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Bridge Funding for Disrupted Neurodegenerative Research Grant Program (BFDN) Powering the Next Generation of Research

Alzheimer‘s Association

Program overview

U.S. federal government-sponsored research funding has experienced a series of changes that challenge ongoing research initiatives and the future of the U.S. biomedical research enterprise. Maintaining continuity of funding for these projects enables further scientific progress and is critical to millions of Americans affected by Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and other neurodegenerative disorders and age-related causes of dementia — and millions more who may be affected by these diseases in the future, as rates for neurological disease are increasing around the world and expected to double as age is the biggest risk factor.

Recent advances in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disorders research show tremendous promise, and ensuring funding for priority research grants is vital for investigators to effectively and efficiently perform life-saving research and carry out public health programs toward better health outcomes for the United States — and the world.

As the world’s largest nonprofit funders with a shared commitment and purpose to deliver better treatments and a cure for (respectively) Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and related disorders, the Alzheimer’s Association and The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research are launching the Bridge Funding for Disrupted Neurodegenerative Research (BFDN) grant program. The Alzheimer’s Association has partnered with the Robertson Foundation to support this unique funding program.

This program specifically aims to 1) ensure support for early career researchers (based on NIH definition), who have not yet had the opportunity to fully establish their labs and position their projects for ongoing funding, and 2) provide bridge or interim funding for salary and other direct costs for research projects focused on Alzheimer’s disease, Frontotemporal Dementia, Parkinson’s disease, Dementia with Lewy Bodies, atypical Parkinson's and / or other related disorders that have been have been impacted by a series of changes at NIH.

AI Based Application Success Predictor

1. Strong Alignment with Alzheimer’s Disease & Related Dementias (AD/ADRDs)

Successful proposals clearly address:

Disease mechanisms (amyloid, tau, synaptic dysfunction, neuroinflammation, proteostasis, vascular pathways).

Risk, prevention, or early detection strategies.

Human-based or translational models.

Clinical relevance for AD/ADRD populations.

Predictor: The project must be directly tied to improving understanding, diagnosis, or treatment of AD/ADRD.

2. Clear Fit with the Correct Award Mechanism

Successful applicants match career stage, independence level, and project scope to the right award:

AARG / AARG-D (early faculty; 2–15 yrs post-doc)

AARG-NT (non-traditional fields)

AACSF (clinician-scientist fellows)

AACSD (diversity-focused career development)

Part the Cloud (ready-for-human trials; high translational impact)

Diagnostics Accelerator (biomarker development)

ISTAART Awards (member-focused research + travel)

Predictor: Applicants choose the award that matches their experience, goals, and preliminary data expectations.

3. Strong Preliminary Data (Even for Early-Career Grants)

Most successful applications include:

Compelling pilot data supporting feasibility.

Proof-of-concept that the hypothesis is testable.

Clear rationale linking preliminary findings to the proposed work.

Predictor: Solid preliminary data dramatically increases competitiveness, even in “seed” mechanisms.

4. Clear, Focused, and Feasible Specific Aims

Winning proposals feature:

2–3 sharply defined aims.

Logical progression from Aim 1 → Aim 2 → Aim 3.

Realistic completion plan within 2–3 years.

Explicit milestones, outcomes, and go/no-go criteria.

Predictor: Focused, milestone-driven plans are rated highly in peer review.

5. High Innovation + High Impact (Dual Requirement)

Successful applications demonstrate both:

A clear innovative concept or approach, and

A realistic potential to shift the AD/ADRD research field.

Examples:

Novel biomarkers (blood, saliva, digital, retinal).

First-in-class targets (immunology, proteostasis therapies).

Precision medicine approaches.

AI/ML-based diagnostic or prediction tools.

Predictor: Innovation PLUS plausible translational impact.

6. Strong Mentorship & Institutional Environment (Critical for Early Career Awards)

For AARG, AACSF, AACSD:

Named mentors with strong, relevant AD expertise.

Clear training plan.

Institutional commitment letters ensuring protected time (e.g., 75%).

Access to core facilities (biostatistics, imaging, neuropathology, data science).

Predictor: Proposals with well-structured mentorship plans and protected research time score highest.

7. Rigor, Reproducibility, and Statistical Strength

High-scoring proposals include:

Power analyses and statistical approaches.

Transparent, reproducible methodology.

Risk mitigation strategies.

Predictor: Clear rigor and reproducibility (R&R) sections strengthen competitiveness.

8. Community, Diversity, and Inclusion Factors

The Alzheimer’s Association places strong emphasis on:

Recruitment of diverse participants (racial/ethnic, socioeconomic, rural/urban).

Workforce diversity (AACSD, AARG-D).

Community engagement strategies.

Predictor: Demonstrating a D&I plan that is concrete and feasible increases scoring in multiple programs.

9. Clear Translatability / Path to Impact

Even basic science applications are strengthened by:

A pathway toward clinical utility or human-relevant outcomes.

Plans to use human biospecimens, human iPSC models, or real-world cohorts.

Predictor: Reviewers favor projects with a visible path toward human impact.

10. Well-Structured, Persuasive Writing

Successful applicants consistently:

Use clear, concise, well-organized writing.

