[Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation](https://www.alexslemonade.org)

March 2026 (Full application) | October 2026 (Letter of Intent)

Up to $250,000 total over 2 years (max $125,000/year); direct costs only, no indirects.

Supports established researchers pursuing innovative, high-impact pediatric oncology projects with strong clinical translation potential.

--- ## Description The Innovation Grant from Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) provides critical seed funding to established researchers proposing novel, high-impact projects in pediatric oncology. The program is designed to foster new research directions that are hypothesis-driven, mechanistic, and have the potential for significant scientific or clinical impact on childhood cancer. Proposals must clearly demonstrate innovation and feasibility, with a strong emphasis on advancing cures or improving outcomes for children with cancer. Resource sharing and dissemination of research outputs are strongly encouraged to maximize the impact of funded work. --- ## Due Dates - October 2026 (anticipated): Letter of Intent (LOI) deadline - March 2026 (anticipated): Full application deadline (by invitation only) *All dates are projected based on the annual cycle; check the program page for updates.* --- ## Funding Amount - Up to $250,000 total direct costs over 2 years - Maximum $125,000/year in direct costs - No indirect costs allowed - Grant is not renewable; one no-cost extension (up to 12 months) may be requested - ALSF adheres to the NIH Salary Cap for principal investigators --- ## Eligibility - **Institutions:** Must be nonprofit, based in the United States or Canada - **Principal Investigator:** - Must hold an MD, PhD, or MD/PhD (or equivalent) - Must be appointed as faculty (or equivalent) at an academic institution - Must have a track record of publication as Senior Corresponding Author and at least one NIH R01-equivalent grant awarded - **Project Requirements:** - Must represent a new research direction (not a continuation of ongoing funded work) - Must focus on childhood cancers (projects focused solely/primarily on patients >19 years old are not eligible) - **Other Restrictions:** - Only one LOI per investigator per cycle - No concurrent active Innovation Grants or ALSF grants ≥$125,000/year at time of award - No active Co-PI status on another application in the same cycle - No funding for research using human embryonic/fetal stem cells or non-human primates; human iPS cell research is allowed --- ## Application Process - **Stage 1:** Submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) by the anticipated October deadline - LOIs are reviewed for eligibility and fit; non-compliant LOIs are administratively rejected - **Stage 2:** If invited, submit a full application by the anticipated March deadline - Full applications are reviewed by an independent expert panel using NIH-style peer review - **Submission platform:** Proposal Central ([https://proposalcentral.com](https://proposalcentral.com)) - **Format:** Follow NIH guidelines; all documents combined into a single PDF (max 20 MB) - **Resource Sharing:** Applicants must include a Resource Sharing Plan - **Resubmissions:** One resubmission allowed, with required response to prior critique --- ## Additional Information - Indirect costs are not permitted; budget must be for direct costs only - Funds may not be used for tuition remission - Annual progress reports and a final report are required - Minor carry-over of funds (≤25%) is permitted each year with justification - Publications and presentations must acknowledge ALSF funding --- ## External Links - [Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation Home](https://www.alexslemonade.org) - [2025 Innovation Grant Guidelines (PDF)](https://www.alexslemonade.org/sites/default/files/images/alsf1/downloads/2025_innovation_guidelines_final.pdf) - [Proposal Central Application Portal](https://proposalcentral.com) - [Contact ALSF](https://www.alexslemonade.org/about/contact-us-now) --- ## Contact Information | Name / Role | Email | Phone | |----------------------------|--------------------------------------------|------------------| | Katy Estes-Smargiassi, Grant Coordinator | [K.Esmargiassi@AlexsLemonade.org](mailto:K.Esmargiassi@AlexsLemonade.org) | 866-333-1213 x143 | | ALSF General Inquiries | [grants@alexslemonade.org](mailto:grants@alexslemonade.org) | 610-649-3034 |

Innovation Grant - Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation

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