October 2, 2025

Government Shutdown and 2026 GRASP, SIMS, & GCAT

Office of Vice President for Research Affairs

 

Announcements

Government Shutdown Updates

The NIH has posted “Information for the NIH Extramural Community During the Lapse of Federal Government Funding” on the website: NOT-OD-26-004: Information for the NIH Extramural Community During the Lapse of Federal Government Funding.

Important takeaways include:

  • “For awards received prior to the lapse in funding, you may be able to continue drawing funds from prior awards during an appropriations lapse.  HHS’s Payment Management System will remain operational to continue processing those drawdown requests. The robust internal controls that currently exist will continue to ensure the integrity of grant drawdown requests and payments.  Please note, if you received your notice of grant award with restrictive terms and conditions, or if your drawdown request triggers one of the Payment Management System edit checks and/or the drawdown limit controls, you may not be able to drawdown funds.”
  • “For the duration of the funding lapse, the NIH will not be able to conduct initial peer review meetings – whether in-person or through teleconferences or other electronic media. Also, during this time, the NIH staff will not be able to send or receive email messages or update website information.”
  • “For any annual or final RPPRs due during the funding lapse, eRA Commons will be available.  Users must submit reports on time, and NIH staff will review reports after operations resume.”

 

 

New 2026 GRASP, SIMS, & GCAT

The Office of the Vice President for Research Affairs is pleased to announce the call for applications for the 2026 program. These awards offer emerging investigators the opportunity to collaborate across schools and lead innovative research projects.

  • Letter of Intent must be submitted no later than: Friday, November 7, 2025 - 5:00 PM
  • New application due date: Friday, December 19, 2025 - 5:00 PM

GRASP is designed to spark new partnerships, foster creativity, and equip researchers with the skills and experience needed to successfully pursue extramural funding opportunities.

SIMS is designed to provide an Inter-Institutional funding opportunity to engage in research collaborations between Loma Linda University faculty and faculty from externally designated R1 Institutions. Institutions and investigators, which will lead to collaborative external grant funding.

GCAT is designed to develop insights and approaches to clinically relevant issues, promote collaborations between clinical and basic scientists within the School of Medicine. To gather preliminary data needed to compete for a Foundation, R03, or R21 (or equivalent).

Obtain a Letter of Intent form here, Pre-Award Intent Form, or from the pre-award office, rapreaward@llu.edu.

More information is available at https://researchaffairs.llu.edu/pre-award-contracts/grants-research-and-school-partnerships-grasp-sims.

 

 

Funding Opportunities

If you're considering applying for grants, whether it's research, community-focused, technology-related, or something else, below you will find Funding Opportunity information to help guide you.

 

Alkermes Pathways

Research Awards-Opened to early-career investigators committed to advancing research in schizophrenia and bipolar 1 disorder, including sleep and circadian disturbances.

 

NIH

BRAIN Initiative: Theories, Models, and Methods for Analysis of Complex Data from the Brain (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) RFA-DA-27-004- seeks applications to develop theories, models, and methods as tools that will advance a quantitative and predictive understanding of brain function across multiple scales, including behavior.

NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience: Coordination Center for Interoception Research (U24, Clinical Trial Not Allowed) RFA-AT-25-004-To seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems, reduce the burden of nervous system disorders.

Tobacco Regulatory Science Small Grant Program for New Investigators (R03 Clinical Trial Optional) RFA-OD-25-008-Aim to support new biomedical, behavioral, and social science investigators who are in the early stages of establishing independent careers in tobacco research.

Ruth L. Kirschtein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Predoctoral Fellowship (Parent F31) PA-25-422-To enable promising Predoctoral students to obtain individualized, mentored research training from appropriate faculty sponsors while conducting biomedical research in scientific health-related fields.

Community-Partnered Nursing Research Centers (P20 Clinical Trial Optional) PAR-25-439-The purpose of this initiative is to support the development of innovative research centers to foster nursing-led programs that promote community-partnered research to address persistent health challenges.

NIA Expanding Research in AD/ADRD (ERA) Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program (R25 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed) RFA-AG-26-010- To support educational activities that compliment and/or enhance training opportunities to ensure a workforce that is well prepared to meet the nation’s biomedical. Behavioral and clinical research needs.

For more NIH funding, click on the following link: https://grants.nih.gov/funding/nih-guide-for-grants-and-contracts

 

American Cancer Society

Discovery Boost Grant- Support high-risk, high-reward exploratory cancer research across the research continuum. Investigators may focus on developing research methodologies, establishing feasibility, or leading pilot tests.

Research Scholar Grant -Provide support for independent, self-directed researchers. Applicants' institutions must provide space and other resources customary for independent investigators.

Postdoctoral Fellowship Grant- Support new investigators in research training programs to position them for independent careers in cancer research. As part of their evaluation, peer reviewers consider how well the fellowship will broaden the applicant’s research training and experience.

  • Application deadline: December 1, 2025
  • 3-Year Project Period
  • Progressive stipends of $66,000, $68,000, and $70,000 a year. Fellows will receive $4,000 a year to help defray costs such as health insurance, workshop costs, and expenses associated with presenting at a domestic scientific meeting. In the last year, an additional $1,500 is added to the fellowship allowance for PFs to attend either the ACS Postdoctoral Fellows Symposium or a domestic scientific meeting. 
  • https://www.cancer.org/research/we-fund-cancer-research/apply-research-grant/grant-types/postdoctoral-fellowships.html

 

American Heart Association

Career Development Award-Supports highly promising healthcare and academic professionals, in the early years of one’s professional appointment, to explore innovative questions or pilot studies that will provide preliminary data and training necessary.

  • Application Deadline: December 2, 2025
  • Award Budget: $77,000 per year, including 10% of IDC.
  • 3 Years-Earliest Project Start Date: April 2026

https://professional.heart.org/en/-/media/PHD-Files/Research/Funding-Opportunities-Media-Folder/2026-Career-Development-Award.pdf?sc_lang=en

Innovative Project Award- Supports highly innovative, impactful research that could ultimately lead to critical discoveries or major advancements that will accelerate the field of cardiovascular and/or cerebrovascular research.

 

HRSA

Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) Program HRSA-26-011. The purpose of the THCGME program is to provide funding to support the training of residents in primary care residency training programs in community-based ambulatory patient care centers.

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