NACC-Funded Research

For over two decades, we have supported transformative Alzheimer's disease and related dementia research through strategic investments in the nation's leading research community. Since 2000, NACC has exclusively funded investigators at the NIA-funded Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers (ADRCs), fostering cross-institutional collaboration and accelerating scientific breakthroughs nationwide.

Through our grant programs, we empower early-career researchers, enable multi-center partnerships, and advance open science principles that strengthen the entire research ecosystem. Our funding portfolio demonstrates the collective power of shared resources and collaborative discovery.

Research Grant Programs

New Investigator Award Program (2018-Present)

We champion the next generation of Alzheimer's researchers through our flagship funding program, conducted in partnership with the Alzheimer's Association. These annual awards provide $135,000 in direct costs to early-career scientists at the assistant professor level or below, offering them the freedom to pursue innovative research approaches without requiring the use of NACC data.

Our 2025 program achievements showcase the program's expanding impact:

$3.1 million invested across 23 outstanding researchers
100% participation from all 36 ADRCs with 199 eligible applications
94% mentorship participation with 87 experienced mentors supporting applicants

The program includes a robust mentorship component developed in collaboration with the ADRC Research Education Component (REC) Steering Committee. This partnership connects applicants with experienced researchers throughout the application process, providing grantsmanship guidance and career development support. Follow-up surveys reveal lasting benefits, with 74% of participants reporting better preparation for future grant applications and 64% applying for additional funding opportunities.

Learn more about the New Investigator Award Program

Junior Investigator Grants (2005-2017)

These grants supported projects by ADRC researchers at the assistant professor level and below, specifically involving secondary analysis of data in the NACC Uniform Data Set or Neuropathology Data Set. This program laid the groundwork for our current New Investigator Awards.

Collaborative Grants (2000-2017)

These multi-center awards brought together three or more ADRCs to tackle complex research questions. Whether generating preliminary data for larger grants or addressing scientific hypotheses directly, these collaborations leveraged the collective expertise of the ADRC network.

Grants

Below is a comprehensive table of research projects funded by NACC across all grant programs: