Request for Applications

CFAR Pilot Grant Program

The Penn Center for AIDS Research (Penn CFAR) invites Pilot Grant applications. All areas of HIV/AIDS are acceptable including clinical, basic, behavioral and implementation science research. This year, we especially encourage projects focused on:

• HIV & Aging*
• Implementation Science*
• Single cell HIV reservoirs and immune analysis*
• Research on the impact of HIV Communication and Policy (see p.3 for more information)*
• Applying modified RNA technology to HIV research† with joint funding from the Penn Institute for RNA Innovation
•  

* Pilot projects for investigators without prior R01-level funding in AIDS

† Open to all investigators, including those who have been previously funded (in or out of the AIDS field), as long as the proposal reflects a major new research direction involving applications of modified RNA technology.

Pilot projects are intended to lead to independent HIV/AIDS funding. 

All proposals must address high or medium priority areas in the NIH Priorities for HIV/AIDS: https://www.oar.nih.gov/hiv-policy-and-research/research-priorities

Pilot Award eligibility Include:

• New investigators without prior R01 level funding from NIH
• Established investigators who have not previously been funded by the NIH for work in HIV/AIDS.

Two types of pilot award are available:  

1. General Pilot Research Awards 

2. Mentored Research Scholar Awards. 

The award types are described below.

(*Note that researchers who are not eligible for these awards may be eligible for CFAR microgrants which are awarded on a rolling basis throughout the year: https://www.med.upenn.edu/cfar/microgrants.html.) 

Amount:  Awards are for a maximum of $50,000 per grant*. Applications for smaller awards are encouraged. Applicants should provide justification for the proposed budget. Grants are for one-year and are not renewable. IRB approvals must be in place before funds can be dispersed.

*For exceptional mRNA-based projects, due to provisions of the co-funding agreement, well-justified requests up to $100k will be considered

Application Details: The required cover page and instructions can be found on the Developmental Pilot Awards page of the CFAR website.

Application Deadline:  January 30, 2024

Funding release expected:  July 1, 2024