RFA 2026-1

RFA 2026-1 is sponsored by Diabetes Research Connection (DRC). The Diabetes Research Connection offers seed funding to early-career scientists for innovative Type 1 Diabetes research in broad areas, including cure and care, and complications.

Submit Your Type 1 Diabetes Research Project | Diabetes Research Connection How to Apply for Type 1 Diabetes Research Funding Researchers submit a three-page proposal that is reviewed by our Scientific Review Committee (SRC) Around the world, people affected by the disease are in search of solutions for Type 1 Diabetes, looking towards bold and bright scientists like you for answers.

We facilitate connections between donors and scientists making it easier to secure funding. Around the world, people affected by the disease are in search of solutions for Type 1 Diabetes, looking towards bold and bright scientists like you for answers. We facilitate connections between donors and scientists making it easier to secure funding.

You are eligible to apply for funding if you are an early-career scientist in the U. S, including any of the following: Graduate student enrolled in a Ph. D.

, MD, or MD/Ph. D. program Junior faculty (Assistant Professor or equivalent).

Eligibility for funding extends regardless of whether you have received a pre- or post-doctoral fellowship Career Development Award (including NIH K-series), or if you are listed under any title than PI on an awarded research gift agreement. Your research must focus on Type 1 Diabetes, and you should not have received significant NIH funding as a Principal Investigator (PI).

Applicants must adhere to all the key requirements in the application process, content, format, requirements and deadline. You are ineligible to submit an application if you: Plan to conduct your research at a foreign institution. We can only direct funds to institutions in the United States.

Are NIH Funded as a Principal Investigator (PI) Have been awarded a R01 grant Are a Staff Scientists, Senior Researcher, or at an Associate Level If you have received a DRC grant in the past as a post doc If you are a graduate student who is NOT enrolled in a PhD, MD or MD/PhD program.

Immediate Funding is Available Donor-Driven, Peer-Reviewed, Innovative Diabetes Research Applicants should pay close attention to the following “key requirements”: The proposed work must be completed within 1 year from the date of initial funding. Applicants shall provide DRC with a semiannual report and a final research report, in both “scientific” and “lay terms”.

DRC will share these updates on its website with donors to keep them informed regarding progress, and to promote further fund-raising activities. Investigators may edit these progress reports before they are posted on DRC’s website to protect the researcher’s ability to publish his or her results in scientific journals.

Applicants are obliged to keep DRC informed regarding any major funding they secure as a result of DRC support and shall give credit to DRC as a funding source for the research project. RFA (Request for Application) cycles for 2026 RFA 2026-1: Open July 1; closes July 31, 2026 Funding awards from $25,000 up to $75,000 for one year.

Graduate student applicants are eligible for funding up to $50,000, while post-doctoral fellows through assistant professors (or equivalent) are eligible for funding up to $75,000. Approved applicants will receive half of the funds for their project within 3-6 months of applying and the other half of the funds over the span of the research project timeline.

For more details about submitting your project, click FAQ’s for Applicants . Email our grant administrator to receive notification of RFA opening or if you have issues submitting your project: Research@diabetesresearchconnection. org DRC has distributed approximately $4.

1M in research seed-funding | $79M in research We grant up to $75,000 to support Up to $75,000 is available for each research project we support, highlighting the urgent need for continued investigation into Type 1 Diabetes. This funding is vital for uncovering new treatments and ultimately a cure, offering hope to millions affected by this condition.

Through dedicated research, we aim to improve lives and change the future of Type 1 Diabetes care.

Our Active Research Projects Project #60: GPER, inflammation and diabetic kidney disease 6 Month Update The goal of our pilot project is to identify the role that the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) plays in the development and progression of kidney disease […] Apply for Type 1 Diabetes Research Funding 6 Month Update Aim 1. Determine the viral infection history of T1D patients compared to healthy controls.

Methods: We designed 15,000 oligonucleotides covering all 6 of the insulin carrying viruses and […] Project #62: LGR4-ECD: A potential therapeutic for type 1 diabetes-related beta cell stress 6 Month Update Our studies have identified a novel pathway consisting of two receptors, LGR4 (Leucine-rich repeat-containing G-protein-coupled receptor 4), a positive, and RANK (Receptor Activator of NFκB), a negative regulator, whose […] Project #63: The role of PD-L1 in beta cell extracellular vesicles in type-1 diabetes 6 Month Update The primary objective of this DRC-funded project is to investigate the role of PD-L1 molecules in beta cells under stress conditions, hypothesizing that they may increase to […] Project # 64: aE-catenin: Gatekeeper of Endocrine cell proliferation & ß-cell Regeneration Project Description Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is caused by the autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing β-cells while leaving behind other pancreatic islet cell types.

