Research Grant - Spring Grant Round

The Gerber Foundation provides grant opportunities primarily focused on advancing the quality of life for infants and young children through nutrition, care, and development. This private foundation offers a structured and competitive funding mechanism with an emphasis on practical, evidence-based research projects that can be implemented broadly and swiftly. The Foundation does not fund individuals, and only accepts applications from tax-exempt organizations under IRS Code 501(c)(3) and public institutions such as universities. These organizations must also not be classified as private foundations under IRS Code 509. Except in rare instances, the Foundation only considers proposals from U.S.-based entities or those operating within U.S. territories. The application process is conducted entirely through an online system and is divided into two cycles annually—Spring and Fall—each beginning with the submission of a concept paper. The Spring Grant Round is reserved exclusively for novice researchers and includes a submission deadline for concept papers on November 15, 2025, by 4 PM ET. Selected applicants will be invited to submit full proposals by February 15, 2026. Applicants receive notification of concept paper selections in mid-December and funding decisions for full proposals in late May. The Fall cycle follows a similar schedule, with concept papers due May 15 and proposal notifications generally issued by the end of June. Projects approved for funding may start as early as July 1 or January 1, depending on final grant agreement execution and institutional IRB approval. The Foundation reviews approximately 130 concept papers per cycle, from which 10–12 may advance to full proposal stage. Of those, approximately 50–70% are funded. Concept papers must provide a lay-friendly summary of the project, including background, sample types, estimated budget, timeline, and relevance to the Foundation’s mission. Full proposals, for those invited, must provide extensive narrative and data including hypotheses, methods, analysis plans, evaluation metrics, and broader impacts. Both stages of the application are evaluated for alignment with the Foundation’s mission and feasibility of broad, timely implementation. The Novice Research Awards are capped at $30,000 inclusive of indirect costs. Eligible applicants must be in a residency, postdoctoral, or fellowship training program, or within one year post-training. They must not have previously received a K01 award from the NIH, and must have a designated mentor and a development plan in place. Indirect costs may not exceed 10% of total direct costs. No more than half the budget may be allocated to the applicant’s salary and fringe, and a maximum of $2,000 is permitted for travel to present findings at one conference during the grant period. Throughout the process, support is available from the Foundation via phone or email. Collaborators or editors may be added to applications using a specific invitation system in the online portal, though only the PI or designated collaborators may submit applications. Final submission of either the concept paper or full proposal requires approval by a senior officer of the applying organization. Full proposal instructions, templates, and concept paper formats are provided in downloadable PDFs on the Foundation’s website. Contact information includes The Gerber Foundation, 4747 West 48th Street Suite 153, Fremont MI 49412, phone (231) 924-3175, and email tgf@gerberfoundation.org.

Use lay terms; avoid jargon; no references or CVs in concept paper; ensure institutional sign-off before submission.