Pilot Awards
Frontiers CTSI Pilot Awards
Every year Frontiers offers several types of pilot awards through the Frontiers Pilot Program and Inter-Institutional Pilot Awards that seek to advance clinical and translational research and science. Investigators from all Frontiers partner institutions are eligible to apply for pilot awards if they are institutionally eligible to apply for NIH funding as a principal investigator.
Inter-Institutional Pilot Project Awards
The Inter-Institutional Pilot Project Awards promote collaboration across the Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) consortium by funding innovative, translational research projects that involve three or more of the six CTSA institutions that make up the CORES Research Collaborative: University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center; University of Kansas Medical Center; University of Kentucky; University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences; University of Iowa; and the University of Utah Health.
In accordance with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) strategic plan and its commitment to increasing representation in research, funding priority for this RFA will be given to research that addresses issues of disparities either because of rurality or underrepresented and disadvantaged groups.
Rurality includes individuals living in rural or frontier communities.
Underrepresented and disadvantaged groups include:
- Ethnic groups that have been shown to be underrepresented in biomedical research: Blacks or African Americans, Hispanics or Latinos, American Indians or Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders.
- Individuals with disabilities.
- Individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds.
For more information and expanded definitions, please see the NIH's statement on Underrepresented Populations in the U.S. Biomedical, Clinical Behavioral and Social Science Enterprise.
Involvement of these groups is not a requirement for funding, but projects which address health concerns that disproportionately affect one or more of these groups, or projects that seek to apply or test general treatments to one of more of these groups are preferred.
Frontiers Pilot Program
Frontiers Pilot Program
The Lauren S. Aaronson Frontiers Clinical and Translational Research Pilot Program provides grant funding and other support to grow interdisciplinary, investigator-initiated clinical and translational research across a broad range of scientific disciplines. The Frontiers Pilot Award Program is supported by and aligned with the NCATS Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) Program, which focuses on advancing clinical and translational science (CTS).
Every year, three one-year pilot projects receive up to $50,000 each in grant support awards.
External Funding Opportunities
At times, there are supplemental and external funding opportunities through NIH and NCATS. Please check for current opportunities here.
Center for Children’s Healthy Lifestyles & Nutrition; University of Kansas Medical Center/Children’s Mercy Kansas City
Purpose
The Center for Children’s Healthy Lifestyles & Nutrition, a joint effort of the University of Kansas Medical Center and Children’s Mercy Kansas City, is pleased to announce a pilot research grant program to support innovative pilot studies relevant to pediatric healthy lifestyles, broadly defined. More specifically, the purpose of this call for proposals is to fund work that: 1) is related to pediatric healthy lifestyles, 2) promotes cross-site partnerships between KUMC and CMH, and 3) has a high probability of leading to extramural grant funding. We are particularly interested in proposals that advance our work in the areas of early childhood nutrition, special needs weight management, stress and obesity, social determinants of health, and multigenerational behavior change but are open to any topic in the general area of pediatric healthy lifestyles. Applicants must be a member of the Center for Children’s Healthy Lifestyles & Nutrition (www.chlnkc.org) or become a member if their proposal is selected for funding. Projects may be clinical, basic science, translational or have any type of scientific approach. Grants may be for a maximum of $33,000, and the maximum project duration is one year. Proposals will be reviewed by a panel of scientists for scientific merit and feasibility, and only top proposals selected for funding. See checklist for scoring criteria for more information. For the 2023 cycle we have funds for one $33,000 pilot grant.
Dates
If you plan to submit a proposal, please email your non-binding letter of intent to adonnelly@kumc.edu by February 24, 2023, at 5pm. Complete applications are due on March 24 by 5:00pm. No projects will be accepted after this deadline. The funded projects will be announced on April 28. Funding will start on June 16, 2023, and last until June 28, 2024. Any monies unspent by the final deadline will be retained by the Center.
Letter of Intent (LOI)
A letter of intent is recommended. Letters should state the name of the applicant, the name of mentors/collaborators, the title of the project and a brief paragraph about the topic of the proposal. This will allow the Center grant proposal reviewer team to plan for the incoming submissions. Information submitted for these LOIs is not binding (meaning you are not obligated to submit a full proposal and you can change your title or the focus of the project without any consequence at all).
Please see this link for additional details. Please contact adavis6@kumc.edu with any questions.
Please see the below notices for opportunities that may be of interest. Those interested should review eligibility guidelines and as applicable, any listed Specific Areas of Interest, prior to applying.
- Only one application per grant is allowed; request cannot exceed $200,000 direct costs for one year.
