+ More Filters

Reset Filters

Title

Funding Organization

Funding Type

Eligible Country

Deadline

Other (Select all that apply)

Show Expired Programs

Show Verified Programs

Not Verified

Distinguished Scientist Award

The Sontag Foundation

Since 2003, the Sontag Foundation has invested over $65 million dollars to support the scientific careers of young investigators pursing high-risk projects at a critical stage in their research. Interested applicants should carefully read the following information about the award and application process before applying.

Key Application Dates:

 The application portal opens on January 12, 2026.

 The application deadline is March 18, 2026. The portal will close at 11:59pm ET.

 Funding awards will be announced in the Fall 2026.

Funding

 This award is $750,000; $150,000 per year for a five-year period (*In 2023 the total funding award increased to $750,000 over a five-year period from $600,000 over a four-year period).

 Grant agreements will be issued in October/November of the award year.

 The funding period for 2026 grants will begin on or about October 14, 2026 and end on September 30, 2031.

 Not more than $19,500 may be allocated annually for facilities and administration (F & A) charges or indirect costs. This amount is included in the annual payout of $150,000.

 Disbursements are made on a quarterly basis to the sponsoring institution for use by the award winner and are subject to annual review of his or her progress report.

 During the grant term, grantees are required to attend an annual scientific retreat held in February (all eligible expenses for grantee's travel, lodging, and meals are covered by the Foundation).

AI based application success predictor

Although specific rubrics are internal to the Foundation, the following factors are consistent predictors of competitive success in Sontag’s funding programs:

1️⃣ Strong Focus on Brain Cancer Relevance

Both Distinguished Scientist and AACR-Sontag Fellowship programs require direct applicability to brain tumor biology, mechanisms, diagnostics, therapy, or clinical outcomes. Research outside brain cancer isn’t eligible. AACR

Success tip: Frame your proposal to address brain tumor-specific gaps, including mechanistic insights or translational potential.

2️⃣ Innovation & High Impact Potential

The Foundation prioritizes high-risk, high-reward science — ideas that could lead to step-change breakthroughs rather than incremental advances. The Sontag Foundation

Success tip: Highlight novel hypotheses, transformative methods, or disruptive technologies that could shift paradigms in neuro-oncology.

3️⃣ Investigator Track Record & Potential

For the Distinguished Scientist Award especially, reviewers weigh:

Evidence of past productivity (publications, preliminary results),

Capacity to lead an independent research program,

Commitment to the field of brain cancer research. Oncodaily

Success tip: Ensure your CV and narrative showcase leadership, focus, and evidence of scientific quality.

4️⃣ Mentorship & Environment (for Fellowships)

For postdoctoral/clinical fellowships, strong mentorship plans and a supportive research environment are essential, since these awards aim to train and launch careers. AACR

Success tip: Secure letters from mentors that clearly describe resources, supervision, and training plans.

5️⃣ Clear, Well-Written Proposals

Applications that are logically structured with clear aims, methods, metrics, and impact statements are easier for review committees to assess and score favorably.

Success tip: Write for both specialist reviewers and multidisciplinary panels — clearly explain relevance and feasibility.

🛠 Practical Application Tips

✔ Review Eligibility Carefully: Ensure you meet any stage-of-career and institutional criteria for the award you target.
✔ Engage Mentors Early: Particularly for fellowship applications, strong mentorship letters can boost competitiveness.
✔ Draft a Compelling Narrative: Emphasize brain cancer impact, innovation, and feasibility in specific aims and research plans.
✔ Use LOIs Strategically: In programs with pre-application LOIs (e.g., AACR-Sontag Fellowships), invest time to make this first impression strong.

📌 Summary: Sontag Foundation Funding

Program	Target	Typical Support	Focus
Distinguished Scientist Award	Early-career faculty	~$750,000/5 yrs	Transformative brain cancer research
AACR-Sontag Brain Cancer Fellowship	Postdocs & clinical fellows	~$120k–130k/2 yrs	Mentored brain cancer research
Innovation Fund & Partnerships	Translational and collaborative projects	Variable	High-risk, high-impact technologies

Specialties

Clinical Trials

Eligibility Requirements

 Applicants must hold a doctoral degree in a discipline with applicability to brain cancer research.

 Applicants must have received their first independent faculty appointment no earlier than March 1, 2021 and no later than January 1, 2026 at a tax-exempt academic, research, or medical institution within the United States or an equivalent institution in Canada.

 If the institution grants tenure, the qualifying appointment must be on the tenure track.

 Applicant's career track and proposed research should demonstrate outstanding promise as contributors to science relevant to brain cancer research (basic science & related fields encouraged to apply).

 More than one individual from the institution may apply for this award.

 As a re-applicant, you should submit a new research proposal or clearly outline substantive scientific revisions to the Aims from the previous project. To document these changes, you will need to: o Explain the changes in the Project Summary portion on the application AND In the Aims section of the Research Proposal. o Summarize substantial additions, deletions, and changes to the research project; and identify individual changes by using brackets, indents, or change of typography.

 This grant does not support clinical trials research.

 All documents including letters of recommendation and officer approval must be submitted by the application deadline

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: The Sontag Foundation

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: 816 A1A North, Suite 201 Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082 904-273-8755

Legal & Affiliation Disclaimer

Affiliation Disclaimer: Trialect operates independently and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or supported by any sponsors or organizations posting on the GrantsBoard platform. As an independent aggregator of publicly available funding opportunities, Trialect provides equal access to information for all users without endorsing any specific funding source, content, organization, or sponsor. Trialect assumes no responsibility for the content posted by sponsors or third parties.

Subscription Disclaimer: Upon logging into Trialect, you may choose to SUBSCRIBE to GrantsBoard for timely notifications of funding opportunities and to access exclusive benefits, such as priority alerts, reminders, personalized recommendations, and additional application support. However, users are advised to contact sponsors directly for any questions and are not required to subscribe to engage with funding opportunities.

Content Ownership and Copyright Disclaimer: Trialect respects the intellectual property rights of all organizations and individuals. All content posted on GrantsBoard is provided solely for informational purposes and remains the property of the original owners. Trialect does not claim ownership of, nor does it have any proprietary interest in, content provided by third-party sponsors. Users are encouraged to verify content and ownership directly with the posting sponsor.

Fair Use Disclaimer: The information and content available on GrantsBoard are compiled from publicly accessible sources in alignment with fair use principles under U.S. copyright law. Trialect serves as an aggregator of this content, offering it to users in good faith and with the understanding that it is available for public dissemination. Any organization or individual who believes their intellectual property rights have been violated is encouraged to contact us for prompt resolution.

Third-Party Posting Responsibility Disclaimer: Trialect is a neutral platform that allows third-party sponsors to post funding opportunities for informational purposes only. Sponsors are solely responsible for ensuring that their postings comply with copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws. Trialect assumes no liability for any copyright or intellectual property infringements in third-party content and will take appropriate action to address any substantiated claims.

Accuracy and Verification Disclaimer: Trialect makes no warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information provided by sponsors. Users are advised to verify the details of any funding opportunity directly with the sponsor before taking action. Trialect cannot be held liable for any discrepancies, omissions, or inaccuracies in third-party postings.

Notice and Takedown Policy: Trialect is committed to upholding copyright law and protecting the rights of intellectual property owners. If you believe that content on GrantsBoard infringes your copyright or intellectual property rights, please contact us with detailed information about the claim. Upon receipt of a valid notice, Trialect will promptly investigate and, where appropriate, remove or disable access to the infringing content.

View Funding Opportunity