Over the past decade, research has demonstrated […] Project #67: Identifying an autoreactive B-cell signature in at-risk T1D individuals Project Description The immune system, which normally protects us from infection, can improperly attack the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreatic islets, which leads to type 1 diabetes (T1D).

Often, […] Project #66: Investigating the role of risk locus BACH2 rs72928038 in limiting adaptive immune repertoire diversity and promoting effector memory phen … Project Description Type 1 Diabetes is an autoimmune disease which involves both environmental and genetic drivers.

It is thought that genetic mutations that contribute to T1D impact the function of […] Project #68: Direct reprogramming pancreatic ductal cells into insulin-producing cells by controlling the epigenome using AI-designed mini-protein Epi … Project Description In Type 1 Diabetes (T1D), the immune system mistakenly attacks the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin, leaving the body unable to regulate blood sugar levels properly.

[…] Project #70: Combined inhibition of RANKL/RANK and DYRK1A pathways for T1D therapy Project Description Type 1 diabetes (T1D) occurs due to a loss of insulin producing beta cells in the pancreas.

The hormone insulin regulates blood glucose levels which is vital for […] Project #69: Role of miR-192 in the derivation of pancreatic islet tissue from pluripotent stem cells Project Description Stem cells offer new hopes for cell replacement therapies to cure Type 1 Diabetes (T1D), an autoimmune disease causing the loss of insulin-producing b-cells.

Yet, despite promising results from […] Frequently Asked Questions Why The Diabetes Research Connection? The Diabetes Research Connection was established by a group of experienced diabetes researchers who were concerned over the scarcity of funding for innovative, discovery-stage science.

We created a crowdfunding platform to connect ambitious early-career research scientists with potential donors so they could launch innovative diabetes research projects as quickly, and with as little bureaucracy, as possible. The Diabetes Research Connection facilitates up to $75,000 in seed funding to young scientists to perform one-year-long experiments in the categories of Cure, Care, Complications or Prevention.

Scientists who manage to establish proof of a concept are positioned to leverage it to apply for larger grants from major funders. This crowdfunding model empowers donors to influence the direction of diabetes research, diabetes prevention, and a type 1 diabetes cure while providing a platform for young scientists to promote and pursue innovative ideas.

Through social networking, we connect investigators with sponsors – hence the word “Connection” in our name. What Is The Role Of The Reviewer? All reviewers are selected by Diabetes Research Connection’s Internal Scientific Committee and its Board of Directors.

Our 80+-person Scientific Review Committee is comprised of eminent diabetes researchers. Our Layperson Committee is a group of well-informed non-scientists who have diabetes themselves, or have a family member or friend who is affected by the disease. Together, these committees provide rigorous peer-reviews to assure our donors of the scientific validity and exciting potential of the projects they hope to fund.

Diabetes Research Connection reviewers foster the connection between young scientists and donors. Our reviewers offer valuable skills and expertise to make a meaningful contribution to the organization’s mission.

If you are an established diabetes researcher, you are naturally concerned about the continuity of exploration in your field – and you know how difficult it is for young researchers to secure funding for anything beyond the most conventional projects. If you are someone who is affected by diabetes, you look at innovative investigations as a source of excitement and hope.

Applicants for Diabetes Research Connection grants are the next generation of innovators, and you have the power to make a positive impact on their future. This is your chance to leave a legacy, to make a difference. We are deeply grateful for your participation.

How Does The Review Process Work? There are three phases to our review process. When Diabetes Research Connection receives a one-page Letter of Intent, we screen it for completeness and then send it electronically through our grant management system to all members of our Scientific Review Committee for a Phase 1 review.

Every member of the committee is asked to read the Letter of Intent and approve or reject it based on the quality of the basic concept. If the proposal is approved, it proceeds to Phase 2 where the applicant is invited to submit a detailed three-page Grant Application. In Phase 2, we select three reviewers who are specialists in the applicant’s area of investigation to independently review the Grant Application.

These specialists approve or reject it based on the NOVELTY, SCIENTIFIC MERIT and FEASIBILITY of the proposed science, as well as the applicant’s ability to perform the study. If the proposal is approved by two out of three reviewers, it is approved for funding and proceeds to Phase 3. In Phase 3, approved grantees create a website presentation to “sell” their idea to donors.

