Fellows-to-Faculty Award

Open
Application Deadline
Important Dates
  • SAM Opens for Applications
  • Informational Webinar
  • Applications and Letters Due
  • Finalists Invited for Interviews
  • SFARI Interviews
    May 19 and 20, 2025
  • SCPAB Interviews
  • Applicants Notified of Funding Decisions
  • Postdoctoral Award Start Date
Important Dates
  • SAM Opens for Applications
  • Informational Webinar
  • Applications and Letters Due
  • Finalists Invited for Interviews
  • SFARI Interviews
    May 19 and 20, 2025
  • SCPAB Interviews
  • Applicants Notified of Funding Decisions
  • Postdoctoral Award Start Date
Contact Info
  • Simons Foundation Autism Research Initative (SFARI)
    Administrative Inquiries [email protected]
    Scientific Inquiries [email protected]
  • Simons Collaboration on Plasticity and the Aging Brain (SCPAB)
    Administrative Inquiries [email protected]
    Scientific Inquiries [email protected]
  • Technical Assistance
    [email protected]
  • Office Hours
    Monday–Friday 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Eastern Time
  • Office Closures
    The Simons Foundation offices will be closed November 27-December 1, 2024, and December 24, 2024-January 1, 2025.

Summary

The Fellows-to-Faculty Award is a new iteration of the previously offered Simons Foundation Independence Awards.

In order to advance the frontiers of research in science, the Simons Foundation’s Autism & Neuroscience division recognizes the need for diverse ideas and perspectives that contribute to the scientific enterprise. We offer the Fellows-to-Faculty Award program to identify scientists with extraordinary potential to advance our scientific areas of interest and nurture greater diversity in our scientific community.

This award supports talented early career scientists and their research vision as they transition into tenure-track or equivalent faculty positions. Fellows engage in a lively, interdisciplinary community and participate in scientific and career development activities.

The 2025 request for applications is intended for senior postdoctoral scholars or equivalent researchers whose backgrounds and experiences are underrepresented in science and whose future research program advances the mission of either the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI) or Simons Collaboration on Plasticity and the Aging Brain (SCPAB). Fellows may activate awards at research institutions within or outside the United States.

Applicants must review the full details and eligibility requirements included in the full 2025 Request for Applications Guidelines, How to Apply and FAQ before applying.

Informational Webinar: Register here for an informational webinar about the Fellows-to-Faculty Award on October 16, 2024, at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The webinar will be recorded and available on this webpage within two weeks.

Deadline for application submission: 12:00 p.m. (noon) Eastern Time on Tuesday, January 14, 2025.

Scientific Areas

For the 2025 request for applications (RFA), we seek to support scientists whose scientific vision for their future independent laboratory contributes to the mission of either or both of the following scientific areas:

We welcome applications from scientists with a previous background in these areas and those newly applying their expertise to these areas. We aim to foster a diverse, interdisciplinary and collaborative scientific community to promote innovation in science.

Individuals may submit an application to SFARI, SCPAB or both. If submitting to both areas, applicants must submit two (2) separate applications, tailored to the respective scientific areas.

Timeline for Transition to a Faculty Position

Fellows are expected to transition to a tenure-track or equivalent faculty position any time between notification of their selection for the award and the end of the 2026-2027 academic year. To that end, fellows are expected to apply to faculty positions between September 2025–May 2026.

Funding

Each fellow is provided up to five (5) years of financial support, split into a faculty research award over three (3) years and an optional postdoctoral award for a maximum of two (2) years.

For either phase, the fellow may be affiliated with institutions located within or outside the United States. Awards must be administered through the fellow’s institution. Please refer to our grant policies for guidelines. 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.

Faculty Research Award

The central focus of this award program is the Faculty Research Award, which is intended to support the fellow’s scientific research vision over the first three (3) years of their independent lab.

The Faculty Research Award includes:

  • Total budget of $600,000 USD, inclusive of 20 percent indirect costs, intended as a supplement to a full, institution-provided start-up package. Funds may be used for reasonable costs related to the fellow’s scientific research, except for: 1) the fellow’s salary support and 2) general lab equipment, such as freezers and refrigerators.

Postdoctoral Award

The Postdoctoral Award is intended to support the fellow while on the faculty job market during their transition to the faculty position. Fellows are not required to use the Postdoctoral Award.

