The Office of Foundation Relations is pleased to share this open call for funding from the McKnight Foundation.
UCSC Contact: Caroline Rodriguez | caroline@ucsc.edu
Funder: McKnight Foundation
Opportunity: McKnight Scholar Awards
Application Deadline: January 13, 2025
Funding: $225,000 over 3 years
Overview
The McKnight Scholar Awards are given to exceptional young scientists who are in the early stages of establishing an independent laboratory and research career. The intent of the program is to foster the commitment by these scientists to research careers that will have an important impact on the study of the brain. The program seeks to support scientists committed to mentoring neuroscientists from underrepresented groups at all levels of training. Applicants for the McKnight Scholar Award must demonstrate their ability to solve significant problems in neuroscience, which may include the translation of basic research to clinical practice. They should demonstrate a commitment to an equitable and inclusive lab environment.
Award Amount & Terms
- The total award is $225,000 paid in equal installments of $75,000 in 2025, 2026, and 2027.
- Funds may be used in any way that will facilitate development of the Scholar’s research program, but not for indirect costs
- Download Application and Guidelines.
Eligibility
Candidates for the McKnight Scholar Award must:
- be independent investigators at not-for-profit research institutions in the United States
- hold a faculty position at the rank of Assistant Professor and must have served at that rank for less than five years at the application deadline (exceptions made be made for parental leave)
- not apply in more than two rounds of competition, have already been granted tenure, or hold another award from the McKnight Endowment Fund
- not hold another award from the McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience that would overlap in time with the Scholar award
Changes to application for 2025
- McKnight no longer requests a detailed project budget as part of the application. But all funding restrictions still apply (see Benefits section above)
- Letters of Reference needed have been reduced from four to three.
- Page length of Description of proposed research project has been reduced from six to four pages.
- Our inclusion statement more clearly asks how the application is addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion in sciences both inside and outside their lab if applicable.
For a list of past awardees, please see here. For FAQs please see here.
Timeline
- Applications due January 13, 2024
- Applicants notified April 2025
- Candidate interviews May 2025
- Awards announced May 2025
Special Instructions
Please notify the Office of Foundation Relations if you are interested in applying to this opportunity (fr@ucsc.edu). Please submit a proposal intake form prior to UCSC’s internal Institutional Deadlines. For support developing your proposal, please contact the Research Development Specialist assigned to your unit or send a request to resdev@ucsc.edu.
Call sent: December 10, 2024
The Office of Foundation Relations is a unit of University Relations. The FR team creates and maintains mutually beneficial, long-term relationships with private organizations, matching grant initiatives with educational and research programs and centers. FR supports faculty and staff to identify and approach these and other private foundations for funding, to assist in strategic positioning of the grant application, and to facilitate funder campus visits.
For a list of recent funding opportunities, please visit the FR website. FR Calls for Funding