Simons Postdoctoral Fellowships in Plant Biology – Request for Applications 2027: How to Apply

The applicant’s name and institution will appear in this section.

• Applicant: The postdoctoral fellow should be listed in the applicant role, which is titled “Fellow” for this award type. Do not list the sponsor here.
• Institution: Please ensure the listed institution is the one to which funds must be administered if selected for funding, even if the fellow is not at the institution yet. The institution will default to the user’s primary affiliation in their SAM profile. If the institution or applicant must be changed, please refer to the SAM Frequently Asked Questions for assistance.

• Complete all fields in this section, including the following attachments:
  • Proposal Narrative: Upload a PDF using the template available for download in SAM, which includes the instructions, formatting requirements and page limits.
  • Fellow Biosketch: Use SciENcv or fillable PDF NSF-style or NIH-style format, including a complete list of publications with the complete reference (up to 10 authors; if greater than 10, give the number of authors and list the senior author). You may include publications about to be submitted in addition to published and accepted publications, if applicable. An additional page may be included if not all publications fit in the standard format. Do not include funding sources for the applicant’s graduate work.
  • Sponsor Biosketch: Upload a biosketch for the sponsor using SciENcv or fillable PDF NSF-style or NIH-style format with a five (5)-page maximum.
  • Sponsor Other Support: Upload a PDF of a list of the sponsor’s current and pending other support, including total award amount.

• Institution Administrative Contacts: At least one Signing Official and one Financial Officer must be added to this section.
• Project Personnel: Add your sponsor(s) to the Project Personnel section. Please do not add the applicant (fellow) to this section.

Click the “Edit/Modify” button to complete a budget for the proposed project. Please adhere to all budget guidelines listed in the RFA and the detailed instructions provided within the budget window. The total amount requested for each individual budget period must be a whole number.

• You must first enter the start and end dates in the “Proposal” tab to open the budget window.
• In Periods 1–3, please input the stipend amount under Personnel Costs in the Stipend box. In the same section, under Health Insurance & Other Benefits, please input the total amount for health insurance or other benefits required by your institution.
• If you require fringe benefits, enter your fringe benefit rate.
• The remaining amount from your annual allowance should be allocated to Supplies & Small Equipment ($10,000 or under per unit of equipment), Travel, Services & Maintenance and Other Expenses. Enter brief budget justifications for each cost in the text boxes within the budget window.

• Abstract: Please provide a technical abstract of your proposed project.
• Impact: Provide a one (1) sentence response to the following question: If your project is successful, how will your results and/or the tools that you build advance our understanding of plant biology?

• Four (4) confidential Letters of Recommendation are required: one (1) from applicant’s thesis adviser; two (2) from additional research scientists, who should address the applicant’s potential for future leadership in the field; and one (1) from the postdoctoral research sponsor that discusses experiences working with the applicant (if applicable) and development of the proposed project, and that confirms acceptance of the applicant to their laboratory.
• In the case that the applicant has two thesis advisers and/or two postdoctoral research sponsors, please review the FAQs for more instructions.
• Instructions for inviting referees are provided within this tab of the application in SAM. Once formally invited, referees will receive an automated email from [email protected] requesting that they accept or decline the invitation. Referees must accept the invitation before they can submit their letter. All letters must be uploaded as a PDF and submitted by the referee prior to the application deadline.
• You will not be able to send the application for sign-off or submit your application until all required letters of recommendation have been submitted.

Indicate if organizational assurances are required for the project, such as IRB, IACUC and/or biosafety approvals. If yes, you will be prompted to provide additional information.

Click the “Check Application Progress” button to verify that all required information and files have been submitted. Any missing requirements will be listed at the top of the screen and must be corrected before the application can be submitted.

When the application is complete, please click the “Send for Sign-off” button to send the application to your Signing Official for signature. You will not be able to send the application for sign-off if any application requirements are missing. The Signing Official will receive an email from [email protected] notifying them that an application requires their signature. The Signing Official must electronically sign the application via the “Submission” tab of the application. Once their signature is entered and saved, the Signing Official must click the “Submit Signature” button. This will officially submit the application to the foundation. Upon submitting their signature, the Signing Official will see a confirmation page, and the application will now appear in the “Submitted” tab of the “Applications and Awards” table. The applicant, Signing Official and Financial Officer will receive an email from [email protected] when the application is signed and submitted. Please note that you will not be able to submit an application if the deadline has passed.

Once your application has been submitted, the Simons Foundation staff will be in touch if we require any additional information or revisions to your application.