[Brain and Behavior Research Foundation](https://www.bbrfoundation.org)

March 12, 2025 (Full application submission deadline)

Up to $35,000 per year for up to two years (maximum $70,000 total)

Supports early-career researchers conducting innovative studies on psychiatric brain and behavior disorders.

No institutional overhead allowed; only one PI per application; applicants must not have held NIH R01 or equivalent.

--- ## Description The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation's Young Investigator Grant provides early-career researchers with up to $35,000 per year for up to two years to support innovative research in psychiatric brain and behavior disorders. The grant aims to facilitate the transition from research training to independent faculty positions and is open to projects in basic, translational, and clinical science. The Foundation prioritizes research that advances understanding, treatment, or prevention of serious psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, mood and anxiety disorders, and early onset brain and behavior disorders. The grant is designed to generate pilot data, explore novel hypotheses, and enable proof-of-concept studies, helping recipients compete for larger federal or institutional funding. --- ## Due Dates - March 12, 2025: Full application submission deadline (applications must be submitted by Wednesday, March 12, 2025, no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern) Notification of grant approval will be sent in September 2025. The earliest possible project start date is January 15, 2026. --- ## Funding Amount - Up to $35,000 per year, for one or two years (maximum $70,000 total) - No institutional overhead is permitted - Funds may be used flexibly (e.g., equipment, stipends, research expenses) provided they directly support the proposed project --- ## Eligibility - Applicants must hold a doctoral-level degree (e.g., Ph.D., M.D., Psy.D., Pharm.D.) and be employed in a research training or faculty research position - Eligible positions: advanced postdoctoral fellow, instructor, or assistant professor (or equivalent) - Not eligible: anyone who has served as PI on an NIH R01 grant or equivalent (e.g., VA Merit Review) - Not eligible: those at the associate professor rank or above - Applicants must have an on-site mentor or senior collaborator who is an established investigator in relevant areas - Only one application per PI per cycle; a maximum of two Young Investigator Grants per individual (cannot overlap) - International applicants are welcome; grants can be awarded to institutions worldwide - Applicants must be institutionally affiliated and able to provide an Institutional Assurance Letter - First-year postdoctoral fellows are not eligible --- ## Application Process - Applications must be submitted online via [www.bbrfoundation.org/YI](http://www.bbrfoundation.org/YI) - Required materials (uploaded as a single PDF, following NIH formatting guidelines): - Face sheet (3 pages) - Abstract (≤500 words) - Applicant CV (5 pages, NIH biosketch or equivalent) - Proposal (2 pages, including figures/tables) - Research training/career plans (½ page) - Budget (1 page, itemized, with justification) - Mentor/sponsor letter(s) - Mentor CV (5 pages per mentor) - References (1 page, optional) - Collaborator letter (1 page, optional) - Institutional Assurance Letter (1 page) - For second-time applicants: final progress report on prior grant (1 page) - IRB/IACUC approval is required at the time of award (not at submission) - Strict adherence to guidelines is required; incomplete or non-compliant applications will be administratively rejected - No feedback is provided to applicants except for funding notification --- ## Additional Information - Research must be relevant to the Foundation's mission (e.g., schizophrenia, mood disorders, anxiety, and related psychiatric illnesses) - Trans-diagnostic and cross-disorder studies are welcome if they include primary psychiatric disorders - The Foundation encourages diversity in applicants and research topics - The grant is not intended to support large, costly patient-based studies, but can fund add-on or pilot clinical work --- ## External Links - [BBRF Young Investigator Grant program page](https://bbrfoundation.org/grants-prizes/bbrf-young-investigator-grants) - [2025 Application Guidelines (PDF)](https://bbrfoundation.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/2025-bbrf-young-investigator-grant-application-guidelines.pdf) - [Online Application Portal](http://www.bbrfoundation.org/YI) - [FAQs (PDF)](https://bbrfoundation.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/bbrf-young-investigator-award-questions.pdf) - [Scientific Council Members (for conflict of interest)](https://bbrfoundation.org/page/scientific-council-institution) --- ## Contact Information | Purpose | Contact | |---------------------|---------------------------------------------------------| | General Inquiries | [grants@bbrfoundation.org](mailto:grants@bbrfoundation.org) | | Funder Website | [https://www.bbrfoundation.org](https://www.bbrfoundation.org) | | Phone | +1 646-681-4888 | | Mailing Address | 747 Third Avenue, 33rd Floor, New York, NY 10017, USA |

2025 BBRF Young Investigator Grant

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