The Postdoctoral Award must be activated on September 1, 2025. The end date of the Postdoctoral Award is the date the fellow departs from their postdoctoral position or August 31, 2027, whichever occurs first. The Postdoctoral Award includes the following, annually:

  • $85,000 USD stipend
  • $10,000 USD career development allowance
  • $15,000 USD health insurance and other benefits allowance

Funds may be supplemented from other sources of funding.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the Fellows-to-Faculty Award, applicants must meet the following criteria. We will rely on applicants’ signed self-attestation and cannot make a formal determination regarding identity, disability status or social and/or economic background. We recognize that diversity varies across different settings and across countries. For additional information, see our FAQ.

  • The program is for individuals whose backgrounds and experiences are underrepresented in science, such as members of historically underrepresented racial or ethnic groups, individuals whose gender, gender identity, sexual orientation and/or disability status is underrepresented in science, or other individuals with disadvantaged social and/or economic backgrounds.
    • We consider applicants to have come from a disadvantaged background if they meet at least two (2) of the following criteria:
      • Current or prior homelessness;
      • Current or prior participation in the foster care system;
      • Have/had no parents or legal guardians who completed a bachelor’s degree;
      • Current or prior eligibility for government-assisted meal programs, such as, for U.S. applicants, the U.S. Federal Free and Reduced Lunch Program;
      • Current or prior eligibility for government-assisted programs for low-income individuals, such as, for U.S. applicants, the U.S. Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children as a parent or child;
      • For U.S. applicants, current or prior eligibility for U.S. Federal Pell grants; or
      • For U.S. applicants, grew up in one of the following areas: (a) a U.S. rural area, as designated by the Health Resources and Services Administration Rural Health Grants Eligibility Analyzer, or (b) Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services-designated Low-Income and Health Professional Shortage Areas (qualifying zip codes are included in the file).
  • U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status is not required.
  • Applicants must hold a Ph.D. and/or M.D., or equivalent degree.
  • Applicants must be currently in a non-independent, mentored training position.
  • Applicants must be actively seeking and applying to tenure-track faculty positions at research institutions within or outside the U.S. between September 2025 and May 2026. Independence Fellows are expected to apply, secure and transition to a tenure-track faculty position at a research institution within or outside the U.S. by the end of the 2026-2027 academic year.
  • Applicants may not simultaneously hold other career development awards that facilitate a transition to an independent research career.
  • Applicants must not have accepted a formal offer for a tenure-track faculty position by the time of award notification.
  • Individuals who have already applied to any Simons Foundation Independence Awards (e.g., SFARI Bridge to Independence Award, SCGB Transition to Independence Award, SCPAB Transition to Independence Award) for any two (2) years in the past are not eligible to apply to the Fellows-to-Faculty Award.
  • Applicants may submit applications to one or more science areas offered by the Fellows-to-Faculty Award in a given application RFA cycle. Applicants are limited to submitting applications to the Fellows-to-Faculty Award for a maximum of two (2) application RFA cycles.

All 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.

Application, Interview and Review Process

Deadline: 12:00 p.m. (noon) Eastern Time on Tuesday, January 14, 2025.

Applicants must review the full 2025 Request for Applications Guidelines, How to Apply and FAQ before applying. Applications must be submitted via the Simons Award Manager (SAM).

The scope of the application and scientific proposal should be similar to that of a faculty job application and include specific research directions and clearly defined implications for research in the science area to which you are applying. Applicants are required to focus their scientific proposal on their plans for their future lab, not the remainder of their postdoctoral position nor a specific three (3) year project proposal. The central focus of this award program is the Faculty Research Award, and therefore postdoctoral-level research aims or training goals should not be included in the application.

Finalists will be invited for a short virtual interview in May 2025.

Resubmission Policy

Please note, applicants are limited to submitting applications to the Fellows-to-Faculty Award for a maximum of two (2) application RFA cycles.

For example, an applicant who submits applications for SFARI and SCPAB in this current 2025 RFA cycle may also submit applications for the science areas for next year’s 2026 RFA cycle but cannot submit applications for any year after.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Many of the greatest ideas and discoveries come from a diverse mix of minds, backgrounds and experiences. We are committed to grantmaking that inspires and supports greater diversity and inclusiveness by cultivating a funding environment that ensures representation of all identities and differences and equitable access to information and resources for all applicants and grantees.

