FSR Fellowship Grant

• FSR will fund two fellowships, each for a two-year period.  

• Maximum funding for each fellowship is $75,000 per year ($150,000 over a two-year period). 

• Applicants must be no longer than 6 years past their clinical or postdoctoral training. This does not include medical leave, FMLA, or pandemic-related delays. 

• Applicants must describe career goals and specify how the Fellowship will be utilized in their training towards a long-term career commitment to sarcoidosis research and/or clinical care.  

• Applicants must have a dedicated and significantly involved institutional mentor for their project. Co-mentors are allowed in situations where mentors with sarcoidosis-specific expertise are not available at the PI’s institution. Basic and translational science projects without direct engagement with patients should include clinic-designated time in the mentorship plan. 

• Applicants with NIH funding are not eligible for an FSR Early Career Fellowship. This includes R01, P01, P50, and other major individual career development awards (e.g., K01, K07, K08, K22, K23, K25, K76, K99/R00) or the equivalent.  

• Current and former recipients of an NIH Small Grant (R03), Exploratory/Developmental Grants (R21/R33), Planning Grant (R34/U34), Dissertation Award (R36), or SBIR/STTR (R41, R42, R43, R44) remain eligible, as do awardees of Transition Scholar (K38) awards and individuals appointed to institutional K programs (K12, KL2). 

• The award funding, restricted to the compensation package of the Fellow and associated research costs, will be provided directly to the hosting institution bi-annually, dependent on receipt of required progress reports.   

• Funding cannot be applied to overhead.  

• The funding is to be applied to the stipend or salary of the Fellow by the Grantee institution, as specified in the FSR-approved budget.  

• This grant in no way requires a grantee institution to provide employment beyond the grant period and in no way requires the Fellow to accept an employment offer provided by the grantee institution.  

• Applicants must submit proof of IRB approval of their project, as applicable, before funding is released to the sponsoring institution. 

1. Overall Project Description (500 words)
2. Lay Summary of Project Description/Abstract (250 words)
3. Proposed role in the project (300 words)
4. Research Plan (including significance, innovation, specific aims, approach, and potential pitfalls) (1,500 words))
5. Proposed Budget
6. Fellow’s current CV (no page limit)
7. Personal Statement describing the applicant’s interest in sarcoidosis, plans for the current, near and long-term research. It should also describe how the receipt of the grant award would further the applicant’s career goals and positively impact sarcoidosis research (500 words)
8. Description of remaining effort outside of FSR Fellowship award (200 words)
9. Additional funding (200 words)
10. Mentor letter of support and Biosketch (PDF only, no word limit)
11. Institutional support letter
12. Other supporting documents

Overall Impact of the Proposal  

• Demonstration of significant impact from the project on the field of sarcoidosis 

Applicant  

• Commitment to, or intent to pursue, a career related to sarcoidosis.  
• Quality of academic background and previous training.  
• Applicant’s description of career goals as related to long-term commitment to sarcoidosis research, quality care improvement, and education. 

Mentorship team 

• Established sarcoidosis physician or laboratory-based scientist with experience in training fellows.  
• Commitment of the primary Mentor for the duration of applicant’s training and/or project.  

Project Rationale, Purpose, and Feasibility  

• Reason the study should be conducted  
• Outlined scope of the project  
• Likelihood study will be accomplished given approach 

Research Training Plan and Training Potential  

• Overall quality and organization of the training program.  
• Impact of proposed training on career development.  
• Potential of training proposal to develop applicant into a productive, independent physician scientist or laboratory-based investigator. 

Environment  

• Quality of institution’s sarcoidosis clinical and research programs.  
• Institution’s commitment to provide opportunities for career development related to sarcoidosis.  

Allowable Costs  

• Budget Expenditures – Direct Cost Only  
• Salaries  
  • Fellow (50-80% effort requested) salary + fringe benefits 
  • Mentor efforts are NOT covered  
• Materials and Supplies 
  • This can include cell reagents, arrays, kits, and other lab supplies. Categories must be detailed and explained when supplying the budget. For example, if research includes animals, the budget should include the number of animals expected to be used, price for the animals, and per diem for animal care, as well as details on the length of time the animals will be used for.  
• Publications  
  • Publication costs and number of expected publications should be outlined.  
• Travel  
  • Detailed outline of conferences the Fellow is planning to attend and the average cost of attendance. 

• Bi-annual Report: The Fellow and Mentor will send a bi-annual report of activities. The Mentor will send a financial report to FSR through Submittable. Periodic evaluations of the Fellow will also be sent to the FSR Research Department by email to info@stopsarcoidosis.org 

• Grant fund payments will be contingent on and align with the bi-annual report schedule. 

• Annual Report and Evaluation: All Fellows and Mentors may be asked to participate in a patient-friendly colloquium reporting on the experience, research outcomes, and grant preparation and application process. 

The Sarcoidosis Fellowship Grant Writing Webinar provided a comprehensive overview of strategies for crafting competitive grant applications focused on advancing sarcoidosis research. Experts shared insights on aligning research objectives with funding priorities, structuring proposals effectively, and addressing key evaluation criteria. The session emphasized the importance of collaboration, clear communication, and demonstrating potential impact. Attendees gained practical tools and resources to strengthen their applications and increase their chances of securing funding. 

2023 Grant Writing Seminar  

• This Grant Writing Webinar reviews exemplary tips, techniques, and examples from past fellowship awardees. Speakers include: FSR CEO, Mary McGowan, Dr. Paula Barreras, 2021-2023 FSR Fellowship funding recipient from Johns Hopkins University, and mentor of Dr. Barreras, Dr. Carlos Pardo-Villamizar of Johns Hopkins University.

2022 Grant Writing Seminar 

• Speakers included: 2020-2022 FSR fellowship funding recipient: Dr. Shu-Yi Liao of National Jewish Health and FSR’s Scientific Advisory Board member and mentor of Dr. Liao – Dr. Lisa Maier of National Jewish Health, and FSR CEO Mary McGowan.

2021 Grant Writing Seminar  

• This webinar in 2021 on how to write a successful proposal for FSR’s Fellowship Grant. This webinar highlight’s FSR’s 2021-2023 fellowship program, what a good grant application looks like, and tips and tricks from a fellowship awardee and their mentor. Speakers included: Dr. Elliott Crouser from Ohio State University and FSR’s Scientific Advisory Board Chair, Dr. Erica Herzog from Yale University and mentor to grant awardee, Dr. Changwon Ryu from Yale University and 2018-2020 FSR Fellowship Recipient.