Click Here to Download PDF Version
KEY APPLICATION DATES:
Optional Letter of intent (LOI) Deadline: January 15, 2026 (Thursday, end of the day)
Full Application Deadline: February 19, 2026 (Thursday, end of the day)
Anticipated Start Date: July 1, 2026
PURPOSE: The Arizona Alzheimer’s Consortium (AAC) invites applications for Pilot grant proposals to support basic or clinical, biomedical, translational, epidemiological, caregiving, educational, or behavioral studies in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and related dementias (ADRD), or brain aging research. Pilot projects are intended to help establish the basis for applying for further research funding and to further develop the applicant’s career in these areas of research.
APPLICANT ELIGIBILITY: Pilot projects are intended for senior post-doctoral fellows or junior faculty level investigators and, less commonly, for more senior investigators from other fields, who are interested in AD/ ADRD research and who will have the highest chance of subsequent competitive grant funding. Applicants must be based at an Arizona university, hospital, or non-profit institution.
Pilot grants will not be awarded to the same Principal Investigator during consecutive years, or to Principal Investigators who have current funding from a federal- or state-supported Developmental grant.
We also encourage, but do not require, applicants to capitalize on ADRC (Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center) Core resources (e.g., those related to its Clinical, Neuropathology, Biomarker, Outreach Recruitment and Engagement [ORE], or Data Management and Statistics [DMSC] Cores). Please see Core descriptions at: About – Arizona Alzheimer’s Consortium (azalz.org). Please also include a preliminary statistical plan for the proposed study. We strongly recommend consultation with Yi Su, PhD, who oversees the DMSC. Contact information is listed below.
MECHANISMS OF SUPPORT: We plan to support two to three 12-month Pilot project grants ($30,000/year direct costs; no indirect costs), depending on availability of funding from the state of Arizona.
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES: The funding mechanism is intended to allow an investigator the opportunity to develop preliminary data sufficient to provide the basis for an application for independent research support.
Examples of possible Pilot projects are:
- A study using the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center (NACC) data set to determine the feasibility of conducting larger studies in the
- A study proposed by a new investigator, with an interest in research in AD, before the study has developed to the point of being suitable to apply for individual grant
- Functional, mechanistic, or pre-clinical activities designed to move a basic discovery towards a translational endpoint in the near
Examples of unacceptable Pilot projects are:
- Clinical trials – Investigators interested in clinical trials should consider applying through the NIA Alzheimer’s Disease Pilot Clinical Trials Please refer to NIA’s Guidance on Clinical Trials: https://www.nia.nih.gov/research/grants-funding/nia-guidance-clinical-trials.
Information obtained should allow subsequent submission of competitive grant support through the NIA, or other extramural funding agencies. Proposals that utilize data available through NACC (Minimum Data Set, Uniform Data Set, Neuropathology Data Set, etc. – see https://naccdata.org/requesting-data/nacc-data); that are related to the disciplines of the ADRC Cores; that utilize specimens from the National Centralized Repository for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (NCRAD – see https://www.ncrad.org); or that promote the study of Arizona populations that are at highest risk for AD/ADRD, such as Hispanic/Latinos or Native Americans, are encouraged, but not required. All proposals must include a preliminary plan and timeline for submission of a subsequent competitive grant application to NIA (National Institute on Aging) or another respected funding source.
APPLICATION PROCEDURES:
Optional LOI: An optional LOI, not to exceed one page, may be sent by the end of the day of Thursday, January 15, 2026, to Winnie Liang, PhD (Winnie.Liang@bannerhealth.com).
The LOI should include a descriptive title; name and address of the applicant; concise description of the proposed project; and names of study team members. While LOIs are not required, it allows for the Ad Hoc Review Program to plan reviews. Scientific feedback on proposed projects will not be provided.
Full Application: The fillable Public Health Service (PHS) research grant application forms must be used in applying for these funds (available at https://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html). All components of the proposal, including appendices, should be sent in a single PDF (<15Mb) by the end of the day of Thursday, February 19, 2026 to Winnie Liang, PhD (Winnie.Liang@bannerhealth.com). Please make sure that you receive an email confirming receipt of your application. If you do not receive an email, please contact Winnie Liang.
Applications must include:
- A cover letter with the names and contact information for 3-4 potential qualified reviewers outside of Arizona (along with email addresses)
- Face page (form page 1)
- Summary, Relevance, Project/Performance Sites, Senior/Key Personnel, etc (form page 2)
- Detailed Budget for Initial Budget Period (form page 4) – Budget limited to $30,000/yr direct costs (no indirect costs)
- Budget for Entire Proposed Project Period (form page 5)
- Budget Justification
- Biographical Sketch(es) for Key Personnel
https://grants.nih.gov/grants-process/write-application/forms-directory/biosketch
- Resources (Facilities and Other Resources, Equipment)
- Research Plan – limited to 5 pages and should include:
- Specific Aims
- Research Strategy (Significance, Innovation, Approach)
- Timeline and Plan for Submission of Competitive Grant Application
- Bibliography and References Cited
- Protection of Human Subjects (if applicable)
- PHS Inclusion Enrollment Report – Planned Enrollment (if applicable*)
https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/forms/readonly/PHS_Inclusion_Enrollment_Report-V1.0.pdf
*Required for all human subjects studies unless the proposal meets the criteria for exemption 4 (as noted on the Face page question 4). Clinical trials are not allowed.
- Vertebrate Animals (if applicable)
- Checklist Form Page (including your institutional indirect cost calculation)
- Appendices are limited to three publications, manuscripts, abstracts, patents, or other printed materials directly relevant to the
Applicants may also wish to identify a mentor, collaborator, or consultant to advise or assist them on the project. Potential mentors, collaborators, consultants should be listed in the grant cover letter. Applicants who would like suggestions for appropriate matches should speak to Dr. Eric Reiman (Director, Arizona Alzheimer’s Consortium), or Dr. Carol Barnes (Director, Ad Hoc Review Program, carol@nsma.arizona.edu).
APPLICATION REVIEW CRITERIA: Applications will be reviewed for scientific and technical merit by two relevant experts. Applications will be rated based on 1) significance, 2) quality, innovation, and feasibility, 3) use of NACC, NCRAD and/or ADRC Core facilities, 4) potential of applicant to develop a successful research program in the field, 5) likelihood of leading to a successful grant application, and 6) sound experimental design and statistical approach. If the grant was reviewed previously, the applicant may include a summary of the substantive changes made to the proposal in their cover letter.
Notification of projects selected for funding will be sent by early May 2026. The anticipated funding start date of successful applications is July 1, 2026.
INQUIRIES: Inquiries are encouraged. Inquiries regarding ADRC Core resources or expertise related to the applicant’s field of interest can be directed to:
Eric M. Reiman, MD, Director, Arizona Alzheimer’s Consortium
Email: eric.reiman@bannerhealth.com
Jessica Langbaum, PhD, Director, Arizona ADRC
Email: jessica.langbaum@bannerhealth.com
Inquiries regarding the application, eligibility, and review procedures can be directed to:
Winnie Liang, PhD, Administrative Director, Arizona ADRC
Email: winnie.liang@bannerhealth.com
Inquiries regarding statistical approach can be directed to:
Yi Su, PhD, Data Management & Statistics Core Director, Arizona ADRC
Email: yi.su@bannerhealth.com