We provide equal opportunities to all applicants for funding without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, pregnancy, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic disposition, neurodiversity, disability, veteran status or any other protected category under federal, state and local law. We also fund programs directed at supporting scientists from disadvantaged backgrounds or underrepresented groups, often working closely with professional societies and other funding agencies.

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Important Dates
  • SAM Opens for Applications
  • Informational Webinar
  • Applications and Letters Due
  • Finalists Invited for Interviews
  • SFARI Interviews
    May 19 and 20, 2025
  • SCPAB Interviews
  • Applicants Notified of Funding Decisions
  • Postdoctoral Award Start Date
Contact Info
  • Simons Foundation Autism Research Initative (SFARI)
    Administrative Inquiries [email protected]
    Scientific Inquiries [email protected]
  • Simons Collaboration on Plasticity and the Aging Brain (SCPAB)
    Administrative Inquiries [email protected]
    Scientific Inquiries [email protected]
  • Technical Assistance
    [email protected]
  • Office Hours
    Monday–Friday 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Eastern Time
  • Office Closures
    The Simons Foundation offices will be closed November 27-December 1, 2024, and December 24, 2024-January 1, 2025.

The deadline for application submission is 12:00 p.m. (noon) Eastern Time on Tuesday, January 14, 2025.

Simons Award Manager (SAM)

Applications must be submitted via the Simons Award Manager (SAM). Please click on the ‘Funding Opportunities’ icon and navigate to the desired award call, named:

  • Simons Collaboration on Plasticity and the Aging Brain – Fellows to Faculty Postdoctoral Award or
  • Autism Research – Fellows to Faculty Postdoctoral Award

Click the ‘Create Application’ button to begin. Applicants must review the detailed SAM application instructions here.

Application Components

For the full prompts and formatting requirements, applicants must create an application to access and download the application templates from SAM. The templates may differ by the scientific area: Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI) or Simons Collaboration on Plasticity and the Aging Brain (SCPAB).

Proposal Narrative not to exceed five (5) pages:

  • The Proposal Narrative should provide a detailed statement of your scientific vision for your future laboratory and how your intended research program fits with the science area to which you are applying (SFARI mission or SCPAB mission). Download the template from SAM for the full prompt and formatting requirements.

Graphical Abstract not to exceed a half-page:

  • Upload a graphical abstract summarizing your research directions and how they fit with the science area to which you are applying (SFARI mission or SCPAB mission).

Personnel Biosketches not to exceed five (5) pages:

  • Upload a biosketch for the fellow using the SAM template or using your NIH Biosketch (Non-Fellowship) format, NIH SciENcv or NSF format. Please also provide a URL to a full list of your published work as found in a publicly available digital database, such as SciENcv or My Bibliography or Google Scholar.

Inclusion and Belonging Statement not to exceed one (1) page:

  • The Inclusion and Belonging Statement should focus on your future plans for contributing to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in your own independent laboratory.

Signed Self-Attestation of Eligibility:

  • Upload the signed Self-Attestation of Eligibility form. All applicants must confirm their eligibility for the program by signing the self-attestation template available for download in SAM.

Confirmation Letter for Mentored Training Position:

  • Upload a letter from your current institution officially confirming you are in a non-independent, mentored training position (e.g., letter from department chair or grant office). The confirmation letter should include a description of how your current position meets this criteria.

Letters of Reference:

  • Three (3) confidential letters of recommendation are required from current or previous mentors and/or senior scientists who have substantial familiarity with your scientific career thus far. At least one (1) letter of recommendation must be from a current scientific mentor. If you are currently co-mentored by two (2) scientists, you may either choose to invite one (1) to submit one (1) co-signed letter or invite both mentors to submit one (1) letter each. Your current scientific mentor(s) must 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. Confidential letters must be submitted through SAM.

Publications & Other Support:

  • Provide a list of all publications (published, in preprint, submitted to a journal). You may import these from databases such as PubMed, PubMed Central and ORCiD or manually create publication records. Please include all other support, current and pending. If the status of a publication or other support changes after your application has been submitted, please update the information in your user profile and contact the administrative staff (see Contacts section) for assistance in updating your application.

