Apply for Grant Funding

The Fanconi Anemia Research Fund (FARF) seeks to fund interdisciplinary and translational research efforts that will lead to rapid discovery and development of therapies or strategies that treat, control, or cure Fanconi anemia (FA). Research proposals must address one or more of our research priorities:

Top Priority:

  • To define the pathogenesis of cancers including head and neck and anogenital squamous cell carcinomas that affect persons with FA, and to develop strategies for early detection, prevention, treatment, and cure.

Additional Priorities:

  • To understand how alteration of the FA genes and their products lead to the clinical manifestations of the disease.
  • To determine the causes of bone marrow failure, myelodysplasia, and leukemia in individuals with FA, and to develop strategies to prevent, treat and cure these disorders.
  • To identify practical and proactive management strategies that families and persons with FA can use to develop and maintain a high quality of life.
  • To support the creation of shared resources, databases, and technologies for the international FA research community.

What Funding Opportunities are Available?

Investigators can apply for Research Grant Awards (RGA) which range from $25,000 - $250,000 for one- to two-year projects that address our research priorities. Projects may be pre-clinical or clinical in nature. Preliminary data is not required but is preferred. FARF seeks to fund innovative project ideas that have the potential to make significant impact on our understanding of the disease and clinical care for people with FA.

Am I Eligible To Apply?

Researchers who hold a PhD, MD, or equivalent degree from both US and international academic, nonprofit, or for-profit institutions are invited to apply. Researchers previously funded by FARF, or those new to the FA field, including assistant, associate, and full professors, are all encouraged to apply.

FARF encourages early stage investigators - defined as an individual who has not received a FARF grant as a principal investigator OR is within their first five years of their first academic appointment at the level of Assistant Professor or the equivalent - to apply. FARF encourages early stage investigators to collaborate with senior investigators who have demonstrated scientific productivity either in the Fanconi anemia field or in fields of particular relevance to Fanconi anemia pathology and molecular pathogenesis.  

How Do I Apply?

FARF is pleased to announce that we now have rolling submission for letters of intent (LOI) for the RGA program.

The new FARF RGA grant process will occur as follows:

  1. Investigators can submit an LOI on a project idea relevant to FARF’s research priorities at any time.
  2. Investigators will be notified within one month as to whether they have been selected to submit a full proposal.
  3. FARF now requires that all full proposal budgets be milestone based. What does a milestone-based funding approach mean? It means that funding throughout the life of the grant will be contingent on successful completion and review of milestones outlined in the proposed aims. Please see the LOI template for more information.
  4. Investigators selected to submit full proposals will be emailed a full proposal application at that time.
  5. Full proposals must be submitted within two months of the LOI acceptance date.
  6. The review process of full proposals is as follows:
  • Full proposals will undergo external peer-review using the criteria outlined in the Instructions for Scientific Review.
  • After external peer review, a selection committee comprised of FARF staff, expert scientists, and FA family members will select top proposals to recommend to the FARF board of directors.
  • How long will this process take? Investigators can expect to receive funding decisions within 2-4 months of their full proposal submission date.

Investigators who fit the requirements outlined above are invited to submit an LOI at any time. There is no limit to the number of LOI an investigator is allowed to submit. Collaborative projects between multiple investigators and institutions are highly encouraged. New investigators to the FA field are encouraged to collaborate with established FA researchers.

Please use the following template to prepare your LOI. Email all completed LOI in a PDF format to grants@fanconi.org. Please note: LOI that do not follow the strict guidelines outlined in the template will not be considered.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What types of projects does FARF typically fund? FARF funds high-impact projects that have significant capacity to shift the current paradigms of our understanding of FA and clinical care for people with FA. FARF funds projects that typically would not be funded by the NIH or other federal agencies.
  2. When can I apply? Investigators are invited to submit their LOI at any time. Full proposals will be by invite only.
  3. How do I submit my LOI? Please email completed LOIs as a PDF to grants@fanconi.org.
  4. How long is the review process for LOI? Investigators will be contacted within one month of their LOI submission date as to whether their LOI has been selected for a full proposal.
  5. Is there a limit to the number of LOI I can submit? No.
  6. Will I receive feedback on my LOI if it is not chosen for a full proposal? Yes, all investigators who submit an LOI will be briefed on the outcome of their proposal by email.
  7. Is preliminary data required for the full proposal? No, but you will have a higher likelihood of receiving funding if preliminary data is included in your full proposal.
  8. How long is the review process for a full proposal? Investigators can expect a funding decision within 2-4 months of their full proposal submission date.
  9. What is the typical duration of a research grant award? 1-2 years using a milestone-based approach.
  10. What is a milestone-based funding approach? Investigators will be expected to organize their projects in a series of achievable milestones. These milestones must be coordinated with a specific budget. FARF will fund the project in installments based on whether pre-determined milestones are reached.
  11. How will my milestones be tracked? All funded investigators will be required to submit 6-month progress reports throughout the study period. FARF scientific staff will also perform routine follow up as needed.
  12. What is the funding range for an RGA? $25,000 – $250,000.
  13. Can I include PI salary? Yes.
  14. Do RGA grants cover indirect costs? No.
  15. Do RGA grants cover preclinical or clinical research? RGAs can be used for both preclinical and clinical studies.
  16. Can RGA grants be used as startup funds for establishing new laboratories? No.

​Other Questions?

Email grants@fanconi.org or call our office 541-687-4658.