Yes, if you are unsure if your area of research aligns with the goals of this award, you may contact the program’s scientific staff ([email protected]) with a 3–5 sentence description of your research proposal. Applicants are required to focus their scientific proposal on their plans for their future lab and independent research program, not the remainder of their postdoctoral position. Due to a high volume of inquiries, program staff may require a week to respond.

No. Proposals for clinical efficacy trials are not allowed.

This program is aimed at Ph.D. and/or M.D.-holding scientists from diverse and/or historically underrepresented groups in science who are currently in a non-independent, mentored training position at an institution within or outside the U.S. and who will be actively seeking and applying to tenure-track faculty positions between September 2024–May 2025. Independence Fellows are expected to apply, secure and transition to a tenure-track faculty position at a research institution within or outside the U.S. by the end of the 2025–2026 academic year.

We expect applicants to meet the faculty job transition timeline we outline above.

Many applicants for this award hold the title of postdoctoral researcher. However, individuals with titles other than postdoctoral researcher are eligible to apply so long as you can provide confirmation (e.g., letter from department chair or grant office) of your position being a non-independent, mentored training position. Eligibility FAQ #10 provides more detail on the definition of non-independence. We understand that job titles may vary from setting to setting and across countries. Please see the Eligibility section of the FAQ for more information.

As part of our mission to promote excellence in science, we are committed to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion across the broader scientific community. A Diversity Statement is required for the award application to help the review committee understand your future plans for contributing to diversity, equity and inclusion in your own independent laboratory and in your scientific area more broadly. We envision that the fellows will make major scientific contributions in their fields and contribute to a more inclusive scientific environment for all.

A Diversity Statement is a typical part of a faculty job application, especially in the U.S, and many resources exist for guidance on writing a statement. We strongly recommend you seek guidance from your current or past mentors and trusted peers. There are also many resources available online, which we encourage you to explore as you craft your own Diversity Statement

Applications are reviewed by Simons Foundation scientific staff and an expert review committee. Finalists will be invited for a short virtual interview with Simons Foundation scientific staff and the review committee. Reviewers will assess criteria related to the applicant’s scientific merit, demonstrated preparedness for an independent investigator position at this time, ability to formulate an impactful, innovative and feasible research plan, and plans for contributing to diversity, equity, and inclusion in their own independent laboratory and scientific area.

Please see our Simons Foundation Independence Awards Comparison Chart. Independence Awards are offered through the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI), Simons Collaboration on the Global Brain (SCGB) and Simons Collaboration on Plasticity and the Aging Brain (SCPAB).

Yes. Candidates may apply to all programs simultaneously but may only accept one award. Each application will be reviewed individually based on the program’s own selection process. It is expected that applicants will tailor their application to align with the respective program to which they are applying.

No. If you are seeking a faculty position at a non-U.S. institution, please refer to our International Awards policy. Before signing a faculty job offer, fellows must confirm with their assigned Simons Foundation representative that the position is suitable for the Faculty Research Award. All fellows are expected to meet regularly with their assigned Simons Foundation representative to provide updates and get feedback throughout the faculty job offer negotiation process.

The eligibility criteria can be found in the Eligibility section of the RFA.

We will consider individuals to have come from a disadvantaged background if they meet two (2) or more of the following criteria:

• Were or currently are homeless;
• Were in the foster care system;
• Have/had no parents or legal guardians who completed a bachelor's degree;
• Were eligible for government-assisted meal programs, such as, for U.S. applicants, the U.S. Federal Free and Reduced Lunch Program;
• Were eligible for government-assisted programs for low-income individuals, such as, for U.S. applicants, the U.S. Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children as a parent or child;
• For U.S. applicants, were eligible for US Federal Pell grants; or
• For U.S. applicants, grew up in one of the following areas: (a) a U.S. rural area, as designated by the Health Resources and Services Administration Rural Health Grants Eligibility Analyzer, or (b) Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services-designated Low-Income and Health Professional Shortage Areas (qualifying zip codes are included in the file).

