Fellows-to-Faculty – 2027 Request for Applications: FAQs

The Simons Foundation’s mission is to advance the frontiers of research in mathematics and the basic sciences. Visit our website to read about the basic science missions of:

• Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI) and SFARI scientific perspectives.
• Simons Collaboration on Plasticity and the Aging Brain (SCPAB) and SCPAB’s mission.
• Simons Collaboration on Ecological Neuroscience (SCENE) and SCENE’s mission.

We are committed to studying basic science — research that is aimed at elucidating the underlying mechanisms of biology, disease or behaviors — and believe that basic discovery science provides a foundational knowledge base for translational and clinical research. We consider studies in human populations as well as in model systems in scope for our basic science mission.

Please note that this will be the last RFA for SCPAB.

Yes, you may contact us with a 3-5 sentence description of your research vision for your future independent laboratory and how it fits within the basic science area to which you are applying (SFARI, SCPAB or SCENE).

Scientific staff by science area:

• Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI): [email protected]
• Simons Collaboration on Plasticity and the Aging Brain (SCPAB): [email protected]
• Simons Collaboration on Ecological Neuroscience (SCENE): [email protected]

No. Association with the Simons Foundation, in any way, is not a requirement to apply.

No. Proposals for clinical trials are not allowed. However, basic science projects in human populations may be appropriate for all: SFARI, SCPAB, and SCENE.

Yes, you may submit to SFARI, SCPAB, SCENE or all. If submitting to more than one scientific area, applicants must submit separate applications, tailored to the scientific focus. If selected, you may only accept one award.

Yes. There are no citizenship requirements.

Yes. If you are at a non-U.S. institution, please refer to our Non-U.S. Awards policy.

Yes. However, applicants may not hold other career development awards that facilitate a transition to an independent research career at the time of application or simultaneously with the Fellows-to-Faculty Award. These awards include but are not limited to NIH K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Awards, Burroughs Wellcome Fund Career Awards for Medical Scientists and others. Please see Eligibility FAQ #17 for details.

No. We do not restrict eligibility based on duration of postdoctoral training or how long ago your doctoral degree was earned. If your training path or duration is not typical, you have the option to provide additional information on your readiness to seek a tenure-track faculty position or equivalent during the upcoming academic job cycle in the application (not to exceed 100 words). Please see SAM for instructions.

No. This RFA is intended for applicants currently competitive for a faculty job. We expect most successful applicants will have at least one (1) publication or preprint from their current position. Those with primary manuscripts in preparation are typically not competitive. Fellows are expected to apply to tenure-track (or equivalent) faculty positions in September 2027 and begin their faculty role during the 2028-2029 academic year.

No. We acknowledge that some individuals may be well placed to begin their professorships without having completed a postdoctoral fellowship. Our review criteria include the applicant’s readiness for the academic job market, as evidenced by their scientific contributions and vision, and not based on whether the applicant has conducted postdoctoral training, per se.

A medical residency or fellowship may be equivalent preparation for an independent research career in some fields.

If your training path or duration is not typical, you have the option to provide additional information on your readiness to seek a tenure-track faculty position or equivalent during the upcoming academic job cycle in the application (not to exceed 100 words). Please see SAM for instructions.

This RFA is intended for applicants currently competitive for a faculty job. Successful applicants typically have a significant publication or preprint from their postdoctoral work. If you do not, you may want to consider deferring your application to a future year or providing additional information on your readiness to seek a tenure-track faculty position during the upcoming academic job cycle (see SAM for instructions).

Individuals with titles other than ‘postdoctoral researcher’ are eligible to apply so long as you can provide confirmation (e.g., letter from department chair or grant office) of your position being a non-independent, mentored research training position in a faculty member’s research lab.

A clinician who holds a faculty position in order to fulfill their clinical responsibilities may be eligible if and only if they are also in a non-independent, mentored research training position in a faculty member’s research lab. As other applicants, they must demonstrate their preparedness for launching an independent research lab aligned with the research mission of SFARI, SCPAB, or SCENE.

Administrative staff by science area:

• Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI): [email protected]
• Simons Collaboration on Plasticity and the Aging Brain (SCPAB): [email protected]
• Simons Collaboration on Ecological Neuroscience (SCENE): [email protected]

No. In order to be eligible, applicants must not accept a formal offer for a tenure-track faculty position or equivalent before receiving an award notification.

Applicants must be in a non-independent, mentored research training position in a faculty member’s research lab to be eligible to apply.

