Funding Opportunities for Geriatric Mental Health Researchers

Funding opportunities to meet some or all of the expenses associated with research on geriatric mental health issues is increasing. Grants are available though: 1) the federal government; 2) private charities; 3) Foundations; and 4) associations. When seeking possible sources of grant revenue for geriatric mental health research, it is critical to exhaust all possible sources in both the mental health area as well as the geriatric/aging area. Often these two issues and those individuals with jurisdiction over funding these issues are segregated within large foundations and governmental entities and in fact, some foundations and/or government entities may report that they only fund aging research or only fund mental health research. The researcher must put these two issues together and make compelling arguments why geriatric mental health research projects require the funding.

In addition to linking aging and mental health, it is also important for the researcher to follow the Federal appropriation’s process that provides funding for all federal programs – including research grants – on a yearly basis. Often times, Congress will signal the nation’s priorities by allocating increased appropriations to specific research or disease areas. These funds become available during the Federal fiscal year (October 1 – September 30) through the federal grant process. For example, in fiscal year (FY) 2000 and 2001, Congress urged the National Institutes of Health (through the National Institute on Aging) and the Administration on Aging to fund research on Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). In FY 2000, federal funding for AD research was increased to $409 million and in FY 2001, Federal funding for AD research was increased to $500 million.

The Federal government finances the majority of aging and mental health research and training funding, but private charities and foundation are becoming an increasingly important source for monies as well.

Following are some resources for funding geriatric mental health research projects.

Back to top of page

Private Sector

AARP Andrus Foundation
The private foundation associated with the American Association for Retired Persons (AARP) provided limited funding (under $1 million total) to research, education, training, and fellowships programs. The focus in 2000+ is on "healthy living". Contact: Jason Brown.

Alzheimer’s Association
The Alzheimer’s Association provides over $22 million in grant funding per year to researchers. Up to 99 individual awards are available. The focus in 1999-2001 is on interventions for Alzheimer’s Disease: including behavioral approaches to prevention, treatment, and care and biological approaches to prevention and treatment. The awards are usually granted toward the end of a calendar year. Contact: Nico Stanculescu. The specific programs include:

• New Investigator Research Grants – Supports new investigators so they may develop preliminary or pilot data, test procedures and develop hypothesizes to provide the basis for future grant applications to the NIH and other funding agencies.
• Investigator Initiated Research Grants – These researchers must address a question relevant to the scientific theme in any given year. Up to 65 awards are available in an amount up to $240,000 for three years.
• Senator Mark Hatfield Award for Clinical Research – This program is limited to investigators who received their doctoral degrees less than 10 years previous and their goal is to establish research careers focused on clinical issues in AD. Research grant applications must focus on clinical questions in interventions for Alzheimer’s.
• Zenith Fellow Award Program – This program provides major support for investigators who have contributed significantly to the field of AD research or have made significant contributions to other areas of science and are now beginning to focus more directly on problems to AD and are like to make substantial contributions to AD in the future. Proposed research must be cutting edge of basic or biomedical and address fundamental problems related to early detection, etiology, pathogenesis, treatment, or prevention. In 2000, five awards were available up to $250,000 for two years.
• Pioneer Award – these major funding programs focuses on research projects aimed at questions surrounding interventions for AD and provide flexible research support that will allow rapid midcourse adjustment in the ongoing resa3rch program. In 2000, one award of $1 million was available for up to five years in this category.

American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry

• Junior Investigator Award & Member-in-Training Award
  

Back to top of page

American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR)
This organization offers more than $9.2 million in grants per year for research and education. Programs include:

• AFAR Research Grants provides up to $50,000 for a one to two-year award to junior faculty (MD/PhD) to do research that will serve as the basis for long-term research efforts. Broad range of biomedical and clinical topics including genetic factors associated with AD. Also $25,000 for post doctoral fellows. Deadline – December 15 of each year.
• Paul Beeson Physician Faculty Scholar – This grant provides up to $450,000 for three years to allow junior faculty to devote time to research and training activities related to aging and care of the elderly. This grant is a joint initiative by John Hartford Foundation, Commonwealth Fund and FAR.
• AFAR/Merck – This program is supported by Merck and offers $120,000 in fellowship funds over a two-year period for individuals specializing in Geriatric Clinical Pharmacology.
• ISOA/AFAR – The Institute for the Study of Aging in partnership with AFAR offers funds for research directed toward drug discovery in cognitive decline and AD. Specifically, the research must promote transnational research and drug discovery for new agents in the treatment of cognitive decline and dementia. In 2000, two grants of $100,000 per year for two years to junior faculty (PhD MD) were available.
• AFAR Academic Geriatric Fellowship Program is funded in partnership with the John Hartford Foundation to foster development of a new generation of academic physicians competent in and committed to geriatric psychiatry. Up to 25 fellowships of $50,000 each will be awarded in 2001. The deadline for applications is February 19, 2001.
• AFAR/Pfizer Grants is a program that funds research in age-related neurodegenerative diseases. Up to $50,000 per award is available.