We recognize that diversity varies across different settings and across countries. For non-U.S. applicants, please consider approximately equivalent programs.

We will rely on your signed self-attestation and cannot make any other formal determination regarding your identity, disability status or disadvantaged social and/or economic background. Applicants must review and sign the self-attestation form (available in SAM) attesting that they meet the eligibility requirements for the award.

No. We will rely on your signed self-attestation and cannot make any other formal determination regarding your identity, disability status or disadvantaged social and/or economic background. Please do not send us any supporting documentation.

Yes. U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status is not required.

Many applicants for this award hold the title of postdoctoral researcher. However, individuals with titles other than postdoctoral researcher are eligible to apply so long as you can provide confirmation (e.g., letter from department chair or grant office) of your position being a non-independent, mentored training position. Eligibility FAQ #10 provides more detail on the definition of non-independence.

We understand that job titles may vary from setting to setting and across countries. If you have any questions about the guidelines above or are unsure if your current position meets the eligibility criteria, please contact [email protected].

No. However, a postdoctoral fellowship is often considered essential training in preparation for an independent research career and as such, the majority of competitive applicants have had substantive postdoctoral training. Nevertheless, we acknowledge that some individuals may be well placed to begin their professorships without having completed a postdoctoral fellowship. Our review criteria are focused on whether an applicant is currently poised to begin their independent careers, as evidenced by their scientific contributions and vision, and not based on whether the applicant has conducted postdoctoral training, per se.

Yes. If you are selected for the award, the postdoctoral award may be supplemented by the fellow’s institution, by the mentoring principal investigator (PI) or by another fellowship, if permissible under the terms of that fellowship. Alternatively, if the fellow chooses, the salary may be used in whole or in part toward the salary of support personnel, such as a research assistant or technician to assist with the fellow’s research projects.

Yes. If you are currently at a non-U.S. academic institution, please refer to our International Awards policy.

A clinician who holds a faculty position in order to fulfill their clinical responsibilities may be eligible if and only if they are in a mentored research training position and do not hold an independent research faculty position. We may require written confirmation of the distinction between the applicant’s clinical and research responsibilities. Please contact [email protected] to confirm eligibility status prior to application submission.

The following is provided to assist in guidelines distinguishing independent from non-independent, mentored training positions positions:

• Evidence for a non-independent, mentored training position may include:
  • The applicant’s research is entirely funded by another investigator’s grants.
  • The applicant’s research is conducted entirely in another investigator’s assigned space.
• Conversely, evidence for independence, and therefore lack of eligibility for this application, may include:
  • The applicant has a full-time faculty position.
  • The applicant received a start-up package for support of their independent research.
  • The applicant holds as a “PI” an NIH grant (e.g., R01) or SFARI grant.

If you have any questions about the guidelines above or are unsure if your current position meets the criteria for non-independence, please contact [email protected].

No. We do not restrict eligibility based on duration of postdoctoral training or how long ago the Ph.D., M.D. or equivalent degree was earned.

No. In order to be eligible, applicants must not have accepted a formal offer for a tenure-track faculty position by the time of SFARI BTI award notification. However, with approval from your faculty institution, you may be eligible to apply for other Simons Foundation, Inc or Simons Foundation International, Ltd award programs. More information about grant opportunities is available on the funding opportunities page.

No. However, if your institution confirms the position is a non-independent, mentored training position (e.g., letter from department chair or grant office) then you are eligible to apply, provided you will be actively seeking and applying to tenure-track faculty positions between September 2024–May 2025 and meet the remaining eligibility criteria. For example, clinical faculty members who do not hold an independent research faculty position and who obtain the above confirmation are eligible. For more information about the definition of non-independence, please see Eligibility FAQ #10. Independence Fellows are all expected to apply, secure and transition to a tenure-track faculty position at a research institution within or outside the U.S. by the end of the 2025–2026 academic year.