No. Applicants may not hold other career development awards that facilitate a transition to an independent research career at the time of application or simultaneously with the Fellows-to-Faculty Award. These awards include, but are not limited to:

• NIH K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award
• Burroughs Wellcome Fund Career Awards for Medical Scientists (CAMS)
• HHMI Hanna H. Gray Fellows Program
• Simons Foundation Independence Awards (BTI/TTI)

You are strongly encouraged to contact Simons Foundation administrative staff before applying if you believe your career development award is comparable to the Fellows-to-Faculty award but is not listed above.

Please note there are some awards for clinical scientists in non-independent, mentored research training positions that may be allowed, e.g., NIH K08 award, American Academy of Neurology Career Development Award.

Administrative staff by science area:

• Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI): [email protected]
• Simons Collaboration on Plasticity and the Aging Brain (SCPAB): [email protected]
• Simons Collaboration on Ecological Neuroscience (SCENE): [email protected]

Per the resubmission policy, applicants are limited to submitting applications to the Fellows-to-Faculty Award for a maximum of two (2) years (including its predecessor Independence Programs: SFARI Bridge to Independence Award, SCGB Transition to Independence Award, SCPAB Transition to Independence Award). Applicants may submit to more than one science area each year.

Please note, the resubmission policy applies regardless of whether or not the years of application are consecutive. Please carefully consider your readiness for the job market when deciding when to reapply.

If you are unsure of the number of years you have applied in the past, please contact Simons Foundation administrative staff before applying.

Administrative staff by science area:

• Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI): [email protected]
• Simons Collaboration on Plasticity and the Aging Brain (SCPAB): [email protected]
• Simons Collaboration on Ecological Neuroscience (SCENE): [email protected]

Applicants with proposals under review who have a change in their eligibility status, for example, due to acceptance of a faculty position or career development awards, must notify the Simons Foundation as soon as possible.

To activate the faculty funding, fellows must successfully complete the Faculty Research Award application. Review of the Faculty Research Award application is a non-competitive, internal process intended to confirm that the fellow has secured a suitable tenure-track (or equivalent) position at an institution that meets the Simons Foundation’s funding requirements and demonstrates adequate institutional environment (e.g., start-up package and laboratory space) to support successful completion of the scientific proposal. Simons Foundation staff are available for questions and support during the job search and negotiation.

No. If you are seeking a faculty position at a non-U.S. institution, please refer to our Non-U.S. Awards policy.

Fellows are encouraged (but not required) to apply for independent positions in different departments and institutions from where they conducted their mentored research. It is important for all fellows, but especially fellows who intend to stay at their mentoring institution for their independent role, to discuss their intentions with Simons Foundation staff. Fellows who accept faculty positions at their mentoring institutions may be asked to submit a letter from their department chair outlining their commitment and plans for ensuring the fellow’s research independence.

Postdoctoral awards must be administered through the fellow’s institution. Please refer to the Simons Foundation Policies and Procedures.

Please note that in the event of budgetary or other considerations, The Simons Foundation, Inc. (“the Foundation” or “SF”) reserves the right to refer an application to SFI for consideration and funding. SFI and SF have entered into an agreement pursuant to which SF provides program operations and grant administration services, including payment processing, to SFI. SFI grant recipients are subject to SF Policies and Procedures.

The Postdoctoral Award includes the following, annually:

• $85,000 USD stipend
• $10,000 USD career development allowance intended for the fellow’s exclusive and flexible use for costs that contribute to the success of the fellow in the transition to a tenure-track or equivalent faculty position. Allowable expenses include, but are not limited to, conference and workshop costs, travel-related expenses, laptop and software purchases and other expenses fulfilling the purposes stated above. The purchased items should remain with the fellow.
• $15,000 USD health insurance and other benefits allowance which may be spent on health insurance for the fellow and family and other benefits as required by the institution.

No indirect or overhead costs may be charged to the postdoctoral award.

Funds may not be reallocated to or from the stipend. Funds may be reallocated from the health insurance and other benefits allowance to the career development allowance without prior approval. Reallocation from the career development allowance to the health insurance and other benefits allowance requires prior approval by Simons Foundation staff and will only be considered under exceptional circumstances with strong justification.

The grant is intended to support a full-time research position. However, there is no restriction prohibiting you from teaching.

No, there is no stipend maximum for fellows. However, the fellow can only charge up to $85,000 in stipend annually from this grant. Funds may be supplemented by other sources of funding, e.g., the fellow’s institution, mentoring Principal Investigator or another fellowship if permissible under the terms of that fellowship.

