Grant Opportunities

Download the application (PDF)

Grant Application

Submission Deadline: December 15, 2009

Statement of Purpose

To award grants in the name of the International Bipolar Foundation to fund worthy proposals aimed at the elimination of Bipolar disorder through the advancement of research; enhancing care and support services for all affected; and erasing associated stigma through public education.

Parameters:

Grants will be allocated for the following:

  1. Research Proposals
  2. Post- Doctoral Fellowships
  3. Program funding

Limitations:

The foundation does not make grants to support the following:

  1. Organizations which are not 501(c)3 tax exempt organization,.
  2. Political or lobbying purposes,
  3. Organizations whose primary function is to allocate funds to other charitable organizations or projects, or
  4. Loans.

Research Grant Proposals:

The International Bipolar Foundation funds research proposals that seek to advance understanding of the causes of and developing improved treatments for those affected with Bipolar disorder. The maximum award is $50,000 per year, with opportunity to renew for successive years.

Postdoctoral Fellowships:

The postdoctoral fellowships will be awarded to qualified candidates to establish careers in bipolar disorder research. The fellow’s stipend amount will be evaluated by the scientific advisory board in light of other fellows at the same institution. The total award cannot exceed $50,000 per year and will not exceed 2 years.

Program Awards:

The International Bipolar Foundation will award funds to organizations providing services to those impacted by Bipolar disorder through care and support services or public education.

Application Procedures:

The Foundation has one funding cycle. Applications are due December 1 of each year. Applicants must submit a written application and a proposal, which provides the following information in the order listed.

  1. Hosting Organization: name, address and website
  2. Applicant: name, degrees, business address. If applying for fellowship, provide name, title and business address of mentor.
  3. Executive Summary: Use lay language to describe the purpose of the grant application, including hypothesis to be tested or service to be provided. Explain the anticipated impact on bipolar disorder (250 word limit)
  4. Application: The application consists of a maximum of 10 pages (12 point type, single-spaced, 1” margins) and includes the following:
    a) Abstract: Using appropriate technical language, explain the hypothesis to be tested or service to be provided and its relevance to bipolar disorder (250 word limit)
    b) Specific Aims: List the specific tasks to be performed or experimental questions to be addressed (0.5 page recommended)
    c) Background: Provide any background information necessary to understand the basis for this proposal. Relate the proposed work to previously published findings or to alternative services available. (2 pages recommended)
    d) Preliminary Data/Current Progress: Explain what progress has already been made towards addressing the goals of the proposal. Provide relevant preliminary data to support the claims of the application, including figures, tables, and accompanying legends.
    e) Research Design & Methods/Plan of Action: Describe how the specific aims will be achieved. Include a description of the procedures that will be used to accomplish the goals of the proposal. Indicate how results will be measured and analyzed. Anticipate results and explain how they will impact next steps in the research program or services to be provided. Estimate the time required to complete each aim. *Note: this is the most important part of the application and should constitute the majority of pages of the application (minimum 5 pages recommended)
  5. Literature Cited: Assemble a bibliography corresponding to cited literature. Provide full references including all authors, titles, and publication details (this page does not count towards the 10 page limit of the application, #3 above)
  6. Human Subjects: If the research project involves investigation of human subjects or materials from humans, provide a description of procedures that will be undertaken to ensure participant safety and confidentiality. Provide an Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval number if clinical study is proposed. Attach a copy of the clinical protocol.
  7. Vertebrate Animals: If the proposal involves the use of vertebrate animals, provide a description of procedures to be performed, including numbers and species of animals; methods for ameliorating pain and methods of euthanasia. Include an IACUC approval number.
  8. Career Plans: If a fellowship application, explain your reason for applying, prior experience and career plans. Explain how these prior experiences relate to bipolar disorder.
  9. Mentor’s Training Plan: (to be completed by mentor): If fellowship application, provide a training plan for the applicant. Describe any course work or special training experiences. Indicate what percentage of the applicant’s effort will be devoted to this project (generally ≥80% required). Explain how often you will meet with trainee and how you will assess their progress. Compare the applicant’s qualifications with others at similar points in their careers. Explain how the application was prepared in terms of the relative contributions of the trainee and mentor. Explain any grant support that is available to the proposed project and how it relates to the goals of the proposal.
  10. Biosketches: Provide a biosketch (3 page maximum each) of the applicant (CV) and any key personnel involved in the project. Include education (degrees), awards, publications, and other achievements. If fellowship application, provide a biosketch for the mentor.
  11. Budget: Applications are limited to $50,000 total cost. Allowable expenditures include salary, benefits, travel costs, laboratory supplies, and clinical fees. Each cost category should be thoroughly justified in an accompanying budget justification. Insufficiently justified expenses may be disallowed, resulting in budget cuts. Indirect costs are limited to 10% of total awards.

Review Process:

All grant proposals will be reviewed by the International Bipolar Foundation’s Scientific Advisory Board. (SAB) The SAB will then advise the International Bipolar Foundation Board of the scientific merits of each proposal. The Board will then make the final determinations concerning funding of the projects and fellowships. Each applicant will be notified in writing of the Board’s decisions concerning each grant application.

Conditions of Award Acceptance:

  1. The recipient of the award must use the funds for the specific purpose stated in the grant proposal. Any deviation from the initial purpose must be approved by the scientific advisory board prior to use by the organization, fellow or researcher.
  2. Progress reports will be required annually during the duration of the project. The report should include the progress as well as an overview of the expenditures.
  3. Results of the research will be made available to the public and will state that the work was supported by the International Bipolar Foundation.

Please submit the original in pdf format to jscholte.ibpf@gmail.com