Small-molecule CFTR modulators that directly target the mutant protein are powerful therapies that benefit the majority of people with cystic fibrosis. However, there is still a significant unmet need for people with CFTR mutations that:

• Do not respond to modulators
• Do not generate sufficient quantities of CFTR protein for correction
• Block protein synthesis (i.e., premature stop codon mutations, splice mutations, insertion/deletion mutations, etc.)

In addition, some people cannot tolerate currently approved modulators or cannot take them for other reasons (e.g., drug-drug interactions). To ensure all people with CF have access to effective CFTR-directed therapies, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation announced the Path to a Cure (PTAC) initiative in 2019. 

Award Types

There are four program options:

Focus of Proposals

Projects supported through the PTAC initiative should focus on foundational concepts, strategies, novel tools and methods, and/or technologies that have the potential to inform or ultimately translate into novel therapies to restore CFTR protein function or fix/replace the defective CFTR gene:

• Characterize and evaluate the functional role of cell populations within either or both large and small conducting airways and submucosal glands and the contribution of CFTR functional restoration to cell fate and function
• Develop and apply novel gene insertion technologies in eukaryotic cells as a means of repairing/replacing multiple mutant CFTR gene variants (such as hotspot repair/exon replacement) other than those already served by small-molecule modulators
• Evaluate potential gene insertion sites within the native CFTR locus or at safe harbor sites and determine the impact of chromosomal architecture and epigenetic state on insertion
• Identify targeting ligands or chemical modifications to improve cell- and/or tissue-specific delivery of nucleic acid-based therapies to the lungs and extrapulmonary organs
• Develop novel chemistries and strategies to deliver large gene editing components (DNA, RNA, RNP) to relevant cells and tissues
• Develop tools and strategies to evaluate immune and inflammatory response to genetic therapies (cargo and vehicle)
• Optimize and validate in vitro tools and assays to pre-clinically evaluate the efficacy and safety of restoring functional CFTR through gene repair, gene replacement, small molecules, or any other novel method in primary cells or tissues

General Guidelines and Eligibility

Please see individual policies and guidelines for additional guidelines and eligibility criteria. Eligibility requirements vary by award type.

Policies and Guidelines

Please review the appropriate Policies and Guidelines for complete submission information:

• Path to a Cure (PTAC) - Research Grant Policies and Guidelines
• Path to a Cure (PTAC) - Pilot and Feasibility Award Policies and Guidelines
• Path to a Cure (PTAC) - Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Award Policies and Guidelines
• Path to a Cure (PTAC) - Postdoc-to-Faculty Transition Award Policies and Guidelines

Deadline

Deadline for applications: May 12, 2026

Applications must be submitted online at awards.cff.org by 5 p.m. ET.

For More Information

Those who are interested in any funding programs offered by the CF Foundation can get further information, or discuss the potential relevance of their studies or research, by contacting the Grants and Contracts Management and Administration (GCMA) office at grants@cff.org.

Please Direct Inquiries to:

GCMA Office
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
4550 Montgomery Ave.
Suite 1100 N
Bethesda, MD 20814
800-FIGHT-CF
301-841-2614