Funding Opportunities
Internal and external funding opportunities collected by the CTSI.
CTSI PilotsThe Translational Pilot Program will solicit, review and award pilot grants designed to produce and test novel tools and methods to bridge translational gaps. |
Ignition FundsProviding ignition funding to accelerate progress for clinical and translational research projects. |
K12 FundingProviding 2-3 years of support for early-career research faculty from Wake Forest. |
Community Partnered Research AwardCommunity Engagement provides funding to support community and academic researchers via the Community Partnered Research Award. |
Voucher AwardStudies that identify a financial need can request funds from the voucher program to help overcome barriers related to transportation, child care, etc. |
Team Grant AcceleratorSupporting planning, pre-award, and post-award stages to incentivize investigators to pursue new large awards. |
Recurring Funding Opportunities
The CTSI is proud to offer these funding mechanisms:
- Ignition Funding
Deadline: 6/2/2026
- Early Career Salary Support
Deadline: 7/1/2026
- Research Salary Bridge Funding
Deadline: 7/1/2026
School of Medicine and Advocate Health 2026 Requests For Proposals
The Wake Forest University Program for Leadership and Character invites proposals from any Wake Forest University School of Medicine or AHWFB or Advocate Health System employee with ideas for character development programs for current and/or future clinicians (i.e. students) and/or care team members.
Character in Medicine Grant 2026: The Character in Medicine Grant exists to empower employees of the Wake Forest University and Advocate Health System to design, implement, and/or more rigorously assess educational programs that promote participants’ character development.
This grant will fund proposals to launch pilot projects, revise existing programs, and/or implement research and/or assessment on programs to better understand their character growth impacts.
The Character in Medicine Grant is hosted by Wake Forest University’s Program for Leadership and Character, which “inspires, educates, and empowers leaders of character to serve humanity.” Toward this end, the Program develops and disseminates evidence-based educational programming that supports professionals’ growth as leaders of character. The Kern Family Foundation funds the work of the Program for Leadership and Character in medical education.
Funding amount will vary from $1,000 to $30,000. Any project over $7,500 will require assessment; see more info in the Application Questions section.
Any employee of the Wake Forest University School of Medicine and/or Advocate Health System whose job responsibilities include designing, delivering, and/or assessing educational programming may apply for a Character in Medicine grant. Award recipients must be connected to an office (or resources) that will be able to carry out all of the program spending, reimbursements and budget tracking.
The Program is currently accepting applications for projects that will:
- Have a start date at least 2 months out from application submission in order to allow time for review. Review periods can take between two to six weeks.
Download Character in Medicine Grant Application.
Contact Suzanne Danhauer, PhD, Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Well-being at the Wake Forest School of Medicine, or Lauren Iley-Spear, Program for Leadership and Character in the Professional Schools, with questions.
Spring Deadlines
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Spring Research "Shark Tank" Awards
Do you have a research idea that could enhance healthcare but need resources and mentorship to transform it into a structured project? The CTSI is looking for clinically relevant project ideas for consideration in a virtual "Shark Tank" competition, competing for a $5,000 investment and other research resources for the project. Selected applicants will be asked to give timed pitches limited to 5 minutes, followed by 10 minutes of active conversation with the "sharks" (researchers and administrators from the CTSI). More information can be found in the RFA.
Project Criteria:
- Address an existing issue or problem currently affecting our patient population
- Propose a new practice, treatment, tool, approach, etc that has the potential to improve patient care
- Consider ways to disseminate changes or new best practice to the affected patient population
Applications should be submitted through the Research Shark Tank Submission system. Questions should be directed to Katelyn Still.
Deadlines:
- Applications Due: Friday, May 22, 2026 at 11:59PM ET
- Selection of Presenters: May 27, 2026
- Virtual Research "Shark Tank:" Thursday, June 4, 2026 at 10:30AM - 12:00PM ET
2027 Harold S. Geneen Charitable Trust Awards Program for Coronary Heart Disease Research
The Harold S. Geneen Charitable Trust Awards Program for Coronary Heart Disease Research supports research in the area of the prevention of coronary heart disease or circulatory failure and improving care for these patients. The program focuses on basic and translational scientific research. Clinical studies are currently ineligible. The award amount is $250,000 over a two-year period.
Each invited institution may only submit one application to the program which meets the eligibility requirements for the 2027 Grant Cycle. Applicants must be a full-time WFUSM faculty member. Junior faculty are encouraged to apply. For more information, please visit the Harold S. Geneen website.
Interested applications should submit pre-proposals following the Limited Submission Pre-Proposal Instructions electronically to the application system by Friday, June 5, 2026, at 11:59PM ET. Questions should be directed to Katelyn Still.
