Early Career Investigator Award
The NAF Early Career Investigator Award funds innovative basic, translational, or clinical research on the causes or treatment of ataxia by early-stage scientists to advance the field.
Funder: National Ataxia Foundation
Due Dates (Anticipated): August 2026 (Letter of Intent) | December 2026 (Full application)
Funding Amounts: $50,000 for 1 year; no indirect costs; up to 50% for personnel costs.
Summary: Supports early-career scientists with seed funding for innovative research on the causes, mechanisms, or treatment of ataxia to help launch independent research careers.
Key Information: Forecasted opportunity—dates and details subject to annual update.
Description
The National Ataxia Foundation (NAF) Early Career Investigator Award is a one-year grant of $50,000 aimed at supporting outstanding early-stage scientists who have completed their postdoctoral training within the past six years and currently hold a junior faculty or clinical fellow appointment. The award provides critical seed funding for innovative, high-impact studies that advance the understanding of the causes, pathogenesis, or treatment of hereditary, sporadic, or acquired ataxias. Projects can span basic, translational, or clinical research, and are intended to help early-career investigators establish independence, generate pilot data, and pursue novel approaches that may lead to future therapeutic advances in the ataxia field.
