Funder: Solve M.E. (Solve ME/CFS Initiative)
Due Dates: October 22, 2026 (Office hours) | November 13, 2026 (Initial research plan) | December 4, 2026 (Full proposal invitations) | January 8, 2027 (Full proposal) | February 8, 2027 (Award decisions)
Funding Amounts: $50,000 for one year; up to $100,000 or $150,000 over two years, depending on award category
Summary: Supports early-stage research on ME/CFS, Long COVID, and related infection-associated chronic conditions to generate preliminary data and expand the research workforce.
Key Information: All applicants submit an initial research plan; full proposals are by invitation and undergo double-blind review.
Description
Solve M.E.’s Ramsay Research Grant Program funds innovative pilot studies and data analysis advancing biological understanding of ME/CFS, Long COVID, and related infection-associated chronic conditions and illnesses (IACCIs). The 2026 Ramsay Scholars competition supports new and early-career investigators, researchers entering these fields, returning faculty, and collaborative teams. Its goals are to expand and sustain the research workforce, generate rigorous preliminary data, and position investigators for larger studies and external funding.
The program prioritizes hypothesis-driven, mechanistic research that opens new lines of inquiry. Encouraged areas include systems biology and multi-omics, comparative and cross-disease studies, and research using biobanks or existing datasets. Pre-pandemic ME/CFS cohorts are particularly interesting for distinguishing ME/CFS biology from SARS-CoV-2-related effects. Well-justified projects outside these highlighted areas are also welcome.