Hackensack University Medical Center
The medical center funds projects in New York City addressing palliative care across the long term care continuum. Funds are available to not for profit organizations. Contact: Barbara Vaitovas.

International Psychogeriatric Association
This association awards the Alois Alzheimer Award for outstanding achievements in research on AD. The award totals $20,000 and is supported by Novartis.

John Hartford Foundation
The Hartford Foundation as prioritized aging as a funding arena and has made many mover $1million grants for research and education projects related to aging. Specific programs are focusing on geriatric mental health. Contact: Mail@jhartfound.org.

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
This Foundation makes numerous awards in the health policy and research area. Recent focus has been on end-of-life-care. In addition, RWJ funds investigator awards in health policy research in association with the Association for Health Services Research.

Walgreen
Walgreen Company sponsors programs in non-profit organizations that focus on AD projects. The grants are focused in geographic areas where Walgreens have stores.

Back to top of page

Public Sector Funding

The following Federal Government entities provide considerable support for research in geriatric mental health. Each of the agencies has research funds, support for fellowships, and training programs. Detailed information about their program announcements, requests for applications, and forms and applications may be found on their individual websites. This information is intended as a summary of their research/training focus.

Most of the grant and funding programs associated with the National Institutes of Mental Health and the Agency for Research and Quality is requested through PHS (Public Health Service) 398 grant application forms. These forms may be found at http://www.nih.gov/grants/forms.htm.

The Institutes that comprise the National Institutes of Health (NIH) provide funding for both research and training through several different programs:

1. Extramural program support funds a variety of research projects. For most programs, the principal investigator must be conducting research at the postdoctoral level. There are additional grants targeted to junior researchers as well as midcareer and senior researchers. Other grant programs support multidisciplinary teams of researchers and could involve collaboration among three or more primary investigators.
2. Research Project (R Awards) funding includes traditional research projects, small research grants, research program projects and small business grants.
3. National Research Service Awards (F and D Awards) are designated for individual pre- or post doctoral fellowships institutional research training grants.
4. Research Center Grants support multi-disciplinary, long-term research and development programs at research centers. These centers should have a clinical orientation and are developed in response to Institutes requesting research in a specific area of need.
5. Conference grants (R Award) support sponsored national or regional meetings, conferences, or workshops.
6. Career Development Awards (K Awards) are training mechanisms at that focused on students beginning their research training, new postdoctoral researchers and clinicians interested in research and midcareer scientists who wish to change their career direction or expand their research skills. Training awards range from K01 Awards that provide funding for mentored research for new researchers or career enhancement; to K02 Awards for mid career individuals to become leaders in their chosen field to K07 Awards for research leaders who want to build research capacities at their institutions. Some of the funds may be used for salary dollars to provide free time to conduct research.

Administration on Aging
The AOA administers the Older Americans Act, which provides funds for multiple services to assist health professionals and family caregivers in the care of the elderly. The Older Americans Act was reauthorized by the U.S. Congress in 2000 and included new grant programs - aimed at state and local aging programs – to provide support services for the elderly.

Back to top of page

Agency for Health Care Research and Quality
AHRQ provides substantial grant support for research addressing outcomes of care, quality of care for vulnerable populations, research translation into practice, and research addressing medical errors.

National Institute on Aging (NIH)
The NIA offers numerous funding opportunities for research on aging. It is considered the lead and coordinating agency for all Federal Government activity on AD issues and research. Funds are available for AD drug discovery, AD clinical trial planning, AD pilot clinical trials, AD research centers, among other initiatives. The NIA also funds research to generate scientific knowledge to lead to improve care for those at end of life. Other current programs funded by NIA include studies on ginkgo biloba and the impact on cognitive decline, and medication utilization by the elderly.

The NIA received a large increase in funds designated for AD research in the FY 2001 appropriations.

National Institute on Mental Health (NIA)
The NIMH provides grants and support for numerous research projects on geriatric mental health issues including: geriatric psychopharmacology and geriatric psychotherapy. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) supports research grants, research training and career develop programs to increase knowledge and improve research methods on mental and behavioral disorders; to generate information regarding basic biological and behavioral processes underlying these disorders and the maintenance of mental health; and to develop and improve mental health treatment and services. Research and research training supported by the Institute may employ theoretical, laboratory, clinical, methodological, and field studies, any of which may involve clinical, sub clinical, and normal subjects and populations of all age ranges, as well as animal models appropriate to the system or disorder being investigated and to the state of the field. For further information, refer to: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/grants/index.cfm.

National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke
The NINDS provides grants and support on specialized neuroscience research. I, 2000, the NINDA increased the direct cost limit for program projects and clinical research centers grant applications to $ l million per year.

National Institute on Nursing Research
The NINR provides grants and support to research on managing mental and emotional challenges. Specific focus has been on research to develop programs to support the family caregiver.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
SAMHSA funds research on the behavioral needs of older adults.

Veterans Affairs
Research funds available through the VA are targeted toward nursing home care.

Back to top of page

Back to section contents