Two-Year Budget for Postdoctoral Award:

  • Complete a two (2) year budget for the postdoctoral award only. Do not submit a budget for the three (3) year faculty research award.

Contacts & Personnel Tab:

  • You must add at least one (1) institution signing official (SO) and one (1) financial officer (FO) to the institution administrative contacts section.

Sign-off by the Institutional Signing Official:

  • When the application is complete, click on the ‘Send for Sign-off’ button to send it to your signing official at your current institution for signature. We encourage all applicants to contact their signing official separately to make sure they are aware that an application requires their sign off in order to be submitted.

Submit Application:

  • Once the application has been signed, you may click on the ‘Submit Application’ button.
  • A confirmation page will appear, and a confirmation email is also sent upon submission. Please make sure that spam filters allow emails from [email protected].

Please note that you will not be able to submit an application if the deadline has passed.

Grant Policies

Awards must be administered through the fellow’s institution. Please refer to our grant policies for guidelines. 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.

Important Dates
  • SAM Opens for Applications
  • Informational Webinar
  • Applications and Letters Due
  • Finalists Invited for Interviews
  • SFARI Interviews
    May 19 and 20, 2025
  • SCPAB Interviews
  • Applicants Notified of Funding Decisions
  • Postdoctoral Award Start Date
Contact Info
  • Simons Foundation Autism Research Initative (SFARI)
    Administrative Inquiries [email protected]
    Scientific Inquiries [email protected]
  • Simons Collaboration on Plasticity and the Aging Brain (SCPAB)
    Administrative Inquiries [email protected]
    Scientific Inquiries [email protected]
  • Technical Assistance
    [email protected]
  • Office Hours
    Monday–Friday 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Eastern Time
  • Office Closures
    The Simons Foundation offices will be closed November 27-December 1, 2024, and December 24, 2024-January 1, 2025.
  1. Generalplus--large
      Can I inquire if my area of research fits within the goals of this award?plus--large

      Yes, if you are unsure if your area of research aligns with the goals of this award, you may contact the scientific staff with a 3-5 sentence description of your research vision. Applicants are required to focus their scientific proposal on their plans for their future lab, not the remainder of their postdoctoral position nor a specific three (3) year project proposal.

      Scientific staff by science area:

      Due to a high volume of inquiries, program staff may require a week to respond.

      Can I apply for a Fellows-to-Faculty Award for multiple science areas at the same time?plus--large

      Yes. For the 2025 request for applications (RFA), we seek to support scientists whose scientific vision for their future independent laboratory contributes to the mission of either or both of the following scientific areas:

      Individuals may submit an application to SFARI, SCPAB or both. If submitting to both areas, applicants must submit two (2) separate applications, tailored to the respective scientific areas. If selected, applicants may only accept one award.

      If I am selected as a fellow, am I required to seek a faculty position at a U.S. institution?plus--large

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

      Note regarding potential referral of an application to The Simons Foundation International, Ltd. (SFI).plus--large

      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.

  2. Eligibilityplus--large
      Who is eligible to apply?plus--large

      The eligibility criteria can be found in the Eligibility section of the RFA.

      Do I need to provide supporting documentation of how my background and experiences are underrepresented in science?plus--large

      No. Please do not send us any supporting documentation.

      We will rely on your signed self-attestation form (available for download within the application in SAM) and cannot make a formal determination regarding identity, disability status or social and/or economic background.

      I am not a U.S. citizen. Am I eligible to apply?plus--large

      Yes. U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status is not required.

      Is postdoctoral training a requirement to apply?plus--large

      No. We acknowledge that some individuals may be well placed to begin their professorships without having completed a postdoctoral fellowship. Our review criteria include whether an applicant is currently poised to begin a tenure-track or equivalent faculty position at this time, 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.

      Are there any eligibility restrictions on duration of postdoctoral training or how long ago I earned my Ph.D. or M.D.?plus--large

      No. We do not restrict eligibility based on duration of postdoctoral training or how long ago the Ph.D., M.D. or equivalent degree was earned.

      I am a postdoctoral researcher, but I am still a few years away from applying to faculty jobs. Am I eligible to apply?plus--large

      No. Applicants must be poised to apply to tenure-track faculty jobs at the time of application.