Members of our Layperson Committee – people who represent our donor demographic – work with scientists on their presentations to be sure that non-scientists can comprehend them and will be inspired to donate to them. Who Can Apply For A Grant?

The Diabetes Research Connection invites applications from graduate students, post-doctoral Fellows, Instructors, Assistant Professors (or their equivalent at research institutions) and other pre-tenured scientists who propose novel, early-stage diabetes research.

Your own associates, as well as personal acquaintances, are welcome to apply as long as you recuse yourself from all aspects of the decision-making process pertaining to their applications. We have created a crowdfunding platform where young research scientists showcase their approved concepts to potential donors – people visiting our site who are looking relentlessly for solutions to Type 1 Diabetes.

Our Layperson Committee helps grantees create website presentations that are both comprehendible and compelling to non-scientists in order to optimize their chances of reaching their fundraising goal. Whenever possible, Diabetes Research Connection will supplement funding to support deserving projects that are falling short of their fundraising goal.

Diabetes Research Connection gives early-career scientists the opportunity to perform innovative Type 1 Diabetes research in the broad areas of cure and care, including complications. DRC will accept grant applications running from July 1, 2026, until July 31, 2026. Please contact DRC by email if you have any questions.

We invite early-career scientists from post-doctoral fellows to assistant professors, or equivalent, whose work is focused on Type 1 Diabetes to apply. It’s All About Connecting With Donors Grants range from $25,000 up to $75,000 for one year. Scientists will receive 100% of funds donated to their project!

Due to the small size of these grants, we limit the amount your institution takes for overhead (IDC) to 10%. Grant amount requested: $50,000 Institutional overhead (IDC): $ 5,000 Spendable budget: $45,000 Budgets should include expenditures on salary, consumables, equipment, IDC (maximum 10%), etc. Diabetes Research Connection does not support travel, meeting registration fees, professional memberships or publication costs.

Some of the funds may be used for salary; if you provide evidence that your salary is fully covered by other sources, all of your funding can be used for research expenses. Please justify equipment purchases that will exceed 10% of your budget. Protecting Intellectual Property All members of our Scientific Review Committee sign confidentiality agreements.

However, as with projects submitted to other granting organizations such as NIH, JDRF and ADA, once you post descriptive materials on the Internet, your work is in the public domain, viewable by your colleagues and competitors.

The Diabetes Research Connection does not accept any responsibility for confidential information released to the public via postings on its website, or for information submitted by scientists seeking research support. You may want to discuss applying to Diabetes Research Connection with your Office of Technology Transfer or other advisors.

Researchers own the rights to research discoveries, subject to their agreements with their host institutions. We ask you to list Diabetes Research Connection and the names of your larger donors as sponsors in any public presentations or publications related to the project.

Should a discovery ultimately derive a monetary benefit, we ask you to consider repaying the grant so it can provide support for additional innovative, early-stage research. Your Grant Application should consist of the following: Hypothesis – what do you propose to do? Background and rationale for the project The Grant Application is restricted to three (3) letter-size pages, single-spaced in 11 point Arial font.

You should put your budget, citations, and CV in separate attachments where indicated. Each application received a minimum of three reviews from by selected members of the Scientific Review Committee, who are experts in your specific area of inquiry. They will review the application based on novelty, scientific merit, and feasibility of the science proposed, as well as your ability to peform the study.

We receive many application, and although many receive positive reviews, we are limited in funding and can only fund the top scoring applications. If rejected, we invite applicant to reapply, if and only if, the application is meaningfully revised. You can request to receive select feedback on your application by emailing research@diabetesresearchconnection.

org . DRC will accept grant applications between July 1, 2026, until July 31, 2026.. Please contact DRC by email if you have any questions.

To keep your donors apprised of your progress, we will also ask you to submit a PROGRESS REPORT no more than 6 months after the research project is funded, and a FINAL REPORT no more than 3 months after the research project is completed. We will provide a template reporting form and we will send a copy of your final report to your donors. We encourage you to publish encouraging results in peer-reviewed scientific journals.

We hold every hope that your project will result in proof of a concept that you can leverage to apply for additional grants from larger funding institutions. Regardless of outcome, every research project advances the body of knowledge, which is why Diabetes Research Connection posts ALL final reports on its website. We grant up to $75,000 to support each research project #InnovativeDiabetesResearch