[Simons Foundation](https://www.simonsfoundation.org)

January 2027

Postdoc: $85,000/year stipend + $10,000/year career development + $15,000/year benefits (2 years); Faculty: $600,000 over 3 years (typical)

Supports early career scientists transitioning from mentored positions to tenure-track roles in neuroscience and autism research via SFARI and SCPAB.

Forecasted opportunity—dates and details may shift; check program page for updates.

--- ## Description The Fellows-to-Faculty Award, offered by the Simons Foundation's Autism & Neuroscience division, supports outstanding early career scientists as they transition from mentored research training positions (such as senior postdoc or equivalent) into independent, tenure-track or equivalent faculty roles. The award is designed to foster the development of innovative, independent research programs in neuroscience and autism, specifically aligned with the missions of the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI) and the Simons Collaboration on Plasticity and the Aging Brain (SCPAB). The program provides two phases of support: - **Postdoctoral Phase:** Funding is provided in the final stages of postdoctoral training. - **Faculty Phase:** Upon securing a qualifying faculty position, awardees receive a substantial three-year faculty research grant to launch their independent laboratory. Participants benefit from engagement in a vibrant community of Simons-funded investigators and are encouraged to bring diverse perspectives to advance the foundation’s scientific mission. --- ## Due Dates - **Full application and required letters of reference deadline (anticipated):** January 2027 *All dates are projected based on the annual cycle; check the program page for updates.* --- ## Funding Amount - **Postdoctoral Award (2 years):** - $85,000 USD stipend per year - $10,000 USD career development allowance per year (for conferences, travel, equipment, etc.) - $15,000 USD health insurance and benefits allowance per year - No indirect or overhead costs allowed - **Faculty Research Award (3 years):** - $600,000 USD total (typical award) - Budget and allowable costs determined at the time of faculty appointment - No minimum percent effort required - **Additional notes:** - Postdoctoral funds cannot be transferred to the faculty phase - Unspent postdoc funds (except career development/benefits) generally cannot be carried forward --- ## Eligibility - **Who can apply:** - Early career scientists in a non-independent, mentored research training position (e.g., postdoc, clinical fellow) in a faculty member’s lab - Must hold a Ph.D., M.D., or equivalent doctoral degree - Must be poised to apply for tenure-track (or equivalent) faculty jobs at the time of application - No citizenship or country-of-residence restrictions; non-U.S. institutions are eligible - Applicants may submit to SFARI, SCPAB, or both (separate applications required) - **Who is not eligible:** - Individuals who have accepted a formal offer for a tenure-track faculty position by award notification - Those already holding other career development awards that facilitate transition to independence (e.g., NIH K99/R00, Burroughs Wellcome CAMS/CASI, HHMI Hanna H. Gray, Ramón y Cajal, Simons Independence Awards) - Applicants more than two years past their first application to this program or its predecessor awards - **Special notes:** - No restriction on years since Ph.D./M.D. or duration of postdoctoral training - Clinicians with faculty appointments are eligible only if they are also in a mentored research training position - Resubmissions allowed for a maximum of two years (not necessarily consecutive) --- ## Application Process - **Submission platform:** [Simons Award Manager (SAM)](https://sam.simonsfoundation.org/) - **Application requirements:** - Proposal narrative (max 5 pages) outlining future independent research vision - Graphical abstract (max half-page) - Biosketch (SAM, NIH, NSF, or SciENcv format; max 5 pages) - Statement of purpose (max 1 page) - Confirmation letter of mentored training position - Three confidential letters of recommendation (at least one from current mentor) - Publications list and current/pending support - Two-year postdoctoral budget (faculty budget requested only if selected) - Institutional sign-off required prior to submission - **Tracks available:** General, Computational Scientist, Clinical Scientist (choose one or more in each science area) - **Additional details:** - Letters of reference must be submitted through SAM - No application for the faculty award is needed until a faculty position is secured - Applicants are encouraged to contact program staff if unsure about eligibility or fit --- ## Additional Information - **Research scope:** Must align with the missions of SFARI (basic science of autism) or SCPAB (plasticity and aging brain); clinical trials are not supported, but basic science in clinical populations is eligible. - **Awardee obligations:** Participation in Simons Foundation investigator community, data and reagent sharing, and reporting requirements. - **No indirect costs** are permitted on the postdoctoral phase. - **Career development allowance** is flexible but must support the fellow’s transition to independence. - For non-U.S. awards, institutions must meet Simons Foundation requirements for public charity equivalency. --- ## External Links - [Simons Foundation Fellows-to-Faculty Award program page](https://www.simonsfoundation.org/grant/fellows-to-faculty-award/) - [SFARI (Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative)](https://www.sfari.org/) - [SCPAB (Simons Collaboration on Plasticity and the Aging Brain)](https://www.simonsfoundation.org/collaborations/plasticity-and-the-aging-brain/) - [Simons Foundation Funding Policies & Procedures](https://www.simonsfoundation.org/funding-opportunities/policies-and-procedures/) - [Simons Award Manager (SAM) – Application Portal](https://sam.simonsfoundation.org/) - [SAM Application Instructions (PDF)](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rvvltYJ4KK5hPMfvDMFv75zLHB0PAei6/view?usp=sharing) --- ## Contact Information | Purpose | Contact Email | |---|---| | SFARI administrative | [sfarigrants@simonsfoundation.org](mailto:sfarigrants@simonsfoundation.org) | | SFARI scientific | [sciencerfa@simonsfoundation.org](mailto:sciencerfa@simonsfoundation.org) | | SCPAB administrative | [neurogrants@simonsfoundation.org](mailto:neurogrants@simonsfoundation.org) | | SCPAB scientific | [agingbrain@simonsfoundation.org](mailto:agingbrain@simonsfoundation.org) | | Technical assistance (SAM) | [samsupport@simonsfoundation.org](mailto:samsupport@simonsfoundation.org) | | General Simons Foundation info | [info@simonsfoundation.org](mailto:info@simonsfoundation.org) | Office hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Eastern Time ---

Fellows-to-Faculty Award

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