New Ideas Award
New Ideas Award supports researchers pursuing bold, exploratory basic research in autism and related neurodevelopmental disorders to test novel hypotheses and open new scientific directions.
Funder: Simons Foundation
Due Dates: Rolling from April 29, 2026 (LOI) | Within 4 weeks of invitation (Full application)
Funding Amounts: Up to $300,000 per year for up to 2 years ($600,000 total), inclusive of 20% indirect costs, with specified exclusions
Summary: Supports bold, exploratory basic research testing novel hypotheses in autism and related neurodevelopmental disorders.
Key Information: One application per calendar year for every applicant, regardless of role; ongoing-project extensions and previous unsuccessful SFARI proposals are ineligible.
Description
The New Ideas Award, administered by the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI), provides early-stage support for bold, imaginative, rigorous research that opens new conceptual or experimental directions in autism and related neurodevelopmental disorders. Projects may draw on any scientific discipline, methodology or experimental system, including humans, at any scale or level of analysis.
The program seeks high-risk, high-reward directions with transformative potential, rather than next steps in previously funded work. Proposals should challenge assumptions, introduce frameworks or apply new tools, with an explicit case for relevance to autism biology and SFARI’s basic-science mission. Both experienced autism researchers and investigators new to the field may apply; researchers not previously supported by SFARI are especially encouraged.