Deadlines:
- Internal Deadline: Friday, June 5, 2026, at 11:59PM
- Selection of Applicants: Monday, June 22, 2026
- External Deadline: Tuesday, July 7, 2026, by 12:00 PM ET
Mathers Grant Awards Program
The G. Harold & Leila Y. Mathers Foundation is dedicated to advancing knowledge in the life sciences by funding bold, basic scientific research with the potential to transform human health. The Mathers Foundation Grants Program is a limited competition, where eligible organizations may submit up to three (3) applications per grant cycle. The typical project budget cannot exceed $600,000-700,000, inclusive of 10% indirect costs.
Eligibility
Principal Investigators with their own fully equipped labs are eligible. Applicants of all levels of professorship are encouraged to apply.
Research areas that are supported include: Immunology, Microbiome, Structural Biology, Cellular Physiology, Cancer Biology, Genetics, Genomics, Microbiology & Infectious Diseases, Stem Cell Biology, and Neuroscience.
Interested applicants located in the Winston-Salem market should submit pre-proposals following the Limited Submission Pre-Proposal Instructions electronically to the application system by Friday, June 5, 2026, at 11:59PM ET. Questions should be directed to Katelyn Still.
If you are interested in this opportunity and are based in the Charlotte market, please contact Sarah Bailey.
Deadlines:
Internal Deadline: Friday, June 5, 2026, at 11:59 pm ET
Selection of Applicants: Monday, June 29, 2026
External Deadline: July 17, 2026
2027 Macy Faculty Scholars Program
The Macy Faculty Scholars Program is inviting eligible institutions to nominate one (1) faculty member to submit a full application to the 2027 Macy Faculty Scholars Program. The program aims to identify and nurture promising early-career educators in medicine and nursing. The program will help develop the next generation of national leaders in medical and nursing education by identifying outstanding educators, physicians, nurses, and role models.
The program aims to provide Scholars with protected time, mentoring, curricular activities, and a national network of colleagues with the goal of accelerating the Scholars’ careers. With an emphasis on mentorship and cultivating a professional network, the program will provide a national cohort of mentors, fellow scholars, and leaders to further enhance each new Scholar’s experience and development.
The program will provide up to $200,000 salary support ($100,000 per year) over two years for 50% protective time to pursue a mentored educational project at the home institution. Scholars receive $25,000 per year for two years to subsidize the cost of professional development activities and related project expenses. More information can be found on The Macy Foundation Website.
Eligibility
- WFUSM faculty must apply through Wake Forest University Health Sciences.
- Be nominated by the dean of the nursing or medical school. There can be only one nominee per school (i.e., one from nursing and one from medicine at a single institution), and a nursing or medical school with a first-year Macy Faculty Scholar is precluded from nominating a candidate.
- Candidates are expected to be at the assistant professor rank with roughly three to eight years of experience as a faculty member.
- Be a benefits-eligible faculty member in a United States accredited nursing school, allopathic medical school, or osteopathic medical school.
- Be a doctorally prepared faculty member in good standing at the sponsoring school (e.g., MD, PhD, DNP, EdD, etc.).
- Have an educational scholarship project with the appropriate institutional support.
- Have a faculty mentor who will advise the candidate on the candidate’s educational project and career development.
- Have an institutional commitment for the protection of 50% of the candidate’s time.
- Be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States or its territories.
WFUSM Limited Submission Application Process
Interested applicants must submit their application following the instructions below electronically to the application system by Friday, June 12, 2026 at 11:59PM ET. Questions regarding eligibility or your project should be directed to the Foundations Team. Questions about the application system should be directed to Katelyn Still.
- Project Description: Describe the educational scholarly project to be conducted under the Macy Faculty Scholars Program. Include in the description the rationale, theoretical framework, timeline, and involvement of other individuals. Also include details regarding the impact or change you anticipate your project will achieve, and how you plan to assess or measure that impact/change. (2-page max; references may be additional pages)
- Department Chair Letter of Nomination: Department Chair’s letter of nomination indicating the chair's commitment to protecting the time of the candidate and describing the role of the candidate in the department. (2-page max)
- NIH Format Biosketch
*The WFUSM Limited Submission Application Process is a separate process from the foundation full application requirements, which apply universally to all applicants.
Deadlines:
Internal Deadline: Friday, June 12, 2026, at 11:59 pm ET
Selection of Applicants: Monday, June 29, 2026
External Deadline: July 30, 2026 at 11:59PM ET
Fall Deadlines
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The Center for Prevention Science in Child and Family Health (CPSCFH) Fall Boost Award
The Center for Prevention Science in Child and Family Health (CPSCFH) is the first child research-focused program at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, and the first family- and prevention-science program in the U.S. Priority areas are: lifestyle behaviors, SDoH, and Health Services Research, and build on the success of existing research programs. View the RFA here.
Funding:
Boost awards will be $5,000 awarded twice yearly. The intended purpose of these research awards is to fund smaller pilot programs that will assist investigators in obtaining preliminary data for larger grant proposals. Proposals will be reviewed by Center members.
Eligibility Criteria:
Applicants must be a faculty member within the Advocate system with an appointment at Wake Forest University School of Medicine.
