All Cystic Fibrosis Foundation-supported funding opportunities can be found in our Grants Management System at awards.cff.org.
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Independent Research Funding Opportunities
| Path to a Cure Collaborative Research Grant |
Purpose: To facilitate research that will contribute to the development of new therapies or therapeutic strategies to treat cystic fibrosis with an emphasis on advancing CFTR gene repair and replacement approaches. Funding: May not exceed $1 million/year + 12% indirect costs Duration: 3 years Deadline: November |
| Pilot and Feasibility Award |
Purpose: To support (non-Path to a Cure related) basic science research studies focused on developing and testing new hypotheses in areas relevant to cystic fibrosis. Funding: $50,000/year + 12% indirect costs Duration: 2 years Deadlines: May & December |
| Path to a Cure Pilot and Feasibility Award |
Purpose: To support basic science research studies focused on developing and testing new hypotheses in areas relevant to the Path to a Cure Initiative (see guidelines for areas of interest). Funding: $50,000/year + 12% indirect costs Duration: 2 years Deadlines: May & December |
| Path to a Cure Pioneer Award |
Purpose: To support paradigm-shifting technologies that have the potential to cure CF at the cellular and/or genetic level Funding: As agreed upon + 12% indirect costs Duration: 3 years Deadline: Rolling |
| Clinical Pilot and Feasibility Award |
Purpose: To enable investigators to collect sufficient preliminary data to determine the best strategies and methods for approaching a major question that ultimately will require assessment through a larger scale research and/or multi-center, collaborative clinical trial. Funding: $80,000-$150,000/year + 12% indirect costs Duration: 2 years Deadlines:
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| Research Grants |
Purpose: To support (non-Path to a Cure related) basic science research that will provide new insights that contribute to the understanding of the basic etiology and pathogenesis of cystic fibrosis. Funding: $150,000/year + 12% indirect costs Duration: 2 years Deadlines: May & December |
| Path to a Cure Research Grants |
Purpose: To support basic science research that may enable the development of new therapies that directly impact CFTR function (see guidelines for areas of interest). Funding: $150,000/year + 12% indirect costs Duration: 2 years Deadlines: May & December |
| Clinical Research Award |
Purpose: To provide support for investigator-initiated clinical research projects that have the potential to make an important contribution to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's mission. Research projects may address diagnosis, treatment, management of disease or symptom, or the pathophysiology of cystic fibrosis, using clinical (observational/interventional), translational, or epidemiologic study approaches. Funding: $150,000 - $350,000 + 12% indirect costs Duration: 3 years Deadlines:
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| CFF/NIH R01 Unfunded Award |
Purpose: To provide bridge funding for CF-relevant R01 (or equivalent) applications that were submitted to NIH (or other governmental agencies) that scored in the 40th percentile but were not awarded by the funding agency. Funding: $125,000/year (indirect costs not allowed) Duration: Up to 2 years or until NIH funding is secured Deadline: Rolling until December 1 |
Training, Career Development, and Mentored Research Funding Opportunities
| Student Traineeship Award |
Purpose: To introduce students to cystic fibrosis research and encourage them to remain engaged in the field. Funding: $4,000 (indirect costs not allowed) Duration: 10-weeks to 1 year Deadline: Rolling |
| Travel Award Supplement |
Purpose: To support PhD students, postdocs, and junior faculty to participate in off-site training to learn new research skills and techniques to advance their research. Funding: $3,000 (indirect costs not allowed) Duration: Variable Deadline: Rolling |
Postdoctoral Fellows (Ph.D., D.V.M., Pharm.D., or equivalent terminal degree)
| Clinical Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Award |
Purpose: To enable training in new research areas and methods to advance the scientific knowledge of the applicant and to collect data to enable their transition into an impactful research career. Funding: Up to $75,000 in the first year and up to $76,500 in the second year (indirect costs not allowed) Duration: 2 years Deadline: December |
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| Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Award |
Purpose: To support (non-Path to a Cure related) postdoctoral research training related to cystic fibrosis. Funding: Up to $75,000 in the first year and $76,000 in the second year (indirect costs not allowed) Duration: 2 years Deadlines: May & December |
