Updated: March 2025
The Pilot Project program is supported through philanthropic committed funding and is designed to provide seed funds for investigator-initiated research. The intent of these pilot grants is to encourage translational research by funding well-designed projects that could be competitive for future larger grants from a federal or private agency.
- Archived pilot project RFPs from the past year can be found here.
| Funding Source | Grant Name | Description | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Institute for Translational Medicine | Various Opportunities | Visit the Institute for Translational Medicine for current opportunities. | Rolling basis |
| Chicago Chronic Condition Equity Network (C3EN) | Small Grant Program | The Chicago Chronic Condition Equity Network (C3EN) aims to expand and cultivate the network of health disparities researchers throughout the Chicago region. In addition to funding Research Project Pilot Studies (see companion funding announcement), C3EN awards small grants of up to $3,000 to support well-defined formative and summative research activities that strengthen community partnerships around health disparities research. Formative research activities such as community needs assessments, key informant interviews, and analyses of existing data can help an investigator identify the most appropriate targets and strategies for intervention, and refine aspects of a study protocol that bear on feasibility (e.g., recruitment approaches). Similarly, summative research activities ultimately enhance the impact of a completed research project by examining its implications for the community in which it was conducted. Summative research activities such as producing infographics or summaries of study findings, giving community presentations, or holding roundtable discussions serve to bring the research process back to the community “full circle”. Formative and summative research activities are generally narrow in scope, but can significantly enhance the rigor and relevance of community-engaged research programs. More information | Rolling basis
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| ITM/Chicago Biomedical Consortium | CBC-HITES Windy City Innovation Award | The Chicago Biomedical Consortium Hub for Innovative Technology and Entrepreneurship in the Sciences (CBC-HITES) has announced its newest award: The CBC-HITES Windy City Innovation Award. This new funding program is designed to propel scientific discoveries into impactful biomedical solutions that could change lives. More information | 10/01/2024 and 04/01/2025 |
| Rush | Rush BMO Institute for Health Equity | The Rush BMO Institute for Health Equity is requesting applications for the RBIHE Health Equity Research Scholars Program to support the expansion of researchers conducting innovative community-partnered health equity research addressing health across the lifespan. The Scholars Program supports Rush faculty members to develop a program of research that will lead to the identification of evidence-based approaches to improve health equity. Research topics within the following areas are of particular interest:
| 01/06/2025 LOI Due |
| Third Coast Center for AIDS Research | Pilot Awards for HIV Research | Rush looks forward to joining the NIH-funded Third Coast Center for AIDS Research (TC CFAR) in 2025. The TC CFAR’s upcoming pilot competition is open to Rush faculty as well as faculty at Northwestern, UChicago and UIC. The program’s purpose is to generate preliminary data that will support new R01-level applications that address NIH priorities for HIV research. Two categories of faculty are eligible:
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02/19/2025 LOI Due 03/31/2025 Applications Due
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| National Science Foundation | I-Corps Program | Overview: Supported by funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Innovation Corps (I-Corps) program is designed to empower scientists, researchers and students to test the commercial potential and impact of their research and ideas. Through highly experiential learning at the local and national levels, I-Corps teams learn how to assess “technology-problem fit,” the first critical step in the commercialization process. More information | 02/10/2025 Applications Due |
| Rush Alzheimer's Disease Research Center | Developmental Project | The Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (Rush ADRC; P30AG072975) is funded by the National Institute on Aging, and, as part of its program, invites applications for developmental projects in Aging, Alzheimer’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease related dementias (AD/ADRD) research. The primary goal of this funding is the development of research and researchers focused on AD/ADRD that will lead to publications, extramural research applications, or other resources useful to the applicant and scientific community. Applications that are aligned with the goals and theme of the Rush ADRC are strongly encouraged. The scientific focus of the Rush ADRC is mixed pathologies and cognitive transitions in diverse community-based cohorts. Projects fitting the center’s theme are strongly encouraged, but applicants are not confined to those topics. More information | 03/14/2025 Applications Due |
| Swim Across America & Bears Care | Cancer Research | In the interest of providing seed funds to support cancer research at Rush University Medical Center, Swim Across America (SAA) and Bears Care have committed philanthropic funds to support investigator-initiated research. The intent of these grants is to encourage translational research by funding well-designed projects that could be competitive for future larger grants from a federal or private agency. Early-stage investigators, defined as individuals who do not have or have not previously received NIH R01 or equivalent funding, are encouraged to apply.
| 03/14/2025 Application RSVP Due 04/08/2025 Full Application Due |