The deadline for the 2012 grants cycle was December 30, 2011. We are no longer accepting applications for 2012. Thank you to all who applied. If you did not receive an email confirmation confirming receipt of your application, immediately contact the NBF at nbf@aabb.org. The review process has begun and will continue until early June when projects to be funded will be announced. Funds will be disbursed in July, 2012. All applicants will receive a detailed critique of their application, pointing out strengths and weaknesses and recommendations for strengthening the proposal.
New application forms for the 2013 cycle will be posted in June or July, 2012 with a deadline of 5 pm EST on December 30, 2012. Please note that you should check back before the deadline to see if any changes have been made to the application forms, formats or procedures. Changes may occur to the application process up to the deadline and we have no way of telling you this except via this web page. So check back frequently to make sure you are up-to-date on all forms and processes before you submit your application.
If you have any questions on this application process, please contact the NBF at nbf@aabb.org or at +1.301.215.6552.
General tips to help you apply for NBF Grants
- Make sure you meet eligibility guidelines and the application deadline which is December 30 of each year.
- Plan ahead! Producing a strong application takes time and final selection is based, in part, on the quality of your application and accompanying material.
- Have a clear strategy. Make sure all parts of your application form an integrated whole and make sense for your objectives.
- Read and follow the instructions carefully. The instructions are your guide to creating a complete and competitive application.
- Submit information regarding available funding from other sources (fellowships, scholarships, sponsorships…).
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
If I already received an NBF grant in the past, can I apply for another grant?
Yes, although the project and the career stage of the investigator would be closely evaluated and this is usually not encouraged. There is a limit of two NBF grants.
If I already submitted a grant application in the past but did not receive funding, am I eligible to apply again?
Yes, you are encouraged to resubmit an application using the reviewers’ critique as a guide to modify and strengthen the application. Many previously unfunded applicants receive funding after resubmitting a second application. However, after three submissions, applications will no longer be accepted.
Am I eligible to apply if I have a master’s degree?
Yes. An applicant can be a doctor (MD or PhD), medical technologist preferably with an advanced degree, or any transfusion medicine professional working in he U.S. or outside the U.S. Emphasis will be given to first time applicants who are no more than five years post training or second time applicants who have submitted a strong progress report. More experienced researchers who are changing fields to transfusion medicine and cellular therapies are also eligible for funding. Priority in awarding grants will be given to innovative, new projects.
Am I eligible to apply if I am or if I plan to pursue my post-doc in a university of another country outside the U.S.?
Yes. NBF grants are international in scope. Applicants do not have to be a U.S. citizen. All applicants will be considered regardless of age, race, gender, national origin or religion.
Which disciplines are eligible?
Eligible applicants are those working or training in disciplines that impact transfusion medicine, cellular therapies or related sciences. For examples, see the next question. Priority in awarding grants will be given to innovative, new projects.
What areas of science are funded?
The most important focus of the proposed research is transfusion medicine, to include aspects of immunology, hematology, tissue and transplantation medicine, cellular therapies and related biological therapies, emerging infectious disease, immunohematology, donor health and recruitment and retention, and implementation of technological devices. Priority is given to new investigators and innovative projects with the potential to have a practical impact on patients and donors in transfusion medicine. Important areas of research for the grant program include:
TRANSFUSION MEDICINE AND IMMUNOLOGY: Alloimmunization, immune modulation, and tolerance; Animal models for the study of graft-vs-host disease; Biology of autoimmune hemolytic anemia.
CELLULAR THERAPIES , AND HEMATOLOGY: Autologous and allogeneic bone marrow transplants; Detection of residual disease following marrow transplants; Effects of growth factors in vitro and in vivo; Biochemistry of coagulation factors.
TRANSFUSION MEDICINE AND IMMUNOHEMATOLOGY: Blood group serology: Biochemistry of red cell antigens; Molecular genetics of the blood groups.
TRANSFUSION MEDICINE AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES: Studies on lyme disease, West Nile Virus, SARS and babesiosis; Effect of allogeneic transfusion in HIV-infected patients; Improved detection of transfusion - transmitted diseases.
Grants applications are evaluated on the basis of their scientific merit, relevance to and impact on transfusion medicine and science, focus and appropriateness to the scope of funding, and likelihood of yielding meaningful data.
Is it necessary to provide the application in English?
