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. 

2023 – 2024 In-Cycle Grant Awards Program

The Alpha-1 Foundation Grant Awards 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:

Bridge
Up to $25,000 for a one-year period

Objective: Support excellent AAT-related research projects submitted to and approved by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) unsupported by available NIH funds 

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 

John W. Walsh Career Development

Up to $100,000 for a three-year period

Objective: Facilitate the establishment of a career in biomedical research for junior physician-scientists interested in continuing their work in AATD.

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.

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 
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.

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

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Apply for an In-Cycle Grant

All grant applications must be submitted on ProposalCentral 

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

Date	Milestone
July 2023	New In-Cycle Grant Announcement
September 29, 2023	Letter of Intent due to Foundation
November 22, 2023	Letter of Intent notification of invitations to submit grant applications
February 2, 2024	Grant applications due to Foundation
April 2024	Applicants notified of funding decision

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, Manager of Grants Administration, at vvalencia@alpha1.org, or at 1-877-228-7321 ext.242