      I have a research doctorate degree (Ph.D. and/or M.D or equivalent) but do not have the job title of ‘postdoctoral researcher.’ Am I eligible to apply?plus--large

      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 training position.

      I am a clinician (M.D., D.D.S., D.V.M. or other licensed professional) and do not have a postdoctoral fellow position. Am I eligible to apply?plus--large

      A clinician who holds a faculty position in order to fulfill their clinical responsibilities may be eligible if and only if they are in a non-independent, mentored training position in a faculty member’s research lab and do not hold an independent research faculty position.

      We may require written confirmation of the distinction between the applicant’s clinical and research responsibilities. Please contact Simons Foundation administrative staff to confirm eligibility status prior to application submission.

      Administrative staff by science area:

      I hold a non-tenure track faculty position at my institution (e.g., adjunct). Am I eligible to apply? plus--large

      Applicants must be in a non-independent, mentored training position to be eligible to apply.

      I have accepted a tenure-track faculty position but have not yet started. Am I still eligible?plus--large

      No. In order to be eligible, applicants must not have accepted a formal offer for a tenure-track faculty position by the time of award notification.

      I am the recipient of a career development award that facilitates my transition to an independent research career. Am I eligible?plus--large

      No. Applicants may not simultaneously hold other career development awards that facilitate a transition to an independent research career. These awards include, but are not limited to:

      • NIH K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award
      • Burroughs Wellcome Fund Career Awards for Medical Scientists (CAMS) or Career Awards at the Scientific Interface (CASI)
      • American Academy of Neurology Career Development Award
      • Howard Hughes Medical Institute Hanna H. Gray Fellows Program
      • Ramón y Cajal Fellowship
      • Simons Foundation Independence Awards

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

      Please note that other NIH K awardees may be eligible to apply if they are in a non-independent, mentored training position., e.g., recipients of K01 and K08.

      Administrative staff by science area:

      I applied for a Simons Foundation Independence Award in a previous year and was not selected. Am I still eligible to apply?plus--large

      Individuals who have already applied to any of the Simons Foundation Independence Awards (e.g., SFARI Bridge to Independence Award, SCGB Transition to Independence Award, SCPAB Transition to Independence Award) for any two (2) years in the past are not eligible to apply to the Fellows-to-Faculty Award.

      If you are unsure of the number of years you applied to the Independence Award programs, please contact Simons Foundation administrative staff before applying.

      Administrative staff by science area:

  3. Application Submissionplus--large
      Can you explain more about the required sign-off from my Institutional Signing Official? plus--large

      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.

      Am I required to answer all demographic data questions on my SAM user profile?plus--large

      Yes. You must provide a response to all required fields; however, ‘Prefer not to disclose’ is an available option for each required question. Disclosing demographic data is voluntary. To complete these fields, the user must navigate to the ‘Personal Data’ section of their profile.

      The demographic data provided by applicants and grantees will serve multiple purposes: to help us understand how our grantmaking reflects the communities we seek to serve; and to equip our staff with critical data to help create equitable funding opportunities as one part of our overall commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. By providing demographic data, applicants and grantees consent to the collection and processing of personal data relating to the applicant and/or grantee, so that we can fulfill the purposes outlined above. Demographic data will not be shared with reviewers or otherwise used during the application review process unless stated otherwise in the RFA. Aggregate data may be used publicly. Demographic data is only visible to the applicant and a subset of staff, such as programmatic and grantmaking staff. If you wish to review our data collection and use practices, please refer to our Privacy Policy.

      Do I need to describe my research plans during the remainder of the postdoctoral position in the research statement?plus--large

      No. Applicants are required to focus their scientific proposal on their plans for their future lab, not the remainder of their postdoctoral position, nor a specific three (3) year project proposal.

      Are references and figures included in the page limit of all application materials? plus--large

      For the full prompts and formatting requirements, applicants must download the application templates from SAM.

      Do I need to provide a budget for the three (3) year faculty research award?plus--large

      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 faculty position.

      Do I need to provide supporting documents from my current scientific mentor (e.g., biosketch or other grant support)?plus--large

      No. Applicants only need to provide a copy of their own biosketch, other support and publications. The only item that your current scientific mentor(s) must provide is a letter of recommendation.

