Conference Support for Rare Neurodevelopmental Disorder Communities in Simons Searchlight – 2027 Request for Applications: How to Apply

The applicant’s name and institution will appear in this section. The institution will default to the user’s primary affiliation in their SAM profile. Please ensure that the listed institution is the one to which funds must be administered if selected for funding. If the institution or applicant must be changed, please refer to the SAM Frequently Asked Questions for assistance.

• Applicant Details & Personal Data: Enter all required fields. The applicant may edit information via the “Edit Profile” button as needed. Applicants must complete their profiles by clicking the “Complete Profile” button on the user profile in order to submit. If the applicant is a new user in SAM, their profile must be finalized before submission.
• Degree(s): Click the “Add/Modify Degree(s)” button to provide this information.
• Application Details:
  • Enter a title, start and end date. Start dates must occur on the first of the month during which the conference is estimated to take place, and an end date three months after the conference will take place, on the last day of the month. (For example, for a conference occurring on April 15, 2027, enter April 1, 2027, as the start date and July 31, 2027, as the end date). Hovering over the question mark icons will provide additional information on required fields.
• Proposal: The following information/upload must be provided:
  • Proposal Narrative:
    • Upload a PDF using the template available for download in SAM, which includes the instruction and formatting requirements. The Proposal Narrative should be formatted with single-spaced size 11 text, 0.5 margins. There is no page limit, but we anticipate that Tier 1 and 2 applications likely will not need to exceed two (2) pages and that Tier 3 proposals will not need more than an additional page or two to articulate the in-person research.
  • Budget Tier: Check the box to indicate which tier of funding applies to your proposal. Please see the RFA text for a description of each funding tier:
    • Tier 1: $2,500 USD
    • Tier 2: Up to $7,500 USD
    • Tier 3: Up to $15,000 USD
  • Draft Agenda: Upload an agenda for the upcoming meeting that is the subject of this application. The agenda should specify:
    • Location and dates (note whether confirmed or anticipated);
    • All talks (include names of scientists) and activities (in-person research and/or blood draws) planned (note whether confirmed or anticipated);
    • Link to the conference website, if available.
  • Past Conference Agendas: Upload conference agendas for your past one to two meetings, if applicable.
  • Researcher Letters of Participation: Letters should be on the investigator’s official institutional letterhead. Scientists should confirm their availability and the fact that they have accepted the invitation to speak or to conduct in-person research. For researchers giving a presentation, they should describe their presentation topic and how it is relevant for the gene group. For those proposing in-person research, they should describe the objectives, approach, anticipated new enrollment at the conference, power calculation and future plans for the work. Proposed scientific content or in–person research without a corresponding letter of participation will not be considered in application review.
  • Personnel Biosketches: For applicants applying for Tier 3 funding, please include biosketches of the researchers who plan to participate. (Please leave this section blank if you are applying to Tier 1 or Tier 2 funding). Biosketches must be in SciENcv-, NIH- or NSF-style format.
  • Other (optional): If there is any other information you would like to provide, please include it here. We anticipate that most applicants will leave this section blank.
  • Indicate the extent, if any, to which generative AI technology was used, and how it was used to develop your proposal.
  • Indicate if the Principal Investigator (PI) or any project personnel listed on this application are affiliated with the Simons Foundation or the Flatiron Institute as visiting scholars, independent contractors or employees.
• Data & Renewable Reagents: If applicable, indicate your plan for generating and sharing data and/or renewable reagents.

• Institution Administrative Contacts: At least one Signing Official and one Financial Officer must be added to this section. Officials should hold a position in your Patient Advocacy Group (PAG) and have the authority to sign off on your PAG’s materials.
• Project Personnel: It is not anticipated that personnel salaries will be part of your request; therefore, you may leave this section blank. You will be able to add more details in the “Budget Justification” document in the next section.

• Click the “Edit/Modify” button and add your total request from the Simons Foundation in the “Non-Personnel Costs” line, ensuring that it is not over the funding cap allowed for your tier. For example, if you are applying for Tier 1 funding, please enter $2,500 in the “Non-Personnel Costs” line with a brief description (a few words). Please ensure that the “Period 1 Total Requested Budget Amount” line is equal to your total request.
• 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.

• Upload your budget justification using the template provided.
• The justification includes two sections:
  • Section 1: Funding Requested from the Simons Foundation: Use the following categories and provide a description of the amount requested and justification for each budget category utilized:
    • Supplies & small equipment
    • Travel
    • Other Expenses
    • Total
  • Section 2: Total Conference Budget and Other Funding Sources: Describe the overall conference or meeting budget and, if applicable, other sources of funding for this event, including whether they are confirmed or pending. Please note that we do not typically fund any conference in its entirety; all applicants are strongly encouraged to seek multiple sources of funding support.

Indicate if the conference activities require organizational assurances, including IRB approval. If so, click the “Add/Modify Assurances” button to add the assurance type, status, approval date, expiration date and protocol number. There is a “Pending” option for assurances that are in process, and to-be-determined dates can be left blank at this stage.

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.