Application Process:
Boost award applications should be submitted through the online submission link. See information below for content needed for the submission. Applications are brief.
Application requirements listed below:
- Proposal must be related to the focus of the CPSCFH, and within one of its core focus areas
- Proposal must have a plan for future project development and funding
- Awardees must participate in at least one consultation with CPSCFH leadership to explore linkages and potential collaborations
- Awardees are expected to present their project at the annual research symposium sponsored by the CPSCFH
Review Criteria for Scoring:
- Quality of written application
- Describe the project significance, methodology, and plans for future funding
- Clearly stated project goals and objectives
- Feasibility of completing the project goals and objectives within the 12 month funding period
- Appropriateness of budget
Fall Submission Deadlines:
- Open: August 15, 2026
- Due: September 15, 2026
- Awarded: October 1, 2026
Questions regarding the application process should be directed to Selina Quinones.
Research Centers
An Institutionally-Supported Research Center is an interdepartmental unit focused predominantly on translational, clinical and/or basic science research which facilitates development of a common, focused research agenda aligned with strategic priorities, coordinating contributions from multiple disciplines (other centers, divisions/departments, and programs). We are pleased to announce the following opportunities are now available:
Research Centers – The purpose of this RFA is to invite applications to develop an Institutionally-Supported Advocate Health/Wake Forest University School of Medicine Research Center. This document also provides the framework for a renewal application of an existing center. Research Centers support mature areas of research that reflect depth in translational, clinical and/or basic science research. View the full RFA for Research Centers here.
Emerging Research Centers - The purpose of this RFA is to invite applications to develop an Institutionally-Supported Advocate Health/Wake Forest University School of Medicine Emerging Research Center. This document also provides the framework for a renewal application of an existing center. Emerging Research Centers support new ideas in need of investment for growth. The investment is intended to catalyze the formation of a team for the specific purpose of developing a strategic vision in order to grow a critical base of extramurally funded research. This research can be established in translational, clinical and/or basic science research. View the full RFA for Emerging Research Centers here.
Direct questions and applications to Lynne Wagenknecht, Vice Dean for Population Health Research, and/or Lindsay Trost, CTSI Administrative Director.
Foundation Funding Opportunities
Interested applicants may contact the Foundation Relations Team.
| Neurology | CURE Epilepsy | Rare Epilepsy Partnership Award LOI |
$100,000 | 6/9/2026 |
| Cancer, Geriatrics and Gerontology | The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research | Samuel Waxman Institute for Aging & Cancer LOI | $500,000 | 6/15/2026 |
| Pediatrics, Cardiology | Enduring Hearts Foundation | Enduring Hearts Direct Grants LOI | $150,000 | 6/19/2026 |
View More Foundation Funding Opportunities
The Duke Endowment
The Duke Endowment has a long history of supporting our health system across the Carolinas. In accordance with the Endowment's request, all inquiries from the health system will be routed through the designated Philanthropy/Foundation representatives in each market. If you are based in the Charlotte market, please reach out to Rachel Ellis. Those in the Winston market, please contact Chad Daniel.
The Duke Endowment will not accept or review any applications submitted directly by faculty who have not coordinated with the Philanthropy/Foundation representative in their market. This ensures all submissions are properly managed and align with the Endowment's expectations and current funding priorities.
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Other
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NeuroNEXT Grant
The NeuroNEXT Network is designed to efficiently conduct Phase II Clinical Trials. NeuroNEXT Network is now accepting proposals. Applications for exploratory clinical trials of investigational agents (drugs, biologics, surgical therapies or devices) that may contribute to the justification for and provide the data required for designing a future trial, for biomarker validation studies, or for proof of mechanism clinical studies are encouraged. Successful applicants will be given access to the NeuroNEXT infrastructure to support the efficient implementation of the proposed study at multiple sites and statistical and data management.
If you are interested, please schedule a meeting to discuss your proposal with the NeuroNEXT Study Team. This opportunity is ongoing until 2028.
- Benefits of Partnering with NeuroNEXT
- Applying for a NeuroNEXT Grant
- Contact: Mysha Sissine, Program Manager
NIH
Professional Associations and Societies
Please refer to the individual Program or Funding Opportunity Announcement for deadline information.
- American Cancer Society
- The Triological Society
- American Heart Association
- American Gastroenterological Association
- American Federation for Aging Research
- Alzheimer's Association
- ALS Association
- American Diabetes Association
- Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
- Thoracic Surgery Foundation for Research and Education
- Society for Pediatric Dermatology
Additional Resources
Listed below are some quick ways to find external funding opportunities through search mechanisms and announcement listservs.
Additional Resources
- For detailed information on funding opportunities, search www.grants.gov with keywords related to your research interests.
- National Institutes of Health (NIH)
- NIH Career Development Awards (K-Series)
- Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI)
- Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
- National Science Foundation (NSF)
- North Carolina Biotechnology Center