The American Tinnitus Association (ATA)—a nonprofit organization that supports scientific research related to tinnitus—is looking for applicants for its $50,000 seed-grants, kick-start innovative research projects to help researchers show initial proof- of-concept, according to a post on their website.

Support ATA
Since 1981, ATA has provided grants to innovative tinnitus research projects and, to date, they have reportedly distributed nearly $6 million dollars in research funding, supporting projects that have improved the medical understanding of tinnitus, developed new tinnitus management tools, and laid the foundation for future cures.

ATA encourages clinicians, academics, and researchers from around the world to apply for grant funding. It is a highly competitive program, but all completed applications will be peer-reviewed and considered by the Scientific Review Committee.

Grant Amounts

ATA funds research grants up to $50,000 per project per year. Multi-year projects are considered, but funding is reviewed and appropriated on a year-to-year basis (ATA does not guarantee continued funding for projects continuing beyond the current annual grant cycle, and multi-year research projects must re-apply for grant consideration each year). The maximum funding for any project is $150,000 over 3 years.

ATA also provides a number of student research grants up to $10,000 per project. Multi-year student projects are not eligible for funding.

Eligibility

ATA will consider funding proposals from scientists, academics, and healthcare professionals who are affiliated with nonprofit medical and research institutions. All proposed projects must be directly concerned with tinnitus and contribute to ATA’s goal of finding a tinnitus cure, as outlined in ATA’s Roadmap to a Cure here.

Grant recipients are expected to complete all reporting and documentation requirements outlined in the grant application.

Review Process

ATA supports a limited number of projects each year and grant funding is highly competitive. All requests for funding are reviewed by ATA’s Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC). The SAC evaluates proposals according to the following criteria:

  • Research subject / topic of inquiry
  • Relevance of research to ATA’s Roadmap for a Cure
  • Quality of project design and proposed research methods
  • Potential impact, either for basic knowledge or clinical application
  • Personnel and facilities available at the institution where the research will be conducted
  • Qualifications of the research investigators

The SAC makes funding recommendations to ATA’s Board of Directors, which makes final award decisions.

Timeline

The application, review and funding process follow the general timeline outlined below:

Application Deadline
Extended to December 15

Application Review / Policy Recommendations
Early Spring

Final Funding Decisions
Mid Spring

Grant Applicants Notified
Late Spring

Funds Allocated to Grantees
By June 30

To download an application, visit the ATA’s website and scroll to the end of the page here. If you have any additional questions about ATA’s research grant program, please contact ATA at 1-800-634-8978 or [email protected].

Source: American Tinnitus Association

Image: American Tinnitus Association