No. Applicants may not simultaneously hold other career development awards with similar budgetary scopes. These awards include, but are not limited to:

• NIH K99/R00 
• Burroughs Wellcome Fund Career Award
• American Academy of Neurology Career Development Award
• Howard Hughes Medical Institute Hanna H. Gray fellowship
• SCGB Transition to Independence (TTI) Award
• SCPAB Transition to Independence (TTI) Award

Please note that other NIH K awardees may be eligible, e.g., recipients of K01 and K08. You are strongly encouraged to contact [email protected] before applying if you believe your career development award is comparable to this award but is not listed above.

Individuals who applied to this program in a previous RFA cycle are limited to one (1) resubmission. If you have already applied to this program at least twice in previous years, you are no longer eligible. If you are unsure if you have reached the resubmission limit, please contact [email protected] before applying.

No. We only accept applications submitted online through SAM. Full instructions on how to submit an application is provided in the How to Apply instructions.

Yes. You must provide a response to all required fields; however, “Prefer not to disclose” is an available option for each required question. Disclosing demographic data is voluntary. To complete these fields, the user must navigate to the Personal Data section of their profile.

The demographic data provided by applicants and grantees will serve multiple purposes: to help us understand how our grantmaking reflects the communities we seek to serve; and to equip our staff with critical data to help create equitable funding opportunities as one part of our overall commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. Demographic data will not be shared with reviewers or otherwise used during the application review process unless stated otherwise in the Request for Application (RFA). Aggregate data may be used publicly. Demographic data is only visible to the PI and a subset of Simons Foundation staff, such as programmatic and grantmaking staff. If you wish to review our data collection and use practices, please refer to our Privacy Policy.

Institutional sign-off is required in order to submit your application by the deadline. All applicants are encouraged to contact their signing official early in the application process to review the How to Apply instructions regarding sign-off.

When the application is complete, click on the Send for Sign-off button to send it to your signing official at your current institution for signature. The signing official will receive an email from [email protected] notifying them that an application requires their signature. All applicants are encouraged to contact their signing official separately to make sure they are aware that an application requires their sign off in order to be submitted.

Once the application has been signed, you will receive an email from [email protected] confirming that the application has been signed by the designated signing official. An application will not be deemed complete and eligible for review without this step. This step must be completed by the submission deadline.

No. Applicants are required to focus their scientific proposal on their plans for their future lab and independent research program, not the remainder of their postdoctoral position.

No. Figures, figure legends and references should follow the proposal narrative text and are not included in the page limit. Please attach them at the end of the narrative in the same PDF file. Figures are limited to 10, each fitting on a single page. References should be in Journal of Neuroscience format, including full author list, title and a link to PubMed.

No, applicants must only provide a budget for the two (2) year postdoctoral award at this stage.

No. Applicants only need to provide a copy of their own biosketch, other support, and publications. The only item that your current scientific mentor(s) must provide is a letter of recommendation.

Yes. Three (3) confidential letters of recommendation are required from current or previous mentors and/or senior scientists who have substantial familiarity with your scientific career thus far. At least one (1) letter of recommendation must be from a current scientific mentor. If you are currently co-mentored by two scientists, you must include a letter from each scientific mentor. Confidential letters must be submitted through SAM.

You will not be able to submit your application until all three (3) letters of reference are submitted by the referees. Additionally, you will not be able to submit if you have more than three (3) letters of references.

It is advised that applicants begin the online application at least four (4) weeks prior to the deadline to ensure that letters of recommendation are submitted in time.

The Check Application Progress button reviews your proposal for missing sections. The submission instructions list the required sections and attachments. You must complete the missing items listed in the error message before you can send your application for sign off. If you are still receiving error messages after completing and saving the indicated sections, please contact [email protected].

When the full proposal application is complete with institutional sign-off, please click on the Submit Application button. A confirmation page will appear once the application is successfully submitted. A confirmation email is also sent upon submission. Please make sure that spam filters allow emails from [email protected]. Please contact [email protected] if you did not receive a confirmation email and it is not in your spam folder. The submitted application will appear in the Submitted tab of the Applications in Progress table. Please note that you will not be able to submit an application if the deadline has passed.

