The Explorer Awards Request for Applications (RFA) funds requests for resources to support high-risk/high-impact exploratory experiments that will strengthen hypotheses and lead to the formulation of competitive applications for subsequent larger-scale funding by the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI) or other organizations. Proposals up to a maximum of $80,000, including indirect costs, will be considered.

Please refer to the Funding Opportunities webpage for details on each award type. Additionally, Explorer Award proposals are accepted on a rolling basis while Pilot Award proposals are accepted only during the designated RFA period.

The SFARI scientific team will review applications, with external ad-hoc reviewers as needed. Reviewers will consider the excellence of science, the novelty of the project, the relevance to autism, and the appropriateness of budget.

No.

New users first need to register on proposalCENTRAL (pC). Once you’ve done that, log in and select “Create New Proposal” or click on the “Grant Opportunities” tab. The SFARI Explorer program is listed year-round. Click “Apply Now” to start the application and access the template. After all sections are completed and your proposal PDF is uploaded, you will be able to hit the “Submit” button to send the application.

Go to proposalCENTRAL and click “Create One Now!” under “Need an account?” Fill in the required fields, check the boxes to agree to pC’s terms of service and acceptable use policy, and then click “Save.”

Email [email protected] or call 800-875-2562.

All applicants and key collaborators must hold a Ph.D., M.D. or equivalent degree and have a faculty position or the equivalent at a college, university, medical school or other research facility. In addition, applicants must have independent lab space at their institution. Applications may be submitted by domestic and foreign nonprofit organizations; public and private institutions, such as colleges, universities, hospitals, laboratories, units of state and local government; and eligible agencies of the federal government. There are no citizenship or country requirements.

If you are still unclear about your eligibility, please submit an Applicant Eligibility Form.

Yes, foreign institutions with a 501(c)(3) equivalency may apply.

No, postdoctoral research associates may not apply as PIs, regardless of whether their institution allows it. All applicants and key collaborators must hold a Ph.D., M.D. or equivalent degree and have a faculty position or the equivalent at a college, university, medical school or other research facility. Funds may not be used for stipend supplementation unless specifically authorized under the terms of the program from which funds are derived.

Senior postdoctoral research associates who are interested in pursuing an independent career in autism should review the SFARI Bridge to Independence RFA, as this may be more suitable to their career stage.

In rare circumstances, the applicant organization may designate multiple individuals as PIs who share the authority and responsibility for leading and directing the project, intellectually and logistically. For more information on the responsibilities of PIs, please refer to the personnel definitions in the Personnel section below.

Yes, PIs may submit multiple applications on different topics; however, it is highly unlikely that two awards will be made to the same PI within one RFA cycle.

If you plan to submit an application for an Explorer Award, while a decision on your application for a Pilot or Research Award is pending (or vice versa), we will consider the Explorer application independently as long as it is on a different topic, but again, we are unlikely to make two awards to the same PI within one RFA cycle or given year.

Yes, Co-Investigators and additional personnel can be listed on multiple applications.

Yes, linked instructions for how to change the named PI can be found in the application.

The person who starts an application will be named as the PI on the Applicant/PI page. If the Applicant/PI section does not show the correct person (e.g., you are the PI but someone else started the online application, or you started the application and someone else is the PI), you must update this section before submitting. PI details carry over to the full proposal.

No, the Simons Foundation accepts only applications submitted online through pC.

Yes, you can add users with administrator access to the pC application so that someone other than the Principal Investigator (PI) can edit and submit the application.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. There is no deadline.

Applicants are notified as early as 30 days from the date the application is submitted.

The “Submit” button is located in the last section of the Explorer application. You will be unable to submit if you have not provided all the required information. Use the “Validate” button to check for missing requirements. If the problem persists, please contact [email protected].

The “Validate” button reviews your application for missing sections. The submission instructions list the required sections and attachments. You must complete the missing sections listed. If you are still receiving error messages after completing and saving the indicated sections, please contact [email protected].

A confirmation email is sent upon submission of your application. Please contact [email protected] if you submitted your application and have not received a confirmation email within 10 minutes. Make sure that your spam filters allow emails from [email protected]. The proposal will be in the “Submitted” tab when you next log in.

Before you can make changes to your submitted application, you must first contact the Simons Foundation. Please email [email protected] or call (646) 654-0066.

If you are submitting an application in the first half of a month, a start date two months out is appropriate (this would be a month after selecting the application for award). If you submit in the second half of the month, the third month after that should be used.