No, there is no minimum percent effort for the Postdoctoral Award.

Awards must be administered through the fellow’s institution. Please discuss the policies regarding eligibility for health insurance and other benefits with your postdoctoral institution.

If you are eligible to receive fringe benefits at your institution, you may use all or a portion of the $15,000 USD health insurance and other benefits allowance toward fringe costs.

No. No indirect or overhead costs may be charged.

Unexpended stipend funds cannot be carried forward to the second-year budget period. Unexpended career development allowance and health insurance and other benefits allowance funds can be carried forward to the second-year budget period.

No-cost extensions will not be considered except in cases of a leave of absence approved by your institution.

No. The end date of the Postdoctoral Award is the date the fellow departs from their postdoctoral position in order to transition to a faculty position or August 31, 2029, whichever occurs first. The postdoctoral award funds cannot be transferred to the fellow’s faculty institution or added to the faculty research award. Any unspent funds at the end of the grant must be returned to the foundation.

Fellows are expected to activate this grant within the first 12 months of starting their faculty position. In order to activate the Faculty Research Award, the fellow is required to submit an application 2-3 months prior to the desired award start date. Review of the Faculty Research Award application is a non-competitive, internal process intended to confirm that the fellow has secured a suitable tenure-track (or equivalent) position at an institution that meets the Simons Foundation’s funding requirements and demonstrates an adequate institutional environment (e.g., start-up package and laboratory space) to support successful completion of the scientific proposal.

No, there is no minimum percent effort for the Faculty Research Award.

All applications must be submitted in Simons Award Manager (SAM). Please see the ‘How to Apply’ tab for the SAM Application Instructions.

Institutional sign-off is required in order to submit your application by the deadline. All applicants are encouraged to contact their signing official early (before preparing and finalizing the application) to discuss the institution’s process, application requirements and application deadline. Refer to the ‘How to Apply’ tab for more instructions.

No, applicants must only provide a budget for the two (2) year postdoctoral award in this application. If selected for funding, you will be asked to provide a budget for the three (3) year faculty research award after securing a tenure-track or equivalent faculty position.

No. The only item that your current scientific mentor(s) must provide is a letter of recommendation

Three (3) confidential letters of recommendation are required to apply. If you are currently co-mentored by two (2) or more scientists, you may either choose to invite one to submit one (1) co-signed letter or invite both mentors to each submit one (1) letter. If you have more than 2 current mentors, we recommend that at most 2 letters come from current mentors, either individually or jointly. Your current scientific mentor(s) should explain the portion of research you will take with you for your future independent laboratory and which will remain with them as your postdoctoral mentor

You will not be able to submit your application until all three (3) letters of reference are submitted by the referees.

Additionally, you will not be able to submit if you have more than three (3) letters of reference.

Confidential letters must be submitted through SAM.

Only one person can edit a record at a time. A record will be locked for editing if another user already has it opened, and a gray bar will display at the bottom of the record to prevent multiple users from overwriting one another’s changes. Ask other users at your institution to close the application, then refresh your page. If this still does not correct the issue, please reach out to [email protected].

Click the ‘Check Application Progress’ button to check for any missing required information or files. All missing required information will be listed at the top of the screen and must be corrected before the application can be sent for sign-off. If you are still receiving error messages after completing and saving the indicated sections, please contact [email protected].

If changes are required to the application after it has been sent for sign-off, the Signing Official must send the application back for revisions. Once revised, the application must be sent for sign-off again and signed by the Signing Official in order to submit by the deadline. You will not be able to submit once the deadline has passed.

If changes are required to the application after submission, you must first contact the relevant Simons Foundation administrative staff email address. Applications can only be revised and must be resubmitted prior to the 12:00 p.m. (noon) Eastern time, January 13, 2027, deadline. Once revised, the application must be sent for sign-off and signed by the Signing Official again by the deadline, in order to resubmit.

Administrative staff by science area:

• Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI): [email protected]
• Simons Collaboration on Plasticity and the Aging Brain (SCPAB): [email protected]
• Simons Collaboration on Ecological Neuroscience (SCENE): [email protected]

No. Please be advised that all deadlines are in U.S. Eastern time. We recommend registering early and submitting 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 has passed.

The only changes allowed after the deadline are updates to the status of a previously reported publication or other support, and only until February 17, 2027. Please refer to the “How to Apply” tab for more details.

Biosketches or other application materials may not be updated after the submission deadline.

For assistance navigating SAM, please refer to the SAM frequently asked questions and instructional videos webpage.