Simons Early Career Investigator in Aquatic Microbial Ecology and Evolution Awards – Request for Applications 2025: FAQs

All LOIs must be submitted online through SAM. The Simons Foundation does not accept emailed or mailed LOIs.

No. However, successful finalists will need an institutional sign-off for the full proposal.

No, postdoctoral associates may not apply as PIs. All applicants and key collaborators must hold a Ph.D., M.D. or equivalent degree and have a faculty position or the equivalent at a college, university, medical school or other research facility. Funds may not be used for stipend supplementation unless specifically authorized under the terms of the program from which the funds are derived.

Applicants must currently hold a tenure-track, tenured or equivalent independent position at a U.S. or Canadian institution (in a campus within these countries).

No, we are not accepting applications with multiple PIs for this program.

No. You may provide funds for others to work on your research activities, but they may not be listed as multiple PIs or in the senior personnel section of the proposal, within the primary budget or within a sub-award to a collaborating institution. However, you may pay someone as a consultant in your project or pay for his or her travel and field/lab expenses, materials and supplies, or access fee to a laboratory.

No, PIs cannot submit multiple applications to this program.

Please submit a PDF of the LOI document using the template provided in SAM. Type should be set in 11-point, legible font. All margins should be set at 0.5 inches.

No, a detailed budget is not requested with the LOI.

The Submit Application button is located at the bottom right of the screen. You will be unable to submit if you have not provided all the required information. If the submission deadline has not passed, use the Check Application Progress button to check for missing requirements. If the problem persists, please contact [email protected].

If the deadline has passed, the submission period has closed and you will not be able to submit.

The Check Application Progress button reviews your LOI for missing sections. The submission instructions list the required sections and attachments. You must complete the missing items listed in the error message. If you are still receiving error messages after completing and saving the indicated sections, please contact [email protected].

No, please be advised that deadlines are in Eastern time. We recommend registering early and submitting LOIs with ample time for corrections prior to the deadline hour. Site traffic can slow page-load times. You will not be able to submit after the deadline time has passed.

A confirmation email is sent upon submission of the LOI. Make sure that spam filters allow emails from [email protected]. Additionally, the LOI will be in the Submitted tab of the Applications in Progress table after submission.

Before you can make changes to your submitted LOI, you must first contact the Simons Foundation. Please email [email protected]. LOIs can only be changed prior to the deadline.

No extensions will be given. If you have any difficulties, please email [email protected].

With an accepted LOI, you gain access to the full proposal application in the Simons Award Manager (SAM). Log in and go to the Draft tab of the Applications in Progress table. Click the application you want to complete. Once all sections are complete, click Submit Application to send your application.

We seek applications from independent investigators who can devote a substantial portion of time to this project. While we do not require a minimum PI effort, we expect the PI to commit to a level of effort that reflects a leading role in the project.

No, only the signing official may sign and submit the application.

The Check Application Progress button reviews your full proposal for missing sections. The submission instructions list the required sections and attachments. You must complete the missing items listed. If you are still receiving error messages after completing and saving the indicated sections, please contact [email protected].

Before you can make changes to your submitted application, you must first contact the Simons Foundation. Please email [email protected]. Applications can only be changed prior to the deadline.

You should receive notification within 24 hours of the deadline. Please check your spam filter settings if you have not received notification by then.

Please note that in the event of budgetary or other considerations The Simons Foundation, Inc. reserves the right to refer an application to The Simons Foundation International, Ltd. (SFI) for consideration and funding, in which case SFI’s grant policies would apply.