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:
| Date | Milestone |
| May 2024 – July 2024 | New In-Cycle Grant Announcement |
| September 27, 2024 | Letter of Intent due to Foundation |
| November 22, 2024 | Letter of Intent notification of invitations to submit grant applications |
| February 7, 2025 | Grant applications due to Foundation |
| April 2025 | Applicants notified of funding decision |
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
