Deadline: 10-Oct-2025
Entries are now open for the Impact Awards to provide funding opportunities for innovative research projects that aim to bring new light to the biology of Parkinson’s disease and advance the field with unconventional approaches.
The proposals may bring new light to the biology of PD, address an unmet need in PD research, test a new approach (methods or technology) to Parkinson’s research, identify new PD biomarkers, identify new intervention targets, test a truly novel therapeutic idea (pharmacological, brain stimulation, cell or gene therapy), understand the role of co-pathologies in PD, and use human subjects with already established cohorts.
The Foundation supports projects from their inception, offering essential resources to maximize their impact on the Parkinson’s community. Each award provides $200,000 in total costs over two years, with $100,000 allocated per year. Up to 10% of the annual budget may be used for indirect costs, and salary support for the PI, Co-PI, and Co-I combined is capped at $35,000 annually. Funding is contingent upon annual progress reviews.
The award is open to scientists with a PhD or MD, regardless of nationality or location. Only independent investigators are eligible to serve as Principal Investigators, while non-tenure track faculty may participate as Co-PIs and postdoctoral fellows may serve as Co-Is. Applications from instructors will be considered with confirmation of a tenure-track appointment by the award start date. Awardees may not hold concurrent funding with overlapping aims from other sources.
Certain areas fall outside the scope of the award, including complementary and supportive therapies, clinical trials, proposals exceeding the 24-month timeline, projects using human subjects without established cohorts, and meta-analysis of existing clinical studies.
The application process is competitive and divided into two stages: A Letter of Intent, approximately one page in length, followed by an invitation-only full proposal. The Foundation reviews all LOIs internally before selected submissions undergo peer review. Full proposals are evaluated on potential impact, scientific merit, applicant qualifications, and alignment with the Foundation’s mission. Funding decisions are announced in June, with the funding year running from August 1 to July 31. The deadline for application is 10 October 2025.
For more information, visit Parkinson’s Foundation.