Grants & Prizes

NARSAD is the largest non-government, donor-supported organization that distributes funds for psychiatric brain and behavior disorder research. The NARSAD Young Investigator Award Program offers up to $30,000 a year for up to two (2) years to enable promising investigators to either extend their research fellowship training or to begin careers as independent research faculty.

The program is intended to facilitate innovative research opportunities and supports basic, as well as translational and/or clinical investigators, however, research must be relevant to our understanding, treatment and prevention of serious psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, or child and adolescent psychiatric disorders.

As is well known, NARSAD is interested in supporting the full range of relevant neurobiological and psychobiological basic science. We also support clinical grants which can include careful studies using qualitative research approaches or research generating preliminary data to explore a new hypothesis generated by clinical experience or large sample studies. NARSAD grant awards are not sufficient to support expensive large sample patient-based studies but it may be possible to attach a study to a clinical project already under way or for which other funding has become available. Some possibilities for preliminary clinical studies include:

1. Support for an add-on study to identify a biomarker in the context of an ongoing clinical trial.
2. Determining if a computer-based cognitive or other remediation enhances effectiveness of a cognitive agent.
3. Proof of principle study in a few subjects to see if efficacy is detected with a new treatment.
4. Testing a novel hypothesis within an already established data set.
5. Research on productive work outcomes

These examples do not define specific NARSAD goals, but illustrate feasibility of expensive clinical research in the context of the NARSAD grants program.

NARSAD is committed to spending all contributions for direct support of research. Administrative cost of review is small-reviewers are members of the NARSAD Scientific Council, and volunteer their time to evaluate applications; therefore, no feedback can be provided to applicants.

1. On January 25, 2010, the applicant must have a doctoral level degree (e.g., M.D. [minimum PGY-IV], Ph.D., Psy.D., etc.) and already be employed in research training, or be in a faculty or independent research position. This award is to support post-doctoral fellows, instructors and assistant professors (or equivalent). Pre-doctoral students or investigators at the rank of associate professor or equivalent are not eligible;

2. Applicant must have on-site mentor or senior collaborator who is an established investigator in areas relevant to psychiatric disorders. The mentor/sponsor role is usually extensive for fellowship extension (mentor), and more senior colleague/advisor (sponsor) for an applicant prepared to initiate independent science;

3. Applications must be submitted by January 25, 2010, no later than midnight EST;

4. Funding is for one or two years and is up to $30,000 per year. NARSAD does not pay institutional overhead on the Young Investigator Program;

5. NARSAD allows considerable flexibility in the use of funds: equipment, stipends, etc., are all acceptable as long as the support is in the service of the NARSAD research project;

6. Applicants are eligible for a maximum of two Young Investigator Awards. Prior awardees at the post-doctoral, instructor or asst. professor level can apply for a second award. However, awards cannot overlap in time, nor can more than one application be submitted per cycle. Only one principal investigator (P.I.) is allowed per application;

7. Notification of awards will be mailed in November, 2010. It is NARSAD'S policy to provide no feedback on applications, other than funding notification. Earliest award start date is January 15, 2011.

Applications must be submitted via www.narsad.org as one combined document, be brief, in no smaller than 11 pt. font, and include in the following order (label each section, include applicant's name in upper right corner, and include separate page for each):

(a) Institutional Assurance - which includes the applicant's institutional signature (i.e., Grants & Contracts/Sponsored Research Office), thereby signifying the institution's acceptance of these guidelines. A scanned document depicting a signature may be submitted electronically;

(b) Mentor/Sponsor Letter - a letter from an on-site mentor stating how the award will enhance applicant's training or facilitate transition to an independent investigator of relevance to NARSAD'S mission and describing the mentor's commitment to facilitate the specific research proposal. A second letter from an additional mentor may be included if the mentor provides an area of expertise not otherwise available. If a second mentor letter must be included, it must explain the second mentor's unique role in the project and not simply be a letter of support. Letter/s should be an absolute maximum of one page standard type. A scanned document with signature may be submitted electronically;

(c) Proposal - a letter from the applicant outlining training and/or project goals that will be accomplished within the award period. One representative project should be described in sufficient detail to elucidate hypothesis, significance, and central methodology. An absolute maximum of two pages standard type, with no appendices, is required (figures, tables, diagrams, et.al., must be included within this page limit);

(d) References - a separate page listing up to ten bibliographical references may be included (optional);

(e) Research Training/Career Plans - brief description of present or just completed research training, and applicant's future career plans. This award is intended for fellowship extension or early faculty support. Half page limit maximum;

(f) Budget - a budget description (on a separate page) specifying the amount requested with brief justification, and indicating whether applicant is applying for a one- or two- year award. Requests must not exceed $30,000 per year. The budget statement should define the unique contribution of this award to applicant's research activities and note the impact of this award on other institutional support available to applicant. Specific assurance that receipt of this award will not result in duplication of funding or in reduction of support from the host institution is required. The applicant's research funding must be listed, and should include any support pending, as well. This item has a one page limitation;

(g) Abstract - a less than 500 word description of the research on a separate page written in terms understandable to lay people. If the proposal is funded, this material may be used in NARSAD announcements;

(h) Collaborator Letter -- letters of commitment from essential project collaborators (not letters of reference), addressed to the applicant briefly explaining the specific contribution and confirming a willingness to collaborate. A scanned document depicting a signature may be submitted electronically;

(i) CV - NIH-style biosketch or biography portion of the CV only (including grant support);

(j) NIH-style biosketch or biography portion of the CV for the mentor(s);

(k) Current grant support of the mentor(s) - this must be included. If necessary, a maximum of two pages (in addition to the biosketch) may be used to list support. If an applicant has two mentors, biosketches and grant support must be included for both mentors.

** IRB approval for human and animal subjects must be verified at time of award (do not include with application), as well as institutional acceptance of the NARSAD Terms of Award.

** Supplemental material and material exceeding the specified length will not be considered in the review process.

**An automatic e-mail is generated upon submission-if there is a question as to whether the application was submitted, please contact us.

If the Institutional Assurance, mentor letter(s) or collaborator letter(s) cannot be scanned with signature(s), mail or fax to:

NARSAD
60 Cutter Mill Road, Suite 404
Great Neck, NY 11021
Phone: (516) 829-5576
Fax: (516) 487-6930
grants@narsad.org