Highlight novelty and significance early in the application.

Address weaknesses up front (e.g., model limitations).

Predictor: High-scoring grants are polished, persuasive, and easy to follow.

🏆 Summary Table

Predictor	Why It Matters
AD/ADRD-specific focus	Alignment with mission
Correct award mechanism choice	Avoids mismatched expectations
Strong preliminary data	Demonstrates feasibility
Clear Specific Aims	Improves reviewer understanding
Innovation + impact	Dual requirement in review
Mentorship & environment	Supports training and execution
Rigor & feasibility	Essential for fundability
Diversity & inclusion	High priority for many programs
Translational potential	Aligns with Association goals
Excellent writing	Increases reviewer enthusiasm

Specialties

Neurosciences

Eligibility Requirements

To avoid disqualification, investigators are encouraged to carefully consider these eligibility and ineligibility requirements before applying. The Alzheimer’s Association and The Michael J. Fox Foundation reserve the right to deem an investigator ineligible to submit for a particular program, based on the guidelines below. This section describes general inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Eligibility (applicant)

Applicants must be an Early Stage Investigator (ESI) based on the NIH definition:
- An ESI is a Program Director / Principal Investigator who has completed their terminal research degree or end of post-graduate clinical training, whichever is later, within the past 10 years and who has not previously competed successfully as a PD / PI for a substantial NIH independent research award. More details are available at: https://grants.nih.gov/policy-and-compliance/policy-topics/early-stage-investigator. The intention of this program is to provide bridge funding for ESI who had either their K or R, or other ESI-specific investigator-led award disrupted in recent months.
Applicants must be able to demonstrate research disruption based on recent US federal funding challenges and provide the NIH review and / or summary statement as part of the application.
Applicants must demonstrate financial need for their continued research program to move forward.
Adjustments to this eligibility period may be considered for documented career interruptions such as family leave, military service, or major illness or injury. The approval of any exemptions must be obtained prior to submitting a Letter of Intent(LOI).
Only one primary PI per application. Multiple PI projects are not eligible. However, collaborators may be included as key personnel on the project.
Applicants who have had their full-time status reduced, but remain faculty at the institution, due to funding challenges are considered eligible.&

Eligibility (organization / institution)

In general, public, private, research laboratories, medical centers, hospitals and universities are eligible to apply. However, scientists in state and federal government-appropriated labs can participate as collaborating scientists with research teams at eligible applicant institutions.
- For the Letter of Intent (LOI), you will be required to upload proof of your organization’s not-for-profit status. An IRS Letter of Determination is no longer accepted and you must submit either of the following:
  - a W-9 that is signed and dated within the past five years by the signing official for US entities
  - a W-8 or W-8-BEN that is signed and dated within the past five years by the signing official
  - each must include the EIN, TIN or VAT number
For non-profit organizations (non-academic), additional documentation may be required to confirm your organization has segregation of duties between transaction execution and transaction recording.

Ineligibility (applicant)

Applicants that do not meet the NIH definition of ESI are ineligible (NIH definition: https://grants.nih.gov/policy-and-compliance/policy-topics/early-stage-investigators)
Applicants who have not experienced research disruption due to federal policies in the US are not eligible.
Individuals currently enrolled as a student in an undergraduate, Master or Doctoral Program are not eligible, regardless of prior degree status.
Those with T32 or other institutions led training programs that had disruptions in funding are not eligible.
Temporary or part-time time or acting faculty are not eligible. Note, for faculty who have had their time reduced due to funding challenges, they are still eligible.
Applicants may not submit more than one proposal, even if the proposals cover distinctly different topics (i.e., only one application is allowed regardless of distinct areas of focus). Members of the same team may submit different aspects of a project to different programs, provided that they are complementary and not the same project.
Investigators delinquent in reporting. The Alzheimer's Association will not accept new grant applications from investigators currently awarded an Association grant who are delinquent in submitting required reports and other deliverables on active grants. Investigators that have previous Alzheimer’s Association awards closed as ‘Incomplete’ are not eligible to apply without exception. This policy will be strictly adhered to with no exceptions.
Overlapping funding of more than one Alzheimer's Association grant is not allowed. Investigators with Association awards in programs not listed above may still apply to a program listed in this call, but the project must be distinct from their current award.
Applications that represent the same aspects of a project should not be submitted to different programs of the Alzheimer’s Association. There are some exceptions so please contact grantsapp@alz.org if you have questions.
Current MSAG and IRGP Council members of the Alzheimer’s Association cannot serve as principal investigators in any award. They may serve as key personnel or collaborators, provided there is no financial benefit and / or salary allocated to them.

Ineligibility (organization / institution)

State and federal government-appropriated laboratories in the U.S. and abroad and for-profit organizations are prohibited from serving as the applicant institutions for this program.
Applications will not be accepted if the institutional official responsible for fiscal oversight of the award also serves as the Principal Investigator (PI) on the project. Additionally, no familial relationship may exist between the PI and the institutional official with fiscal authority.

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: Alzheimer‘s Association

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: 225 N Michigan Ave. Floor 17 Chicago, IL 60601 800.272.3900

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