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Next Generation Research Grants

American Brain Foundation

The American Brain Foundation's Next Generation Research Grants (NGRGs) support early career investigators conducting high-quality research aimed at better understanding, treating, and curing brain diseases. These grants are funded in collaboration with disease-focused partner organizations and are administered directly by the American Brain Foundation. These grants seek to advance research in specific topics while also reflecting ABF’s Cure One, Cure Many research philosophy: the belief that breakthroughs in one area of research accelerate progress across many others.

Each grant in the NGRG program has its own focus area, funding level, and eligibility requirements. Applicants should review the grant-specific RFP for each award they wish to apply for. Eligibility and requirements vary by grant; reading each RFP carefully before applying is strongly encouraged.

Next Generation Research Grant

$150,000

October 8, 2026

Other Funding Supplementation of an NGRG award with other grants is permitted. However, to be eligible to apply, any other grant source(s) cannot exceed the ABF award amount annually. This policy is intended to help ensure that ABF funding reaches as many researchers as possible. If you have questions about whether your current funding affects your eligibility, please contact us before applying.

Evaluation and Selection

Applications are reviewed by a selection committee of scientific experts convened by the American Brain Foundation and its funding partners. Proposals are evaluated according to the criteria listed in the individual grant RFP. All grants share the following core review criteria:

• Scientific rationale, innovation, and methodological rigor, including a well-developed and testable hypothesis

• Potential clinical impact and translational value

• Alignment with the research priorities of the grant

• Investigator expertise and potential for an independent research career

• Feasibility of proposed aims, including identification of potential pitfalls and alternative approaches

• Quality and nature of mentorship, including demonstrated commitment to the applicant's training and career development

AI Based Application Success Predictor

1. Direct neurological relevance ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is the most important fit factor.

ABF explicitly funds research across the broad spectrum of brain and nervous-system diseases rather than concentrating exclusively on one condition. Its funded research has included ALS, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, dementia, stroke, peripheral neuropathy, neuromuscular disease and neurodevelopmental disorders.

High-fit areas include:

Alzheimer's disease and dementia
Parkinson's disease
ALS
Multiple sclerosis
Epilepsy
Stroke
Migraine/headache
Frontotemporal dementia
Lewy body dementia
Neuromuscular disease
Peripheral neuropathy
Neuroimmunology
Neurogenetic disorders
Brain tumors
Neurodevelopmental disorders

2. Significance of the neurological problem ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A competitive proposal should address a substantial unanswered problem.

Strong questions may concern:

Disease mechanisms
Early diagnosis
Disease progression
Treatment resistance
Biomarkers
Neuroinflammation
Neurodegeneration
Neurological disability
Prevention
Novel therapeutic targets

The application should clearly establish:

Major neurological problem → critical knowledge gap → proposed research → potential solution.

3. Potential to improve diagnosis, treatment or prevention ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is central to ABF's mission. ABF describes its research objective as improving prevention, diagnosis and treatment, while pursuing treatments and cures across brain diseases.

Particularly compelling outcomes include:

Earlier diagnosis
More accurate diagnosis
Better prognostic prediction
New therapeutic targets
Disease-modifying treatments
Prevention strategies
Reduced disability
Improved quality of life

4. Innovation ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

ABF strongly values innovative research. Its Next Generation program specifically supports innovative investigations, while Cure One, Cure Many targets highly innovative, cross-cutting approaches to diagnosis, treatment and cures.

Potentially strong approaches include:

Novel biomarkers
Neuroimaging
AI/computational neurology
Neuroimmune mechanisms
Gene-based approaches
Cell-based approaches
Novel disease models
Precision neurology
Digital neurological assessment
Novel therapeutic targets

5. Strong hypothesis and scientific rationale ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The proposal should make the scientific logic easy to follow:

What is known?
↓
What is unknown?
↓
Why does it matter?
↓
What is your hypothesis?
↓
How will you test it?
↓
What will change if you are correct?

ABF's recent awards demonstrate a mixture of mechanistic, biomarker, clinical and translational projects.

6. Methodological rigor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Strong applications should demonstrate:

Appropriate study design
Adequate sample size
Appropriate controls
Validated outcome measures
Appropriate statistical analysis
Reproducible methodology
Clearly defined endpoints
Appropriate handling of confounders
Ethical research procedures

For clinical studies, recruitment and follow-up must be realistic.

For laboratory research, appropriate models and controls are essential.

7. Translational potential ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The strongest projects can show a pathway from discovery toward patient benefit.

Example:

Disease mechanism → biomarker → clinical validation → earlier diagnosis

Disease mechanism → therapeutic target → preclinical validation → clinical treatment

ABF's Cure One, Cure Many philosophy particularly favors discoveries that may have relevance across multiple brain diseases. Its 2026 awards, for example, included work on Lewy body dementia biomarkers and neuroinflammation across brain diseases.

8. Investigator potential ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is particularly important for the Next Generation Research Grant, which is designed to support innovative work by early-career investigators and help establish long-term research careers.

A strong early-career applicant should demonstrate:

Appropriate scientific training
Relevant research experience
Publications
Strong mentor/team
Appropriate research environment
Clear long-term career plan

ABF reports that 98% of its researchers have subsequently obtained funding from NIH or other major national funders, demonstrating the Foundation's strong emphasis on developing research careers.

9. Feasibility ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

The proposal should demonstrate access to:

Appropriate patient populations
Neurology clinics
Brain/CSF/tissue samples
Imaging facilities
Molecular laboratories
Genomic/proteomic platforms
Statistical expertise
Bioinformatics
Clinical research infrastructure

The project should be ambitious enough to be meaningful but realistic enough to complete.

10. Cross-disease impact ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

This factor becomes especially important for Cure One, Cure Many proposals.

ABF's philosophy is that discoveries in one brain disease can lead to advances in other related neurological conditions.

Specialties

Neurosciences

Eligibility Requirements

All NGRG grants share the following eligibility requirements. Individual grants may have additional requirements — see each grant's RFP for details.

• Applicants must hold an MD, PhD, or equivalent terminal-level clinical or research degree.

• The research proposed must be relevant to the disease focus of the grant to which the applicant is applying.

• Applicants may apply for more than one NGRG grant in a single cycle. A separate, complete application must be submitted for each grant.

• Applicants who are not selected for funding are encouraged to reapply in future cycles.

The American Brain Foundation is committed to supporting research that incorporates a broad range of perspectives and reflects the full spectrum of individuals affected by brain disease. The ABF provides equal opportunities to all applicants without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, pregnancy, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic disposition, neurodiversity, disability, veteran status, or any other protected category under applicable law.

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: American Brain Foundation

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: PO Box 176 Wheaton, IL 60187

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