- Applications are due February 17, 2023, with earliest funding in July 2023.
- This is a reissue of NOSI NOT-OD-22-057, with modified eligibility requirements, including mechanisms and citizenship status.
- Applications are invited to support administrative supplements to existing NIH awards to support scientists who have demonstrated compelling commitments and contributions to mentorship and enhancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) in the biomedical sciences. Funds will support ongoing and future efforts.
- Applications are due February 17, 2023.
The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) released a funding opportunity announcement for its new Leading Equity and Diversity in the Medical Scientist Training Program (LEAD MSTP) (T32).
- The goal of the LEAD MSTP is “to develop a diverse pool of highly trained clinician-scientist leaders available to meet the Nation’s biomedical research needs by providing support for dual-degree clinician scientist training at institutions that have historically not been well represented among NIGMS-funded MSTPs.” Dual-degree training programs at (1) Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), (2) Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), and (3) institutions within Institutional Development Award (IDeA)-eligible states are eligible to apply.
- The first application due date is January 25, 2023.
HEAL* NATIONAL K12 CLINICAL PAIN CAREER DEVELOPMENT AWARD (HEAL K12) - CALL FOR APPLICATIONS
The Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center at the University of Michigan is requesting applications for the HEAL National K12 Clinical Pain Career Development Award (HEAL K12). The HEAL K12 is a mentored career development program designed to provide protected time for clinicians and scientists to focus on training and conducting clinical pain research. Awards provide a minimum of 75% salary support (up to $100,000/year) plus fringe benefits, and $50,000/year in research support costs, for up to 3 years.
Successful applicants will have at least (3) mentors: a primary home-institution mentor, a senior pain research mentor of national stature assigned by the K12 program, and a mentor with lived pain experience (also assigned by the K12 program). Training is split between the scholar’s home-institution and didactic resources available remotely or in-person at the University of Michigan. Annual travel to the 3-day NIH PURPOSE Conference on Pain Education and to the two-day Ann Arbor Summer Pain Short Course is expected.
Application deadline is March 1, 2023.
Trailblazer Awards
Frontiers offers Trailblazer Awards that provide funding to support targeted research. Investigators from all Frontiers partner institutions are eligible to apply for a Trailblazer Award if they are institutionally eligible to apply for a NIH award as a principal investigator.
Trailblazer Awards are intended for, but not limited to, the following:
- Obtaining preliminary data for a specific extramural grant application
- Development of a community advisory board
- Participant fees
- Software
- Equipment
- Or to enhance a funded project (e.g., additional sub-aim or secondary analysis)
Some awards may need to be sent to the NIH/NCATS for official review and approval.
Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Research Design Award
This award supports the development of novel statistical, epidemiological, and research design methodology for clinical and translational science. Frontiers encourages applications involving gradtuate students.
Institute for Advancing Medical Innovation Trailblazer Awards
Frontiers Institute for Advancing Medical Innovation (IAMI) Trailblazer Awards support four targeted areas of clinical and translational research: Experimental Therapeutic trials, Drug and Medical Device Development, Biomarker Discovery and Validation, and Entrepreneurship activities consistent with IAMI's mission.
Applicants may request up to $25,000; lesser amounts are acceptable and encouraged especially if the Frontiers IAMI Trailblazer Award can be used to match or leverage additional resources.
A goal of Frontiers' funding agency, the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, is "to get more treatments to more patients more quickly". The Frontiers IAMI Trailblazer Award addresses this goal by providing funds to help investigators carry out early-stage, feasibility studies to identify drug, diagnostic, and medical device product development opportunities. Data generated from successful studies will be disseminated in impactful publications and support successful extramural funding applications.
Previously Funded Projects
Check back soon for more information.










Eligibility
This opportunity is open to principal investigators who are eligible to receive federal funding and employed by any Frontiers partner institution:·
University of Kansas Medical Center (all campuses)
University of Kansas
University of Missouri-Kansas City
Kansas City University
Children's Mercy Kansas City
St. Luke's Health System
Kansas State University
Community organizations are encouraged to collaborate with academic partners to develop and submit an application. Established principal investigators may apply but should strongly justify how the pilot project is a new line of inquiry. Principal investigators who have received a previous Frontiers Pilot Award may submit an LOI, but should describe detailed outcomes from previous funding and why this pilot funding is vital for the extension of previous work or for a new area of investigation.
Applicants may serve as PI on only one application but may be included as collaborators on any number of applications.
If you have questions about any of the funding opportunities available through Frontiers please contact us at frontiers-info@kumc.edu or 913-588-6290.