Funding Resources

NACC primarily offers funding for new and early career investigators through its New Investigator Award Program (NIAP) in collaboration with the Alzheimer's Association, but also partners with leading organizations like Gates Ventures to offer unique, domain-focused funding such as our recent Digital Biomarker Pilot Program.

We also feature additional funding opportunities in the NACC Navigator, our monthly newsletter, and on social media. NACC is open to exploring new funding partnerships that advance AD/ADRD research and support the research community. Whether you're an early-career investigator or an established researcher looking for specialized opportunities, explore the funding resources available through our network.

New Investigator Award Program (NIAP)

The New Investigator Award Program (NIAP), in collaboration with the Alzheimer's Association, is a prestigious funding opportunity designed to foster the career development of early-career investigators in the field of Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (AD/ADRD) research. 

This program aims to encourage new and early career investigators to develop innovative research projects, foster collaborations within their Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (ADRC) and across the ADRC network and support their journey toward becoming independent researchers.

Building on the success of their ongoing collaboration, NACC and the Alzheimer's Association continue to partner to offer the NIAP, reinforcing their shared commitment to supporting and advancing the careers of the next generation of AD/ADRD researchers.

Key Features of the NIAP:

• Up to ten awards available annually
• $135,000 in direct costs per award
• One to two-year project duration
• Comprehensive mentorship program to support applicants through application process
• Focus on innovative, impactful research across the spectrum of AD/ADRD studies

The NIAP represents a core tenet of the missions of NACC, the Alzheimer's Association, and the ADRCs: funding early career investigators to drive forward understanding and treatment of AD/ADRD.

Learn more about the New Investigator Awards [Link]

Digital Biomarker Pilot Program

Program Overview

Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (AD/ADRD) research is entering the digital age! There is a huge opportunity to leverage digital tools to advance AD/ADRD research and discovery, and make this research more comprehensive. A key focus of this award program, a partnership between Gates Ventures and the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center (NACC), is to accelerate digital innovation in AD/ADRD and facilitate impactful collaborations between academia and industry. 

This award creates pathways for digital technology to be applied within the Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers (ADRC) network, serving as a model for the global AD/ADRD community. The data collected through these awards is integrated with other standardized data modalities at NACC and made freely available to researchers everywhere. We are committed to working with awardees to scale successful projects across the full ADRC network and beyond. Together, this data opens the door to better early detection, treatment, and prevention of AD/ADRD.

Program Goals:

• Accelerate impactful digital data collection and sharing across the ADRC Program
• Leverage technology to capture richer and more objective data with less burden for participants and ADRCs
• Advance the development and/or validation of digital biomarkers for early detection, diagnosis, prognosis, or monitoring

Learn more about the Digital Biomarker Pilot Program [Link]

BrightFocus Foundation

Alzheimer's Disease Research, a BrightFocus Foundation program, drives innovative research worldwide to defeat Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. By providing initial funding for highly innovative, experimental research and creative ideas, we spark revolutionary approaches and life-saving breakthroughs for this devastating disease impacting more than 6.7 million Americans aged 65 and older.

Learn more about BrightFocus Foundation funding

Research Centers Collaborative Network (RCCN)

The objective of the Research Centers Collaborative Network (RCCN) is to initiate new cross-disciplinary collaborative networks that bring together key thought leaders from each of the seven NIA center programs to align approaches across programs that will uncover synergies and insights that lead to novel collaborations.

Explore RCCN opportunities

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

The NIH coordinates a wide array of funding opportunities and Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFOs) for ADRD research, spanning individual project grants (R01s), research training (T32s), and developmental pilot awards.

Alzheimer's Association Research Grants

As our key partner, the Alzheimer's Association is the world's largest non-profit funder of Alzheimer's and dementia research, with over $360 million in funding committed to over 1,000 projects in 53 countries.

Explore Alzheimer's Association funding opportunities

ADRC Network Opportunities

Through our network of 36 Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers, additional collaborative funding and pilot study opportunities may be available.

Subscribe to Funding Updates

Sign up for our email updates to receive announcements about:

• New funding cycle openings
• Application deadlines
• Funding workshops and information sessions
• Early-career opportunities in AD/ADRD research

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Questions About Funding?

For general inquiries about funding opportunities, application processes, and eligibility requirements, contact:

General Program Inquiries: [email protected]