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| Path to a Cure Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Award |
Purpose: To support postdoctoral research training in topics related to the CFF Path to a Cure Initiative (see guidelines for areas of interest). Funding: Up to $75,000 first year and $76,000 second year (indirect costs not allowed) Duration: 2 years Deadlines: May & December |
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| Postdoc-to-Faculty Transition Awards |
Purpose: To support postdoctoral research fellows pursuing non-Path-to-Cure-related research during their fellowship and aid in their transition to an independent research faculty position. Funding: Up to $86,000 per year during the training phase of the award. The faculty phase includes $80,000 for salary support and $30,000 for research support. (Indirect costs not allowed.) Duration: 3 – 5 years Deadline: December |
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| Path to a Cure Postdoc-to-Faculty Transition Award |
Purpose: To support postdoctoral research fellows during their CF fellowship and aid in their transition to an independent research faculty position. Funding: Up to $75,000 in the first year, and up to $76,000 in the second year. Indirect costs are not allowable. Refer to the Policies and Guidelines for funding support table. Duration: Up to 5 years of combined support for research training and the initiation of independent research career. Deadline: December |
Clinical Fellows (M.D., D.O., or equivalent clinical degree)
| Clinical Fellowship Awards — Education and Training |
Purpose: To encourage specialized training in the early career development stage, provide exposure to CF research and patient care, and prepare well-qualified candidates for careers related to CF Funding: $73,000 for salary and benefits and $2,000 to attend NACFC per year (indirect costs not allowed) Duration: 1-2 years Deadline: February |
| Clinical Fellowship Awards — Research |
Purpose: For physicians who are engaged in fellowship training in a subspecialty related to CF care and seek support for fellowship training and a well-defined, CF-relevant research project. Funding: $105,000 in direct costs per year (indirect costs not allowed) Duration: 1-2 years Deadline: February |
| LeRoy Matthews Physician-Scientist Award |
Purpose: To encourage outstanding newly trained internists and pediatricians to enhance clinical proficiency in CF-related subspecialties and to develop the necessary research capabilities to become independent biomedical investigators. Funding: Ranges from $73,000 stipend plus $12,000 research and development for first year to $100,000 stipend plus $33,000 research and development for sixth year (indirect costs not allowed) Duration: 3-6 years Deadline: February |
Junior Faculty Development
| Harry Shwachman Clinical Investigator Award |
Purpose: To provide the opportunity for promising, clinically trained physicians with a commitment to research to develop into independent biomedical researchers who have active involvement in CF-related areas. Funding: $100,000 salary support per year plus $33,000 for supplies (indirect costs not allowed) Duration: 3 years Deadline: February |
Care Enhancement and Care Team Development Funding Opportunities
| LEAPP CF: Leadership and Education Advanced Practice Provider Fellowship Program |
Purpose: To expand the number of CF providers in outpatient pediatric and adult care programs Funding: Up to $74,110 in Year 1; up to $77,200 in Year 2, plus 12% indirect costs Duration: 2 years Deadline: Next offered in 2026 |
| Developing Innovative Gastroenterology Specialty Training (DIGEST) Program |
Purpose: To expand the availability of CF-GI experts trained to address the unique gastroenterologic needs of CF patients and the need for a greater GI focus in the clinical research enterprise Funding: $30,000 (first year) Duration: 3 years Deadline: Next offered spring 2027 |
| EnVision CF: Emerging Leaders in CF Endocrinology III Program |
Purpose: To fund the training of physicians interested in developing expertise in the endocrinologic care of patients with CF Funding: Up to $54,000 per year Duration: 3 years Deadline: Next offered January 2026 |
| Screening Improvement Program (SIP) for Optimizing Diagnosis of Infants |
Purpose: Quality improvement (QI) awards for projects designed to improve the early diagnosis of CF through the newborn screening system and/or to improve the initial management of infants with positive screening tests and the follow-up communications with their families. Funding: $75,000 per year for 2 years (plus 12% indirect costs) Duration: 2 years Deadline: July |