How to Apply

The Rotary clubs in the states of Georgia and the two Carolinas as well as a number of individual clubs throughout the United States, with the assistance from the American Federation of Aging Research, established in 1996 a new funding program called The CART Fund. The fund has already distributed a total amount of approximately $3,150,000 through grants to twelve Research Centers listed below.

The goal of the fund is to encourage exploratory and developmental AD research projects within the United States by providing support for the early and conceptual plans of those projects that may not yet be supported by extensive preliminary data but have the potential to substantially advance biomedical research. This proposal should be distinct from those projects designed to increase knowledge in a well established area unless it is intended to extend previous discoveries toward new directions or applications.

The Rotary CART Fund is inviting interested applicants from within the United States only to submit a LETTER-of-INTENT that includes sufficient detail to communicate the importance of your study as well as information on its feasibility.

Applications may encompass a project period of up to two years with a combined budget for direct cost up to $250,000. No indirect costs are allowed. Full time faculty (or equivalent status) at U.S. based public and private institutions, such as universities, colleges, hospitals, and laboratories, are eligible. This is for NEW projects only. Applications will be deemed ineligible from for-profit and organizations outside of the U.S., as well as those already supported by regular or program grants. At least one award up to $250,000 will be made in 2011.

Dr. John Trojanowski of the University of Pennsylvania will chair a scientific review group that will triage the letters-of-intent and select a maximum of fifteen finalists deemed to have the highest merit. Those selected will be invited to submit a subsequent standard grant application from which the final recommendations will be made by the review group. The final selections will be made by the CART Fund Trustees Executive Committee.

Please submit a letter-of-intent as a PDF file. The letter should include the following: (1) Contact information; (2) a statement – two page limit – containing: the hypothesis of the project; the specific aims; a description of the experimental design, methods and model systems; (3) a statement giving future directions this research could lead to including a reference to the health relationship of the project and (4) a biographical statement of the principal investigator – two page limit. Letters-of-intent may be emailed to jimpuryear@comcast.net.

Deadline for the letter of intent is December 1, 2011. Notifications of the finalists (maximum of 15) will be mailed by January 17, 2011. Investigators whose proposals are accepted for further consideration will be sent a full application form which must be completed and returned by February 16, 2011.

CART Schedule for Grant Application Processing for 2009-2010:

December 1, 2010 – Deadline for applicants to submit letters of intent via email
January 17, 2012 – Mail out date of notification of finalists selected for further review
February 16, 2012 – Deadline for finalists to submit full applications (postmark – priority mail)
March 23, 1012 – Date of notification (mail out) to finalists

Submit e-mail questions and letters-of-intent to Dr. James B. Puryear, Vice Chairman for Research Grants, jimpuryear@comcast.net