How do I obtain copies of the Foundation’s grant application form and guidelines?
Copies of the grant application form and grant guidelines can be downloaded.

Where can I find general information on proposal writing?
Refer to the following links to some articles on writing grant proposals:

• National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, “How to Write a Grant Application”
• University of Vermont Office of Sponsored Projects, “How to Improve Your Score When Submitting a Grant Proposal” by David Hemenway

What is the application receipt and review schedule?
Application deadlines are February 1 and September 1 of each year. Advisory Council meetings are generally held in April and November, and the earliest starting dates for approved applications are June 1 and January 1. Applicants are advised of Council recommendations approximately two weeks after the review meeting.

Are the application deadlines postmark or receipt deadlines?
February 1 and September 1 are postmark deadlines. An application package must be postmarked by that date. If the date falls on a weekend or holiday, the postmark deadline is the most recent week day before February 1 or September 1.

What is the review criteria?
The following are general criteria used in evaluating the merit of applications submitted to the Foundation:

• Relevance of the proposed research to the mission, research interests and funding priorities of the Foundation
• Degree of originality and scientific rigor in the design of the research
• Adequacy of the methods to collect and analyze data
• Qualifications and research experience of the principal investigator and key research personnel.

What is the review procedure?
Depending on the nature of the research being proposed, applications will be assigned for review of their scientific and technical merit to the Behavioral and Social Advisory Council or the Medical Advisory Council. Interdisciplinary projects will be assigned for review to a Council composed of members of the two standing Councils. Immediately after review for scientific/technical merit, recommendations of the two Councils are submitted to the Board of Trustees. The Board approves funds to award grants for the entire slate of applications recommended favorably by the Councils, rather than for specific applications.

Does an application have to follow a specific format for the reference list?
No, there is no required format for the reference section of the application. As long as references are consistent, an applicant may use any style.

Does the Foundation recommend the use of specific data sets?
No, the Foundation has no particular interest in specific data sets and makes no recommendations in this regard. The selection of the data set should be made by the proposed principal investigator as appropriate for the hypothesis to be tested or the phenomenon to be studied.

What should an applicant do if Institutional Review Board approval is still pending at the time of the application deadline?

The Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval statement is an essential element in the Advisory Councils’ evaluation of proposed research, so it is strongly suggested that applications be submitted only after IRB approval is received. The Advisory Councils may defer applications lacking such approval until the next funding round. However, if an application is submitted with the IRB approval pending, the applicant should indicate that approval is pending on the application form, and then forward the appropriate material to the Foundation as soon as possible. If the grant application is accepted for funding before IRB approval is obtained, funds will not be released until the approval is submitted.

When can I find out if my ABMRF grant application was approved for funding?
To inquire for the Spring 2008 review session, applicants may send an email to info@abmrf.org after April 8 concerning the status of their grant.  To inquire for the Fall 2008 review session, applicants may send an email after November 25.