Funder: Hearing Health Foundation
Due Dates: December 7, 2026 (Letter of Intent) | April 5, 2027 (Invited full proposals)
Funding Amounts: Up to $50,000–$100,000 annually by award type; initially one year, renewable for a second year
Summary: Seed funding for fundamental and clinical hearing and balance research that builds preliminary evidence for larger research awards.
Key Information: Applicants need a doctoral or equivalent degree and an appointment at an eligible U.S. nonprofit institution.
Description
Hearing Health Foundation’s Emerging Research Grants (ERG) program supports research across the hearing and balance field, including underfunded areas of otology. Established in 1958, the program helps investigators launch independent research careers and generate preliminary data for NIH grants and other larger awards. Both fundamental and clinical research are welcome, with priority given to new investigators and projects likely to open new lines of inquiry.
For the 2027–2028 cycle, four award mechanisms combine broad support for early-stage investigators with topic-specific opportunities open at any career stage. The Elizabeth M. Keithley, Ph.D. awards cover any hearing or balance topic. Focused and Expanded Discovery Awards support Ménière’s disease, acquired pain or loudness hyperacusis, tinnitus, and central auditory processing disorder, depending on the mechanism.
