Medical Research Grants

The Rhode Island Foundation, a longstanding philanthropic organization based in Providence, operates the Medical Research Grants program to support the advancement of health-related scientific inquiry. This program provides targeted funding to researchers working in laboratory, clinical, and population-based fields throughout Rhode Island. The Foundation emphasizes its role in strengthening community health and medical research capacity, while also responding to pressing public health needs by supporting diverse medical disciplines. Through this program, the Foundation directs its efforts toward fostering innovation, strengthening resubmission prospects for federal funding, and supporting research adaptation in response to shifts in federal research priorities. The Medical Research Grants program is structured into three core opportunities. First, seed grants are offered to new investigators, providing early-stage financial support for pilot projects that can generate preliminary data or test novel approaches. Second, resubmission grants assist applicants who have received strong but unfunded NIH reviews, giving them resources to strengthen their proposals for future submission. Third, redirection grants help established investigators pivot or expand their work when federal funding priorities change, ensuring that promising research does not lose momentum. Each of these streams offers up to $25,000, designed to catalyze progress rather than fully fund large-scale projects. The scope of research supported is broad, but the Foundation places particular emphasis on areas with designated funding sources, including infectious diseases, cardiac research, coronary artery disease, cerebral accidents, cancer, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, spinal cord injury, diabetes, allergies, and performance-enhancing substances. While general medical research proposals are also considered, the prioritization of these conditions reflects both community needs and donor interests. Funding is restricted to research that falls within these categories, and all spending must be directly tied to the proposed project. Applications require a comprehensive set of materials submitted through the Foundation’s online portal. These include the application form, a project description, a budget form, and the principal investigator’s biosketch. Letters of support are also required from the investigator’s division director or department chair, significant collaborators, and the sponsoring institution’s research administration office. For projects involving human or animal subjects, applicants must provide IRB or IACUC approval letters or evidence of pending review. For resubmission grants specifically, applicants must include the NIH summary statement and a rough budget estimate for the resubmission project. Applications must be received by October 24, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. Following submission, the grant review committee will convene in February 2026 to evaluate proposals. Decisions will be communicated thereafter, and awards will be made contingent upon receipt of all necessary documents. This timeline underscores the importance of preparing materials well in advance, as delayed IRB or IACUC approvals could delay funding. The program emphasizes evaluation criteria such as scientific merit, relevance to Rhode Island’s health priorities, potential impact, and inclusion of underrepresented populations. Applicants are encouraged to design projects that not only meet rigorous scientific standards but also consider equity and broader community benefit. The review committee’s evaluation ensures that selected projects align with both the Foundation’s mission and the expectations of donors supporting the medical research program. For guidance, applicants may contact Zachary Nieder, Assistant Vice President of Grants & Community Investments and Director of Healthy Communities, at (401) 427-4051 or via email through the Foundation’s listed contact system. Additional general inquiries can be directed to the Rhode Island Foundation’s main office at One Union Station, Providence, RI 02903, telephone (401) 274-4564, or email info@rifoundation.org. These resources ensure that applicants can clarify requirements and strengthen their submissions before the October deadline.

Ensure all letters are in accepted file formats (Word, Excel, PDF, JPG); applications must be submitted online.