Grant Opportunities

The Alpha-1 Foundation is the world’s #1 funder of Alpha-1 research, including Alpha-1 related lung and liver disease. 

Grants from the Alpha-1 Foundation support rigorous scientific research to advance Alpha-1 treatment and care and draw us closer to a cure. The Alpha-1 Foundation also funds research into ethical, legal, and social issues impacting people with genetic conditions. 

2024 – 2025 In-Cycle Grants Award Program

The Alpha-1 Foundation Grants Award Program funds a wide range of meritorious research efforts designed to improve the health of individuals with AAT Deficiency with the ultimate goal of finding a cure.

The Foundation accepts and reviews Letter of Intent (LOI) submissions during the beginning of our annual grant cycle and selected LOIs are invited to submit a full proposal. 

Grants are awarded in the following categories:

John W. Walsh Career Development

Up to $100,000 for a three-year period
Objective: Encourage the development/testing of new hypotheses/new methods in AATD relevant research.

Pilot and Feasibility

Up to $75,000 for a one-year period
Objective: Encourage the development/testing of new hypotheses/new methods in AATD relevant research.

Clinical Pilot

Up to $75,000 for a one-year period
Objective: Support projects involving human subjects that will develop and test new hypotheses and/or new methods (or those being applied to the problems of Alpha-1 for the first time), and to support promising new investigators as they establish themselves in research areas relevant to Alpha-1.

Postdoctoral Research Fellowship 

Up to $75,000 over a two-year period 
Objective: Support postdoctoral research fellows starting their research careers  in laboratories of established researchers or those conducting research under AATD senior researchers 

Research 

Up to $100,000 over a two-year period or for 2 PI proposals, a maximum of $100,000 per year may be requested per institution.
Objective: Encourage the development of novel concepts to better understand the basic biology of alpha-1 antitrypsin expression and the pathogenesis/management of AAT Deficiency.

*For 2 Principal Investigators research grants, applicants are encouraged to use a team science approach to develop new information that contributes to understanding the basic biology of alpha-1 antitrypsin expression and the pathogenesis/management of AAT Deficiency.

Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues Relating to AAT Deficiency

Objective: Encourage the development of new information that contributes to the understanding of bioethical, legal, economic, and/or social issues associated with AAT Deficiency. Applicants may submit an ELSI proposal as a Pilot and Feasibility Grant, Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Grant, or Research Grant 

Scientific Meeting Sponsorship: 

Up to $5,000
Objective: Support scientific meetings, workshops, or conferences relevant to AAT Deficiency and Foundation’s mission.

Travel Grants: 

Up to $1,000
1. Objective: Support travel to attend national and international scientific conferences or meetings to present AAT-related abstracts or
2. Objective: Support cross-training at an established Alpha-1 laboratory by an established Alpha-1 investigator

To review more details about each grant category, see the Alpha-1 Foundation Letter of Intent and Full Application Instructions

Apply for an In-Cycle Grant

All grant applications must be submitted on ProposalCentral 

The Alpha-1 Foundation’s In-Cycle Grants Award Program operates on the following timeline:

DateMilestone
May 2024 – July 2024New In-Cycle Grant Announcement
September 27, 2024Letter of Intent due to Foundation
November 22, 2024Letter of Intent notification of invitations to submit grant applications
February 7, 2025Grant applications due to Foundation
April 2025Applicants notified of funding decision
Please note that the Alpha-1 Foundation does not accept LOIs or grant applications from pharmaceutical companies, biotechs, or industry for its in-cycle grants programs.  These entities may not be collaborators on any proposals. If you have any questions or require additional information about these resources, please contact Vanessa Valencia, Grants Administration Manager, via email at vvalencia@alpha1.org.

For information about the 2023-2024 In-Cycle Grants Program, please contact Vanessa Valencia, Grants Administration Manager, at vvalencia@alpha1.org or 1-877-228-7321, ext. 242

Inquiries or technical issues regarding ProposalCentral, and the online application process should be directed to consumer support at:
Phone: 1-703-964-5840, Toll-free phone: 1-800-875-2562
Email: pcsupport@altum.com
Live customer support is only available from 8:30am – 5:00pm ET

Out-of-Cycle Grants Program

Our Out-of-Cycle Grants Program offers opportunities to investigators who have large clinical projects that need support. The Alpha-1 Foundation initiates Out-of-Cycle opportunities on a yearly basis. 

Interested researchers must contact the Alpha-1 Foundation before applying for an Out-of-Cycle grant. Please contact Vanessa Valencia, Grants Administration Manager, at vvalencia@alpha1.org, or at 1-877-228-7321 ext.242

Download the Alpha-1 Foundation’s Research Agenda

Download our Research Opportunities Brochure