efficacy studies

High Priority: Clinical Trial Enablers

• Biomarker development (e.g., NULISA)
• Natural history expansion
• Outcome measure validation
• Patient-derived models for drug screening
• Tools accelerating therapeutic development

Foundational Research (When Translationally Relevant)

• Mechanism studies tied to therapeutic development
• Identification of druggable targets
• Work informing gene therapy or ASO design
• Studies supporting regulatory readiness

Eligibility and Requirements

Who Can Apply:

• Principal Investigators at academic or nonprofit research institutions
• Research hospitals and international institutions
• For-profit entities (if research is non-proprietary and publishable)

Requirements:

• Each PI may submit only one proposal per program per cycle
• Previous awardees are eligible to apply for continuation funding
• Postdoctoral researchers may be included as key personnel but cannot serve as Principal Investigators
• Research must address SPG4
• No overlap with existing funding
• Institutional approval required
• All prior reporting obligations must be complete

Review Timeline

• Submission: Rolling applications (ongoing)
• Review Process: Internal review by Foundation leadership; evaluated on urgency, feasibility, and impact
• Decisions: ~4 weeks
• Project Start: Flexible start dates

Budget Guidelines

• Grant funds support direct research costs
• Indirect costs may be included only if required by submitting institution, capped at 10% of total direct costs
• Equipment purchases over $5,000 require prior approval

Application Process

Submission Method: Email all materials as a single PDF to info@lillyandblair.org

Subject Line Format:
Rapid Response – [PI Last Name] – [Institution]

Required Components

1. Cover Page
2. Project Narrative (Lay Summary)
3. Mutation Relevance Statement
4. Research Strategy (Specific Aims, Approach, Timeline)
5. References
6. Budget and Justification
7. Biosketches (PI + Key Personnel)
8. Facilities and Resources
9. Current and Pending Support
10. IRB/IACUC Documentation (if applicable)
11. Letters of Support (optional)
12. Co-Funding Documentation (if applicable)

Formatting Requirements

• Paper size: 8.5" x 11"
• Minimum font: 11-point
• Format: Single PDF file (≤20MB)
• Page limits strictly enforced