YEAR 2009 MARCH OF DIMES RESEARCH PROGRAM REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

We invite all qualified scientists with faculty appointments or the equivalent, at universities, hospitals and research institutions, to submit applications for research grants directed at the prevention of birth defects.  Research subjects appropriate for support by the March of Dimes include basic biological processes governing development, genetics, clinical studies, studies of reproductive health, environmental toxicology, and social and behavioral studies.*

*In Social and Behavioral Sciences, we are interested in applications proposing research that advances our understanding of – and therefore our ability to prevent – the cognitive and behavioral risks that affect outcomes of pregnancy, the perinatal period, and subsequent child development.  Because change in behavior is an important component of several of our campaigns, we are interested in studies that address this method of prevention.

Potential applicants should submit electronically the required administrative information and a Letter of Intent addressed to the Senior Vice President for Research and Global Programs summarizing the proposed studies via our online system at HTTP://RESEARCHGRANTS.MARCHOFDIMES.COM/LOI.

The Letter of Intent must include the following information in this order:

1. The objective.
2. The relevance to birth defects or reproductive health.
3. The hypothesis or hypotheses to be tested.
4. Preliminary data.
5. A statement of the methods of procedure.
6. A plan for evaluating the results.
7. Current financial support: list each current grant or contract for the conduct of this research.  If there are no other grants, state “NONE.”
8. If this is a request for a renewal of a current March of Dimes grant or Basil O'Connor phase-in application, it must include a summary of its progress.

The online process must be completed by April 30, 2008.

These grants do not cover the recipient's or other faculty salaries, but do provide salary support for technical help.  The grants are awarded for a three-year period.  For your information, the financial characteristics of the previous year's grant cycle are as follows:

(Per Year) AVERAGE:  $88,136 MEDIAN:  $86,952 RANGE:  $47,740 TO $120,394

The Letters of Intent will be evaluated by a scientific advisory committee, and applications will be invited

from those whom the committee recommends.  Our decision will be transmitted to the candidates no later than July 15, 2008, and those who are invited to apply will have to do so beginning September 15, 2008.  The applicants will be informed of the decisions regarding their applications as soon as they have been made, but no later than April 30, 2009.  Funding will be initiated on June 1, 2009.
 
The March of Dimes defines a birth defect as any abnormality of structure or function, whether inherited or acquired in utero and presenting in infancy or early childhood.  Deviations from reproductive health of women and men as an underlying basis of birth defects, i.e. preconceptional events, perinatal course, and premature births, are appropriate subjects for research support.  (We do not accept applications dealing with infertility.)

12/07