Deadlines

• Applications for the FFS-NANOS award are due September 15th
• Applications for the Post-Doctoral and Grants-in-Aid award are due November 15th
• Applications for the FFS-Lirot award are due December 31st
• Applications for the Summer Student Fellowship are due February 15th

All applications must be completed and submitted online by midnight Eastern Time.

You may begin your online application on our Grant Applications page.

All material submitted becomes the property of FFS. Late or incomplete applications will not be reviewed.

Citizenship and Research Location

Grant applicants are eligible to apply regardless of citizenship, but should be affiliated with a North American institution for their research.

Most research by FFS grant recipients is to be conducted within North America, although in rare circumstances research in other countries is permitted when needs demand it. Grant recipients are expected to pay for their own travel expenses to the location where research is conducted.

Selection Process

FFS grantees are chosen by the Scientific Review Committee. This volunteer committee is composed of more than 90 experts, many of whom are FFS alumni, who review applications and recommend the top proposals for funding.

Each applicant is asked to choose the specialty section that would be best qualified to review the research project. The three sections consist of:

• Anterior
• Posterior
• Visual & Motor Pathways

Then, during February-April, the SRC meets via conference call to review applications. Final awards are determined by the Board of Directors based on the SRC’s recommendations.

Adannah Udeh and Abigail Hackam

Notification

Grant recipients are notified of their award by June. Within two weeks following notification of the award, a letter of acceptance must be returned to FFS, signed by the grant recipient, the department chair or sponsor, and administrative officer.

Payment

Grants-in-Aid, Summer Student Fellowships and Post-Doctoral awards are made payable to the institution. Summer students do not have to be matriculated at the institution where the research is conducted. These awards should be paid to the students in a manner consistent with institutional policies; however, no fringe benefits, overhead or indirect costs may be charged against ANY FFS award.

Payments for Grants-in-Aid and Postdoctoral Fellowships are made semi-annually to the institution. Changes to the budget require prior approval from FFS.

Human Research

All applicants proposing to conduct research involving human subjects must obtain appropriate approvals from the Institutional Review Board where the research is to be undertaken before funds will be transferred.

Animal Research

Investigators using animals must adhere to the ARVO resolution concerning the use of animals in research (IOVS 31:781, 1990). Approval date and number must be indicated before funds will be transferred.

Reports & Acknowledgements

An interim progress report is required from all Postdoctoral Fellows and Grant-in-Aid recipients in December. If, for some reason, the fellowship has not commenced, or the project has not started, a report must still be submitted with the reasons for the delay. If the progress report is not received, FFS reserves the right to withhold the final payment and terminate the grant.

A final report and financial statement must be submitted within 30 days of the conclusion of the grant. Recipients will receive a reminder and a form to complete prior to the deadline. Institutions may be denied additional grants where, after proper notification, an investigator has not submitted a final report. Unexpended funds must be returned to FFS.

Individuals with a Summer Student Fellowship are expected to complete a summary of accomplishments and future plans when their fellowship is completed.

In some cases, a no-cost extension will be granted if the applicant submits a provisional progress report and written request for extension.

Investigators are encouraged to make the results of their research available to the scientific community. All manuscripts, abstracts, posters, reports and other publications resulting from FFS-supported research must acknowledge that the study was funded (in whole or in part) by FFS.

Relocation and Transfers

FFS does not permit the transfer of a Postdoctoral or Summer Student Fellowships to other institutions. FFS should be contacted immediately if a student or fellow will be ineligible or unavailable. Generally, these grants are terminated and the awards returned.

In some cases, Grants-in-Aid may be relocated if the investigator moves to a new institution. A written request must be submitted with a report of the work accomplished and expenditures to date, co-signed by the department chair and administrative officer. Any unexpended funds must be returned to FFS. A letter accepting the project by the chair and administrative officer at the new site is required before a check with the balance of the grant is forwarded to that institution.

Termination

A grant may be terminated or cancelled by FFS upon notice to the grant recipient and the chair at our discretion. Termination of a grant may occur: (i) if circumstances prevent completion of the grant or fellowship; (ii) if any member of the research team is found to have committed scientific misconduct or fraud, (iii) if appropriate IRB or administrative approvals have not been secured; or (iv) if FFS has determined that the recipient has received overlap funding or that the grant is not being used for the purposes originally proposed. A report on the work conducted to the date of termination and a financial accounting are required.

Contact Information

Should you have technical problems concerning the electronic grant submission process, please contact the Technical Support Team at 434-964-4100 or 888-503-1050 or ts.mcsupport@thomson.com

For all other questions about the grant program, including deadlines, payment and reporting, please contact us directly.