Once your application has been submitted, Simons Foundation staff will be in touch if we require any additional information or revisions for your submission. Please monitor your inbox and make sure that spam filters allow emails from [email protected]. Applicants are encouraged to monitor the status of the submission through SAM periodically.

You must contact Simons Foundation staff prior to the 12:00 p.m. (Noon) Eastern Time January 10, 2024, deadline in order to make changes to your application. Please email [email protected] if you would like to un-submit your proposal for any modifications.

Please note, the only changes allowed after the deadline are changes to other support and publications. Please follow the instructions in the How to Apply, Publications & Other Support Tab.

Yes. Applicants must follow the instructions in the How to Apply, Publications & Other Support Tab in order to update their publications or other support. Please note that if the status of a publication or other support changes after your application has been submitted, please update the information in your user profile and contact [email protected] for assistance in updating your application.

Biosketches or other application materials may not be updated after the submission deadline.

Applicants will be notified of funding decisions by July 23, 2024.

All postdoctoral awards are expected to start as early as September 1, 2024, for the duration of up to two (2) years. All awards must end on or before August 31, 2026

All postdoctoral awards will include an annual $85,000 USD salary plus applicable fringe benefits at the current institution’s standard fringe rate, and an annual $10,000 USD allowance for professional development. Indirect costs are limited to 20 percent of the modified total direct costs on eligible direct costs (see our grant policies). As such, the total funding amount will be dependent on the institution’s fringe benefit policies and total award indirect costs.

The salary for the fellow may be supplemented by the fellow’s institution to equal a salary greater than $85,000 USD, by the mentoring PI or by another fellowship, if permissible under the terms of that fellowship.

If the fellow chooses, the salary may be used in whole or in part toward the salary of support personnel, such as a research assistant or technician to assist with the fellow’s research projects.

To hold this award, your institution must appoint you as an employee of the university, with no teaching obligations, and provide the standard benefits package that the university provides to employees.

Yes, fringe benefits can be included in the postdoctoral award budget. Fringe should be requested at your institution’s standard fringe rate. Fringe is in addition to the $85,000 USD salary.

Yes, indirect costs can be included in the postdoctoral award budget. Indirect costs are limited to 20 percent of the modified total direct costs (see our grant policies).

No, there is no minimum percent effort for the postdoctoral award.

No, there is no salary maximum for Independence Fellows. However, each fellow can only charge up to $85,000 in salary annually from this grant. The salary for the fellow may be supplemented by the fellow’s institution to equal a salary greater than $85,000 USD, by the mentoring PI or by another fellowship, if permissible under the terms of that fellowship.

Independence Fellows who transition to a faculty position before the end date of the postdoctoral award (August 31, 2026) will be required to terminate their postdoctoral award effective the fellow’s departure date from their current institution. Any unexpended funds remaining after the effective date of termination must be returned. The postdoctoral award funds cannot be transferred to the fellow’s faculty institution or added to the faculty research award.

Fellows are expected to activate this award within the first 12 months of starting their faculty position. In order to activate the Faculty Research Award, fellows are required to submit an application via the Simons Award Manager (SAM) 2–3 months prior to the desired award start date.

Once the approval application has been submitted, Simons Foundation staff will coordinate with the fellow about the timing of the award letter and start date. The fellow, as a newly-appointed PI, will receive research support at the level of $600,000 USD over three (3) years, including indirect costs (limited to 20 percent of modified total direct costs, see our grant policies). The grant will be administered to the institution at which the fellow has a faculty appointment.

Fellows are encouraged (but not required) to apply for independent positions in different departments and institutions from where they conducted their mentored research. It is important for all fellows, but especially fellows who intend to stay at their mentoring institution for their independent role, to discuss their intentions with Simons Foundation staff. Fellows who accept faculty positions at their mentoring institutions may be asked to submit a letter from their department chair outlining their commitment and plans for ensuring the fellow’s independence.