Note: A PDF version of our Grant Award Policies is also available.

November 30, 2009

The following policies have been adopted by the Simons Foundation and apply to all autism research grant awards.

Background:

The mission of the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI) is to understand the causes of autism and thereby improve the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of this and related developmental disorders. To this end, we solicit applications for Simons Investigator Awards from individuals who will conduct imaginative, rigorous research relevant to this spectrum of prevalent disorders.

We invite applications from independent investigators who can devote a substantial portion of their research effort to questions related to autism. Understanding the mechanisms underlying this family of disorders will require approaches at multiple levels of analysis, from molecular genetics and cell biology through studies of particular neural circuits in animal models and human postmortem brains to studies of animal and human behavior and cognition. We are also interested in experimental therapeutics with human subjects. Proposals approaching autism from any level of analysis are welcome: It is the quality of thought and rigor of approach, rather than disciplinary provenance, that will determine the success of the application.

Policy:

Because interaction between scientists working at different levels can facilitate the evolution of questions, theories, and methodologies, we will foster communication between research groups by hosting small workshops, teleconference lab meetings and using online tools for data sharing and discussion. Access to the Simons Simplex Collection, a resource of rigorously characterized phenotypic data and DNA, will be available to all scientists. Investigators who have been awarded grants from the Simons Foundation will receive financial support to purchase SSC biospecimens for their specific projects, as approved during the review process. In the same spirit, we will expect Simons Investigators to share data, results, reagents, and other research products developed with Simons Foundation funds. We welcome suggestions for ways to improve communication within the scientific community at large.

Investigators and their institutions must abide by all applicable laws and regulations, including those governing the conduct of research on humans or animals.

The Simons Foundation has no wish to participate in the commercialization of any intellectual property that may result from a grant. Notwithstanding this commercialization disclaimer, the Foundation has the right to release a summary of findings of the research within a reasonable period of time, certainly within six (6) months of the date of the grant expiration.

Publications resulting from projects supported by the Foundation must carry the following acknowledgement: “This work was supported by a grant from the Simons Foundation (SFARI # to [Grantee Initials]).” From time to time, the Foundation may distribute information for publicity purposes on our website, in press releases, and/or other venues.

The Foundation requires periodic progress reports, as specified in the award letter. If any report shows progress to be substantially less than anticipated, the Foundation reserves the right to reconsider or redirect the remaining portion of the grant. In addition to the progress report, the Foundation requires that you submit a detailed financial statement, as specified in the award letter. Requests for significant deviation from the allocation of the accepted budgetary resources, for an amount of $10,000 or more, for changes in the specific aims, and/or for personnel changes should be justified in writing and are subject to the approval of the Foundation. Budgets must comply with the following policies:

• The Simons Foundation salary support guidelines are identical to those set by the National Institutes of Health for faculty, trainees, and students.
• Equipment with a unit cost of $50,000 or more purchased with Foundation grant funds will be owned by the Foundation. At the end of the grant funding period, or in case of grant termination for any reason, the Simons Foundation reserves the right to retain ownership or cede ownership to the Investigator's institution. Equipment with a unit cost of $50,000 or less shall be the property of the institution.
• Travel expenses, unless specifically approved, are limited to $2,000 per year per individual per project to attend scientific meetings directly relevant to the Simons Foundation research grant.
• Publication expenses are allowable budget costs.
• Indirect costs are limited to 20% of direct costs with the following exceptions: equipment, trainee stipends and benefits, and any subcontracts with budgets including direct and indirect expenses. The Foundation reserves the right to purchase and provide to investigators some research supplies (e.g., human DNA microarray kits).

Investigators will be granted access to a web-based tool for submitting progress reports and other documents to the Foundation during the award period, and if requested by the Foundation, must use such tools for submitting their reports. We expect that Simons Investigators will participate in some of the conferences, workshops, and symposia that the Foundation organizes. All travel and accommodation expenses exclusively related to these meetings will be reimbursed outside of the award funds.

Investigators receiving awards are required to provide to the Simons Foundation specific documents as detailed in the award letter and may include the following, where applicable:

• All IRB approval and consent forms
• Animal care/use approval
• Lay and scientific abstracts of the proposal, to be edited and published on the Foundation's websites, publications or for publicity purposes
• Color photograph of the principal investigator, suitable for use for publicity purposes

Payments to institutions will be disbursed quarterly by the end of the last month of the quarter, unless specifically indicated in the award letter. Quarterly payments will be delayed if an investigator has not provided current IRB or animal care approvals, or financial and progress reports within 30 days beyond the due dates. On written request by the Investigator, transfer of a grant to another institution will be considered by the Simons Foundation. An extension, without supplemental funds, of the termination of a grant will be considered by the Simons Foundation on written request by the Investigator.

The Simons Foundation reserves the right to modify or amend its policies governing grants. Copies of these policies will be made available to Investigators.