For example, you have an application ready to submit on 5 October; to accommodate review and award administration, 1 December is an appropriate start date. If you submitted the application 25 October, 1 January of the following year would be an appropriate start date.

The Explorer Awards RFA page limit includes figures and figure legends. References are not included in the page limit and should be in Journal of Neuroscience format, including full author list, title, and link to PubMed.

Type should be sent in 11-point, legible font. All margins should be set at 0.5 inches.

Yes, indirect costs are included in the $80,000 annual budget limit. Indirect costs for all SFARI grant types are limited to 20 percent of the modified total direct costs (see SFARI policies).

Yes. Please note that indirect costs cannot be taken on equipment with a unit cost of $10,000 or more.

Applications with a subcontract (including PIs who will be paid directly by the contact PI’s institution) must include:

–  Subcontract Detailed Budget (available for download in the “Proposal Attachments” and “Download Templates & Instructions” sections) for each subcontract.

–  Direct costs for all subcontract, which must be given in section 8 (“Budget Period Detail”) in the “Consortium & Contractual Direct” section. Indirect costs for all subcontract should be included in the “Indirect Costs” section. Please add a separate line for both direct costs and indirect costs for each subcontract.

– Only one signature page, from the institution of the applicant PI submitting the application.

We seek applications from independent investigators who can devote a substantial portion of time to this effort. There is no minimum percent effort required for any personnel, but we expect personnel, in particular PIs and Co-investigators, to have efforts that reflect their roles in the project.

We do not require letters of support or letters of collaboration for Co-Investigators. If a letter is prepared, it can be uploaded as “Appendix – In-press papers on related topics.”

Attachments can only be submitted as PDF files, with the exception of movie files if needed.

In-press papers can be included as appendices, as well as any papers that you consider essential for the work of the review committee (not more than three (3) papers). Any other material should be included, if possible, in the narrative. If you have video attachments for your proposal, please upload as an appendix (all file types are accepted).

No, only the signing official is required to sign the signature page.

No. Please list only additional key personnel on the application (i.e., Co-Investigators, non-applicant PI(s), Postdoctoral Research Associates, etc.).

PI
The individual(s) judged by the applicant organization to have the appropriate level of authority and responsibility to direct the project or program supported by the grant. He or she is responsible and accountable to the applicant organization and SFARI for the proper conduct of the project or activity, including the submission of all required reports. He or she will act as the main point of contact for the foundation. There is no minimum percent effort required for a PI, but it is expected that the PI will join the collaborative community of SFARI Investigators, and he or she will participate in some of the conferences, workshops and symposia that the foundation organizes.

Co-Investigator
An individual involved with the PI in the scientific development or execution of a project. The co-investigator must hold a Ph.D., M.D. or equivalent and be employed by, or affiliated with, the applicant/grantee organization or another organization participating in the project under a consortium agreement. A co-investigator is considered key personnel, but the Simons Foundation does not require a minimum effort from the co-investigator. The designation of a co-investigator, if applicable, does not affect the PI’s roles and responsibilities, nor is it a role implying multiple PIs.

The role type Co-PI will not be used by SFARI.

You can save personnel details in the “Key Personnel” section on the application.

An individual providing professional advice or services on the basis of a written agreement. These individuals are not normally employees of the organization receiving the services. Consultants also include firms providing professional advice or services.

SFARI funds may be used only for personnel considered employees of the grantee institution who are eligible for benefits. Funds may not be used for stipend supplementation unless specifically authorized under the terms of the program from which funds are derived. SFARI defines a postdoctoral research associate as follows:

An individual who has received a doctoral degree (or the equivalent) and is engaged in mentored advanced training for a temporary and defined period to enhance the professional skills and research independence needed to pursue his or her chosen career path. The postdoctoral research associate performs specific services in exchange for compensation, and he or she is treated as an employee of the grantee institution, with benefits.

You can access and request information about Simons VIP and SSC biospecimens and data on SFARI Base. If you do not have an SF I.D., you must create one. If you have problems with the login or have questions regarding the collections, please email [email protected].

Please see the SPARK webpage for more information about the SPARK cohort and available data. You can access and request information about the data collected from SPARK via SFARI Base. If you do not have an SF I.D., you must create one. If you have problems with the login or have questions regarding the collections, please email [email protected].

No, but phenotypic data from 46,603 individuals are currently available to approved researchers via SFARI Base and genetic data will be available soon.

Please refer to the SPARK recruitment process document for more details.

No, SSC and Simons VIP biospecimen costs are not included in the budget limit. Prices for SSC and Simons VIP biospecimens can be found on the price list on our website.