Yes. Applications received in languages other than in English (including all supporting materials) will not be considered.
Is it necessary to apply electronically in a Word or PDF file and not with print copy?
Yes, it is mandatory that the application be submitted electronically in a Word or PDF file (as indicated in the instructions). Paper applications will NOT be accepted.
How many years is the grant typically for?
The project may cover one or two years, starting in July and completion by the next June 30 for one-year terms and ending two years on June 30 for two-year terms. The award amount does not change.
After submitting my application online, can I modify it before the closing date?
You can update your application and send any additional materials that meet the guidelines before the cutoff date of midnight, December 30. After the deadline, no changes or additions can be made and all applicants will receive a notification e-mail. If you do not receive a confirmation email, please email nbf@aabb.org immediately.
I've just submitted my application, what else am I expected to do?
All applicants will receive a confirmation notification e-mail. If you do not receive a confirmation email, please email nbf@aabb.org immediately. You will also be contacted if there are any questions about your application. Please make sure that the NBF has your current contact information even if you temporarily move for the summer or go on vacation, etc. If we cannot reach you with questions your application may not be able to be evaluated.
When will I be informed of the selection results?
You will receive a letter indicating whether or not your proposal has been funded. All applicants will receive a letter and a copy of the reviewers’ critique. Awarded applicants will then receive a personal phone call or e-mail. Unsuccessful applicants will usually receive a formal letter in June. The Grants Review Committee meets in the spring to make its recommendations and the final funding approval is made by the NBF Board of Trustees in late May or early June. Grantees who will be funded are announced in June and funds are disbursed in early July.
How are grant recipients selected?
The selection process includes several rounds of review. A committee of eminent scientists (whose names are withheld in anonymity), in transfusion medicine and cellular therapies (the Grants Review Committee) reviews each application on its scientific merit and the quality of the proposal. Worthy applications are moved forward to a second review. Reviewers meet via conference call to discuss the results and reviews and move the top proposals forward to the Scientific Grants Review Committee which meets face-to-face to thoroughly discuss the potential of each remaining application as to its science, its capability of achieving the goals and the potential contribution to advancing transfusion medicine and cellular therapies. The grants review committee forwards recommendations to the Foundation boards in late May/early June for their approval. Approval is also required of the AABB board of directors before funds are disbursed.
Why is a particular proposal not selected?
There are a limited number of awards that can be funded by the NBF foundation. Staff cannot engage in individual correspondence or discuss reasons for not receiving a grant. A detailed reviewers’ critique is sent to each applicant. Applications are typically unsuccessful due to the following reasons:
poor quality; incomplete application; insufficient evidence or data to support the proposal’s aims; flawed science; budgetary overlap with current funding in the laboratory or overlap mentor funding; junior investigator not judged to be moving to independent investigator track; or level of qualification - the Foundation funds PhD, or MD or persons engaged in transfusion medicine or cellular therapies affiliated with an accredited institution. Lastly, priority in awarding grants will be given to new investigators and innovative, new projects.
After Funding by NBF
If I need more time to complete my project than I anticipated, can I receive an extension?
Yes, you may apply for a 6-month or 12-month extension for your one- or two-year term by filling out a Request for Grant Change form and sending it to the NBF at nbf@aabb.org.
If I need additional funding for my projects, can I obtain more funding from the NBF?
No, funding for each project is limited to a total of $75,000 or the amount requested in the application for the entire period of the project, either one year or two (NOT per year).
If I need additional funding for my project, can I obtain more funding from other funding sources?
Yes, but budgetary overlap must be carefully outlined and documented in the NBF proposal with specific information on source and scope.
If I change institutions, may I still retain my NBF funding on my project?
Yes, you may but you must inform the NBF at nbf@aabb.org that you are changing institutions and give us your new contact information.
Must I prepare reports on my NBF funded project?
Yes, a Final Report is necessary and must be received by the NBF within 60 days of completion of your project. The Final Report form must be submitted in this format to be eligible for the Pall Prize. An Interim Report is no longer necessary.
What is the Pall Prize?
The Pall Prize is awarded to innovative and creative research that may ultimately lead to improving transfusion medicine outcomes. This winner of this prize of $10,000 is chosen from the Final reports submitted by NBF grantees and is generously supported by a contribution from the Pall Corporation. The awardee will give a lecture at the Grants Luncheon and Lecture at the AABB annual meeting.