      Are letters of reference required? How many letters of reference are required? plus--large

      Yes. Three (3) confidential letters of recommendation are required from current or previous mentors and/or senior scientists who have substantial familiarity with your scientific career thus far. At least one (1) letter of recommendation must be from a current scientific mentor. Your current scientific mentor(s) must 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.

      I currently have two (2) scientific mentors. How many letters of reference can I submit? Can they co-sign one letter of reference? plus--large

      Three (3) confidential letters of recommendation are required to apply. If you are currently co-mentored by two (2) scientists, you may either choose to invite one to submit one (1) co-signed letter or invite both mentors to submit one (1) letter each. Your current scientific mentor(s) must 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.

      I see an Inclusion and Belonging Statement is a required part of the application. How can I write a strong statement? plus--large

      As part of our mission to promote excellence in science, we are committed to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion across the foundation and the broader scientific community. The Inclusion and Belonging Statement helps the review committee understand your future plans for contributing to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in your own independent laboratory.

      Similar statements are typical in faculty job applications, especially in the United States. We strongly recommend you seek guidance from trusted mentors and peers. There are also many resources available online, which we encourage you to explore as you craft your own.

      Can I email or mail an application?plus--large

      No. We only accept applications submitted online through SAM. Full instructions on how to submit an application is provided in the How to Apply instructions.

      I get an error message citing a missing section when I try to submit.plus--large

      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].

      How do I submit my application?plus--large

      Please see the How to Apply tab for the SAM Application Instructions.

      Can I make changes to the application once it has been submitted?plus--large

      You must contact Simons Foundation staff prior to the 12:00 p.m. (noon) Eastern Time January 14, 2025 deadline in order to make changes to your application. Please email Simons Foundation administrative staff if you would like to make any modifications to your proposal.

      Administrative staff by science area:

      Can I make changes to the application after the submission deadline?plus--large

      The only changes allowed after the deadline are updates to the status of a previously reported publication or other support. Please refer to the How to Apply tab for more details.

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

  4. Faculty Research Awardplus--large
      When will the Faculty Research Award funding begin and end?plus--large

      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 position.

      May I accept a position in the department where I conducted my mentored research?plus--large

      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 independence.

      Is there a minimum percent effort for the Faculty Research Award?plus--large

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

  5. Postdoctoral Award Fundingplus--large
      When will funding begin and end?plus--large

      The Postdoctoral Award must start on September 1, 2025. The end date of the Postdoctoral Award is the date the fellow departs from their postdoctoral position at their current institution or August 31, 2027, whichever occurs first.

      What can postdoctoral award funds be used for?plus--large

      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, laptop and software purchases, travel-related expenses, conference and workshops costs, and more.
      • $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.

      Applicants must review the full 2025 Request for Applications for details.

      Will I be eligible for health insurance and other benefits during the postdoctoral award stage?plus--large

      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.

      Are fringe benefits allowed?plus--large

      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.

      Are indirect costs allowed?plus--large

      No. No indirect or overhead costs may be charged.

      Is there a minimum percent effort for the fellow?plus--large

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

      Is there a maximum amount of salary a fellow can receive annually?plus--large

      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 from other sources of funding, e.g., the fellow’s institution, mentoring Principal Investigator or another fellowship if permissible under the terms of that fellowship. Applicants must review the full 2025 Request for Applications for details.

      What if I get a faculty position in under two (2) years? What will happen to the postdoc support funds?plus--large

      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, 2027, 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.

Other Funding Opportunities
Program Name
Important Dates
Description

Simons Foundation Neuroscience Collaborations Courses and Conferences Awards

The Neuroscience Collaborations at the Simons Foundation are accepting applications for funding of courses or conferences in fundamental neuroscience. Courses and conferences that align with the scientific missions of our programs, the Simons Collaboration on the Global Brain (SCGB), with a focus on the fields of systems and computational neuroscience, and/or the Simons Collaboration on…

Shenoy Undergraduate Research Fellowship in Neuroscience (SURFiN)

The goal of the Simons Foundation’s Shenoy Undergraduate Research Fellowship in Neuroscience (SURFiN) program is to spark and sustain interest in neuroscience among undergraduate students from diverse and/or historically underrepresented backgrounds in science. SURFiN provides funds for paid research assistantships for undergraduate students living near participating laboratories in the U.S., Canada, and Europe that are…
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