Funding Goals
The Guthy-Jackson Charitable Foundation (GJCF) has been the leading catalyst for field-revolutionizing research in NMO and NMOSD for over 15 years. It is committed to enhancing the scientific and clinical knowledge base in support of innovative solutions and tolerization cures for NMO and related disorders.
Funding Priorities
GJCF funding priorities focus on advance understanding NMO and NMOSD in a manner that enables translation to clinical benefit and betterment of the patient community. Research with a clear pathway to advance knowledge or implementation of tolerization, predictive or therapeutic biomarkers, acute relapse therapy or minimizing risks of therapeutics (infections, neoplasia, infusion reactions, etc.) are priorities in 2024.
Funding Expectations
Researchers funded by GJCF are required to share research findings promptly and participate in collaborative initiatives and GJCF programs. To this end, funding is typically modular and tranched, such that successive tranches are funded based on success of research in the prior tranche period. Regular progress reports are also terms of research funding agreements. Attendance at GJCF-sponsored conferences to share innovations and strategies for new ways to solve NMOSD is strongly encouraged.
Funding Mechanisms
Eureka Grant. A Eureka grant aims to uncover a fundamentally new concept or drive a paradigm-changing advance in the field of NMO. A Eureka grant may be discovery based, hypothesis-generating, hypothesis-testing, proof-of-concept, clinical trial-enabling, pilot study or equivalent. Eureka grants are sharply focused on a priority unmet need or question, and may be high risk.
Maximum Funding: Up to $25,000 U.S.
Maximum Duration: Up to 1 year; quarterly modules & tranches
In-Kind Grant. GJCF has invested considerable funding to create many unique resources available to research focused on NMO and NMOSD. For example, biospecimens and associated clinical metadata from the CIRCLEs study are resources available through GJCF via the DCC. Additionally, recombinant AQP4 protein and anti-AQP4 antibodies are reagents available in modest amounts for non-human research. In-kind grants enable research-based access to such resources to accelerate pre-clinical proof-of-concept research on the pathway to clinical trials.
Maximum Funding: $0
Maximum Duration: Project completion expected within 1 year
Funding Requirements
All GJCF funded research grant applications require:
1) a clear pathway to translational innovation that will benefit patients;
2) modular structure with specific aims identified for each tranche period;
3) corresponding milestones to be met in each tranche period of the project;
4) a data sharing plan; and
5) a specific plan to obtain follow-on research funding beyond the GJCF (e.g. NIH or equivalent agency or commercial funding).
Indirect Cost Rate
In keeping with appropriate practices of small, non-profit, research-based foundations, the GJCF considers up to a 10% indirect cost rate when research is exclusively conducted at academic or non-profit institutions.
Industry-Sponsored Research
GJCF considers applications from commercial entities on a case-by-case basis. Access to CIRCLES data and biospecimens must be aligned with the GJCF mission, as well as the CIRCLES consent documentation. Applicable fees for data curation, preparation, analysis and management are standard. Likewise, costs for biospecimen preparation and shipping are standard costs to be covered by the requesting entity.
Cost Sharing
The GJCF encourages applications in which cost sharing with other sources is integral. Sources for cost sharing may include the NIH or equivalent agencies, other disease-focused organizations (e.g. NMSS), commercial interests and other appropriate funding entities.
Funding Eligibility
The GJCF is a non-profit foundation acting independently of any medical, academic or government institution. All consideration and decisions regarding funding eligibility are at the sole discretion of the foundation.
Application Process
Letters of Intent (LOI) regarding interest in funding consideration are welcomed, with decisions based solely on the foundation discretion. Focused on solving NMOSD, an LOI of up to 2 pages should succinctly state:
1) the unmet need or unanswered question,
2) detail innovative concepts, methods or reagents,
3) identify a PI and research team members,
4) define research milestones and timeline, and
5) specify a projected budget with tranches.
Submissions are subject to review by the GJCF scientific advisory team and eligibility requirements (as above). GJCF representatives may request additional information regarding LOI content. Formal research applications are allowed upon prior approval by GJCF. Send LOI to info@guthyjacksonfoundation.org.
