Clinical Management Research
Grant Application
General Information
The ALS Association is the only national not-for-profit voluntary health organization whose sole mission is to lead the fight to cure and treat ALS through global, cutting-edge research, and to empower people with Lou Gehrig’s Disease and their families to live fuller lives by providing them with compassionate care and support.
Headquartered in Southern California, The ALS Association and its widespread and fast growing nationwide network of local volunteer chapters and support groups, wages battle against the disease on four important fronts:
- Encouraging, identifying, funding and monitoring relevant and cutting-edge research into the cause, means of prevention and possible cure of ALS;
- Helping ALS patients and families through referrals for counseling, training and support on how to cope with this devastating disease;
- Serving as the national information resource on ALS for the medical profession, patients and family members;
- Educating the public as to the gravity of this problem to stimulate public support in the search for a cause and cure.
From the submitted abstracts, The ALS Association will invite a number of principal investigators to complete a full proposal application for a clinical management research grant. The applications are to be completed on-line and are accessed through a secured, password system on The Association's web site.
Successful applications will include a research design and methods, describe the complete plan for analysis of data, have strong scientific merit and high ALS relevance and will request a budget total within the stated maximum available through this program.
Policies and Procedures
The ALS Association welcomes applications for support of promising, quality, innovative research in the field of clinical management for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Request for Abstracts (RFA):
The ALS Associaiton announces one Call for Abstracts each year (see Grant Schedule ). One project will be funded each cycle for up to a three-year project and a maximum project total of $150,000. Abstracts should address the focus topic identified by the Call for Abstracts.
Submission
In submitting an application for a Research Grant, applicants are urged to supply complete information in each category indicated on the electronic application form. (See "The ALS Association Research Grant Program - Procedures").
Principal Investigator
It is expected that the person shown as the Principal Investigator in the application is the one who is personally and actively responsible for the conduct of the research. The Applicant Institution ("grantee institution") is the official recipient of the grant made for the support of research of the Principal Investigator. The principal Investigator may not request salary support for him/herself. A maximum of two PI's can be named per award.
Duration and Amount
The Principal Investigator and the grantee institution will each be advised of the duration and amount of the grant awarded.
Renewal or Supplemental Support
All ALS Association grants are designated terminal. Renewal or supplemental support depends upon submission and approval of an application for a new grant and receipt of a report of all funds expended during the term of any preceding grant.
Extension of the Term of the Grant
An extension of the term of the grant without additional funds may be approved when requested and justified. Requests for extensions of the terms of grants will not be honored when such extension would allow creation of reserves for contingencies.
Unexpended Funds
Since research project budgets as detailed in the application are viewed as realistic estimates of the funds required to perform the research indicated, it is expected that for most grants some unexpended funds will remain at the termination of the grant. Such funds are returnable to The ALS Association.
Transfer of a Grant from one Institution to Another
Transfer of a grant from one institution to another along with the transfer of the same Principal Investigator may be requested, but such transfers cannot be made without prior written approval by The ALS Association. The original grantee institution must submit a detailed report of expenditures and return unexpended funds to The ALS Association before a transfer can be made. To avoid interruption of financial support, the request for transfer should be made at least ninety (90) days prior to the anticipated date of transfer.
Transfer of a Grant within the Grantee Institution
Transfer of a Grant within the grantee institution to a new Principal Investigator may be requested when the original Principal Investigator leaves or becomes unable to continue supervision of the research. This request should take place within thirty (30 days) of the change. Such a transfer must have prior written approval of The ALS Association and is an interim step until the grant can be terminated appropriately or until the new Principal Investigator can submit a new and complete application.
Re-budgeting of Funds
Within the policies of The ALS Association Research Grant Program, transfers between and among categories of the budget approved in the grant may be allowed as follows:
- Transfers into personnel and consumable supplies categories may be made at the discretion of the Principal Investigator with knowledge of his/her Institution;
- Transfer of funds into equipment, travel, other expenses not specifically identified in the budget, or indirect expenses, may not be made without prior written approval of The ALS Association.
