• This funding opportunity aims to support the development of tolerance induction approaches for islet cell therapy that enables graft-specific immune protection without compromising natural immune defenses.
• This call is open to both central and peripheral tolerance induction strategies with prioritization given to technologies closest to clinical translation.
• This initiative will award grants to academic investigators and industry partners of up to $900,000.00 over 3 years.
Funding Opportunity Description
Breakthrough T1D is soliciting Letters of Intent (LOI) from investigators in academic and industry settings aiming to develop therapies that induce specific tolerance to transplanted islet cells without compromising requisite immune functions such as infection defense and cancer surveillance. LOIs may address central and/or peripheral tolerance pathways and must be compatible with scalable manufactured islet cells (i.e., human stem cell-derived islets). While this funding opportunity is open to highly innovative projects at early stages of development, prioritization will be given to projects closer to clinical testing with a well-articulated plan for translation. All applicants are suggested to review Breakthrough T1D Research Strategy before applying.
Funding Mechanisms
In response to this announcement, applications may request up to a total of $900,000.00 USD for up to three years.
• The level of funding will vary depending on the scope and overall objectives of the proposal. Breakthrough T1D may consider applications with increased scope (time, budget) where there is a strong justification, and applicants interested in such should discuss with the Breakthrough T1D scientific contact below.
• Note that the above budget figure is the maximum, and Breakthrough T1D will also consider projects with substantially smaller budgets. In all cases, the level of requested funding should be commensurate with the studies proposed and non-Breakthrough T1D resources (funds, personnel, other) available to successfully complete the project. Appropriateness of budget in relation to scope will be considered as part of the review criteria.
While competitive specifics can vary by mechanism, proposals that win funding consistently share these strengths:
✅ 1) Alignment with Strategic Priorities
Your project must clearly connect to Breakthrough T1D’s mission — curing T1D and improving lives — or to a specific funding opportunity’s focus area (e.g., tolerance in islet replacement, monitoring technologies, clinical relevance). Breakthrough T1D+1
Tip: Explicitly justify which strategic goal(s) your work addresses in both the LOI and full proposal.
✅ 2) Clear, Impactful Scientific Rationale
Successful applications present:
A strong, evidence-based rationale for why the research matters,
Well-defined hypotheses or objectives,
Direct significance to T1D biology, clinical outcomes, or technology gaps.
Breakthrough T1D prioritizes work likely to accelerate translation toward therapy development. Breakthrough T1D
✅ 3) Feasible Study Design With Realistic Milestones
Proposals that are clearly executable in the funding timeframe—with thoughtful experimental design, milestones, and contingency planning — score higher during review.
Include:
Detailed methods
Milestones tied to measurable outcomes
A realistic timeline
✅ 4) Strong Team and Institutional Capacity
Breakthrough T1D often reviews:
Investigator track record,
Institutional resources and support,
Collaborations that enhance feasibility and reach.
Demonstrate that your team has the expertise and facilities to deliver on the proposal. Breakthrough T1D
✅ 5) Meaningful Translation and Clinical Relevance
Even for basic science, reviewers value work that lays clear groundwork for translation — for example:
Biomarkers predictive of disease progression,
Platforms or tools that shorten clinical testing,
Approaches ready for next-step clinical studies.
Make translational potential explicit in aims and impact statements.
✅ 6) Balanced Budget Justification
Grants like Innovative Awards (~$200 k/1 yr) and SRAs (up to ~$900 k/3 yrs) require budgets that are justified and aligned with deliverables. Overly optimistic or under-budgeted proposals are less competitive. Breakthrough T1D+1
✅ 7) Engagement With Stakeholders & Ethics
Where relevant (especially clinical research or novel technologies), strong ethics planning and stakeholder engagement (including patient populations) boost confidence in feasibility and impact.
✅ 8) Clear Communication & Strategic Positioning
Given the volume of submissions and variety of expert reviewers, clarity of narrative with defined aims and outcomes is crucial. Strong summary sections (abstract and lay summary) effectively ‘sell’ the project.
Breakthrough T1D typically uses a two-stage review:
LOI screening – checks alignment and concept strength.
Full proposal review – detailed scientific and feasibility assessment. Breakthrough T1D
Some calls (e.g., Innovative Awards) may go directly to full proposal.
| Mechanism | Award Size | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Innovative Awards | Up to ~$200,000 | 1 year Breakthrough T1D |
| Strategic Research Agreements | Up to ~$900,000 | Up to 3 years Breakthrough T1D UK |
| Mechanism-specific Calls | Varies by topic | Varies by program Breakthrough T1D |
Top predictors of funding competitiveness:
🔹 Strong fit with Breakthrough T1D’s mission and specific call focus. Breakthrough T1D
🔹 Science with clear impact on cure pathways or life improvement. Breakthrough T1D
🔹 Feasible design with milestones and measurable outcomes.
🔹 Experienced research team and institutional support.
🔹 Translational vision connecting bench progress to real-world outcomes.
🔹 Well-justified, realistic budget.
🔹 Communicative clarity and strategic narrative.
• Applications may be submitted by domestic and foreign non-profit organizations, public and private, such as universities, colleges, hospitals, laboratories, units of state and local governments, and eligible agencies of the federal government. Applicants must hold an M.D., D.O., D.M.D., D.V.M., Ph.D., or equivalent and have a faculty position or equivalent at a college, university, medical school, or other research facility.
• To assure continued excellence and diversity among applicants and awardees, Breakthrough T1D welcomes proposals from all qualified individuals and encourages proposals from a broad cross section of researchers and scientists
Sponsor Institute/Organizations: Breakthrough T1D
Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit
Address: 200 Vesey Street, 28th Floor, New York, NY 10281
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Feb 24, 2026
Feb 24, 2026
$900,000
Affiliation: Breakthrough T1D
Address: 200 Vesey Street, 28th Floor, New York, NY 10281
Website URL: https://www.breakthrought1d.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/RFA_ImmuneTolerance_CallDocument.pdf
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