How to Apply for a Grant

The process of applying for any type of funding involves 2 stages:

1. Submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) by March 1, 2012 by (11:59pm ET). Notification of acceptance will be sent within one week.
2. Submit a full proposal only if the LOI is accepted. The deadline for receipt of proposals is April 12, 2012 (by 11:59pm ET).

Instructions may be viewed below, or downloaded for reference. Use the Budget and Biographic Sketch forms provided.

Address questions to grants@epilepsytherapyproject.org.

Forms

Right click and choose "Save As" to download the following forms:

• LOI & Grant Application Instructions [PDF 72k]

Letter of Intent (LOI)

LOI Content and Layout for New Proposals

1. Title of proposed project (maximum 50 characters)
2. Principal Investigator (name, title, affiliation, address, telephone, email address)
3. Co-Investigators (names, titles, affiliations) (only key co-PIs)
4. Anticipated total budget
5. Brief summary of project goals and plans/approaches (not to exceed 1/2 page)
6. Brief description of intellectual property position and potential for commercialization (one paragraph)
7. Brief description of what is unique about the project, and how it compares to any competitor (2 sentences)

LOI Submission for Revised Proposals (resubmissions)

1. Title of proposed project (maximum 50 characters)
2. Principal Investigator (name, title, affiliation, address, telephone, email address)
3. Co-Investigators (names, titles, affiliations) (only key co-PIs)
4. Anticipated total budget
5. Items 5-7. Briefly explain changes from previous application that address key critiques.

LOI Format

• Must not exceed 2 pages, inclusive of all information listed above (#5, #6, #7)
• Minimum 10 point font
• Convert the LOI document to a PDF file and then upload it into proposalCENTRAL.

LOI Submission

• Submit the completed LOI through proposalCENTRAL: https://proposalcentral.altum.com
• Once there, click "Applicants: Click here to Login, Register and Apply," and setup an account.
• Click on "Validate" to make sure all required fields have been filled in.
• Click on the "Submit" link to submit LOI in proposalCENTRAL.

LOI Acceptance Notification

LOIs will be reviewed within one week, at which time Principal Investigators / Contact People will be notified if the proposal is not considered suitable for a full review. LOIs considered suitable must be submitted as full proposals by April 12, 2012 (see grant instructions, following).

Grant Application

Proposal Content, Layout, and Submission Instructions [for all types of proposals]

1. Cover - Page 1

1. Title of proposed project (maximum 1 line)
2. Institutional approvals for work involving humans or animals (project number and date of approval)
3. Principal Investigator (names, titles, affiliation, address, telephone, email address)
4. Key Co-Investigators (names, titles, affiliations)
5. Contact person if other than Principal Investigator (name, address, telephone, email address)
6. Institutional officers (financial officer and grant administrators) responsible for the proposal and award

2. Summary Statement - Page 2 (maximum 1 page)

1. What is unique and significant from a therapeutic perspective about the project, how will it lead to new treatments for epilepsy, and how it compares to any competitor
2. What proof of principle or indication of efficacy and safety currently exist
3. A project summary written in lay language for consumers (approximately 50 words)

3. Commercialization Potential - Page 3 (maximum 1 page)

1. Description of intellectual property position
2. Potential pathway for commercialization, including potential (contacted) or actual commercial partners
3. Timeline for work proposed; estimated time to reach patients

4. Proposal (maximum 6 pages, including references)

1. Background describing this approach to treatment (suggested limit of 1/2 page; omit the unmet need)
2. Procedures (most important section: emphasize what will be done during the first year). Include Go/No Go decision points and milestones, and specific milestones. (Note: funding will be based on achieving milestones)
3. Sample size (as needed) and statistical analysis plan
4. References (limit to a few abbreviated, essential references)

5. Bio Sketches & Other Support

1. Bio for Principal and Co-Investigators
2. Other Support: Title, role in grant, percent effort, amount of funding and years of current and pending support for each grant (including SBIR, STTR, RAID). Include all non-governmental funding (e.g. CURE, Epilepsy Foundation, American Epilepsy Society, other foundations) for work related to this proposal (past, present, pending) and how this impacts IP.

6. Budget

1. Detailed budget and justifications for 1st year (and 2nd year, if needed). There is no specific limit for budgets. Ask for what you need and justify, including funding from other sources.
2. Funds may only be used for direct costs. Funds may NOT be allocated for travel, administrative purposes, or equipment. Salary for pre/post-doctoral trainees should be justified based on full-time work on this proposal.
3. Must describe milestones for payments

7. Collaborators

1. Include letters from key collaborators indicating the extent of their participation (no bio sketches). Specifying their planned contributions (list only investigators who will actively participate in the program, not merely mentor, advisor, or extra name). They should be uploaded in the "Upload Attachments" section of proposalCENTRAL.

Supplementary materials are discouraged, but may be included as an Appendix IF ESSENTIAL.
Note: Save and upload the Summary Statement, Commercialization Potential, Proposal, Bio Sketches and Collaborators letters as PDF files in the Upload Attachments section.

10. Revised Proposal Content (Resubmissions)

Provide a response to the critiques received from the earlier submission (maximum 4 pages) (ask for extra space, if necessary)

1. Respond to questions, and provide additional information to support the resubmission.
2. List Go/No Go decision points & milestones
3. Update the project summary written in lay language for consumers (approximately fifty words)
4. Update budget

Note: Save and upload this resubmission as “Resubmission Response” in a single PDF file in the "Upload Attachments" section.

11. Validate

1. a. Click “Validate” to check for any missing required information or files. If any required information is missing, it will be listed on the screen. (You cannot submit your proposal unless all required information has been included.)

12. Print Signature Page and Attachments (not required)

1. If a hardcopy is desired for your records, you may print signature pages; or signature pages and PDF attachments. (This will not include HTML information, i.e. Budget. For a copy of the HTML pages, please go to each page, then print.)

13. Submit

1. Click on the “Submit” link. You will receive a confirmation message on the screen and a confirmation email will be sent to the applicant.

Proposal Format

• Proposal must not exceed the specified number of pages for each section, inclusive of all information.
• Must be submitted on 8.5 x 11” paper
• Margins 0.75”
• 10 point Arial font

Proposal Submission

Proposal Review

Proposals will be reviewed by the Epilepsy Therapy Project’s Scientific and Business Advisory Boards: http://www.epilepsy.com/etp/who_we_are [Investigators may be contacted by a reviewer for clarification of questions in advance of final reviews.]

After combining both sets of scores, proposals will be considered by the Epilepsy Research Foundation in order of score ranking. Principal Investigators/Contact people will be notified of the results (timetable will depend on when committees can meet). If any additional information is needed, it will be requested by the Epilepsy Therapy Project staff. All submissions are considered confidential. Reviewers with a conflict of interest are excused from reviewing that proposal.