Over-Expenditures
The ALS Association is not responsible for over-expenditures of grants, and The Association requires a refund of all non-allowable expenditures before payments will be made on continuation or supplemental grants.
Unobligated Funds
Funds remaining unobligated at the end of a grant period may not be carried over to the succeeding period to create an increase in funds for the succeeding period. Rather, unobligated funds will be applied against the succeeding grant payment. Where the grant in force has been terminated, all unobligated funds must be returned to The ALS Association within sixty (60) days of the termination of the grant.
Accounting Procedures and Forms
Accounting of all expenditures made under each grant must be made to The ALS Association within sixty (60) days of the termination of the grant. Any format may be used to accomplish this task.
Bonded Financial Officer
The Association prefers, but does not necessarily require, that the financial officer administering grant funds be bonded. Unless otherwise indicated in the application for a grant, it is understood that such officials are in fact bonded. Under circumstances satisfactory to The Association, it may forego the need of the financial officer to be bonded.
Renewal Grants
The Association will not ordinarily fund renewal grants. Renewal grants are conditioned upon showing (a) demonstrable progress toward achieving goals of initial grant; and (b) good faith, but unsuccessful efforts to secure renewal funding from other sources. In as much as all grants are terminal, they must be renewed by way of an application for continuation of funds.
Progress Reports
It is the Investigators responsibility to ensure that receipt of both interim and final reports is timely. An annual report is required for multi-year awards. Payments will be withheld until reports have been received. All progress reports are considered privileged communications and their distribution is limited to the reviewing consultants and staff of The ALS Association.
- Reports should be mailed or emailed to smatland@alsa-national.org. The form and content of the report is left to the discretion of the Principal Investigator. However, the following is recommended:
- A summary be placed first;
- The body of the report be a concise statement of the course of the investigation and of such findings as the grantee deems significant;
- Indicate any publications resulting from this application and mail any pre-prints to Sharon Matland, RN, MBA, Vice President, Patient Services, The ALS Association, 27001 Agoura Road, Suite 250, Calabasas Hills, CA 91301.
Interim Progress Reports and Final Progress Reports
- Interim progress reports are to be prepared annually
- Final progress reports are due within 60 days of termination of grant.
Post-doctoral fellows are required to submit two interim reports (at eight month intervals) and a final report on completion of the award.Publication and reprints
- The ALS Association expects that the results of the research shall be given appropriate publication. The responsibility for publication lies with the Principal Investigator. The results of any work supported by an The ALS Association grant may be published without review by The ALS Association. Therefore, responsibility for direction of the work is not to be ascribed to The ALS Association
- One copy of each manuscript accepted for publication must be submitted to The ALS Association, accompanied by information as to probable date of publication and the journal accepting the manuscript. These manuscripts will be regarded as restricted and privileged communication. For the sake of uniformity, it is suggested the following acknowledgement be used with all publications and, where appropriate and ethical, with scientific exhibits: "This investigation was supported wholly (or in part) by (a) grant(s) from The ALS Association."
Patents on Discoveries Made Under Grants
This applies to all rights related to developments made by Grantees during research funded by The ALS Association. Arrangements or Contracts with Other Organizations: The ALS Association requires that the Principal Investigator disclose the fact of any collaboration or arrangements with consultant(s) and/or with private companies, and membership on the boards of directors or advisory councils of such companies. For further information contact Dr. Lucie Bruijn, Ph.D., Science Director and Vice President, at The ALS Association, e-mail: alsinfo@alsa-national.org, Tel: 818-880-9007, Fax: 818-880-9006.
Pilot Studies
The ALS Association will fund one to two pilot studies each year. (see Grant Schedule ) These projects will be funded up to $40,000 for a grant period for 1 - 2 years. The research topic can be selected by the investigator and does not have to match the topic identified for the RFA (larger grant). However, investigators are encouraged to select research topics that are consistent with the purpose of the Clinical Management Research Program - to improve the symptom management and quality of life for people with ALS. Competitive projects will include a research design and methods, rigorous statistical analysis of data, strong scientific merit and high ALS relevance.
