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Postdoctoral Research Award

Friedreich's Ataxia Research Alliance(FARA)

FARA offers a Postdoctoral Research Award as a mechanism to expand and retain young investigators in the FA biomedical research space.

For this application type, the Postdoctoral trainee is the PI of the grant proposal. Applicants must have completed at least 18 months of postdoctoral training. Eligible applicants are postdoctoral trainees with fewer than 7 years working as a postdoctoral trainee, accounting for career disruptions. Postdoctoral trainees should focus their research proposal on projects that fall within FARA Research Priorities. Applicants are required to submit a personal statement describing their current position and plans for the future as it relates to FA research, with a description of career goals and how the proposed research and research environment will favor achieving those goals. A mentoring plan developed jointly by the junior investigator and mentor(s), as well as letters of support from all mentors are also required.

The only allowable budget items are the trainee’s salary/stipend, plus applicable fringe benefits, supplies and travel to conferences if adequately justified and directly related to the proposed research. The trainee is required to contribute at least 75% effort to the proposed work. The maximum direct salary that can be requested cannot exceed the NIH stipend level for 100% effort. If the trainee is contributing less than 100% effort then the stipend request must be reduced to correspond to this effort.  For example, if the trainee’s effort is 85%, then the stipend requested can be no more than 85% of the appropriate NIH stipend level.

Competitive candidates demonstrate qualities that will enhance FARA’s overall enterprise of understanding fundamentals of disease pathology and developing treatments and a cure for FA.

Maximum Budget (USD): $100,000 per year for 1 or 2 years

1st Round of Annual Funding Deadlines and Important Dates:

Letter of Intent (LOI) Deadline: Feb 15
Application Deadline: Apr 15
Award Notice: Aug 1
Grant Start Dates: Sep 1 – Oct 1

2nd Round of Annual Funding Deadlines and Important Dates:

Letter of Intent (LOI) Deadline: Aug 15
Application Deadline: Oct 15
Award Notice: Feb 1
Grant Start Dates: Mar 1 – Apr 1

AI Based Application Success Predictor

While FARA does not publish a scoring rubric, successful projects share several strong, consistent traits:

✅ 1. Alignment With FARA Research Priorities

Applications must clearly map to at least one of the priority areas above. Reviewers look for explicit justification of how the project addresses FA disease mechanisms or therapeutic pathways. Friedreich's Ataxia Research Alliance

Success tip: In your narrative, tie your aims directly to FARA-listed priorities and explain why they are critical gaps in FA research.

✅ 2. Clear, Testable Hypothesis and Scientific Rationale

Grants should articulate a strong scientific question with a hypothesis grounded in existing literature and preliminary evidence. Even when preliminary data are limited (especially for AIM awards), the rationale must be compelling.

Success tip: Present a coherent mechanistic story with well-justified hypotheses that reviewers can easily evaluate.

✅ 3. Feasibility and Realistic Experimental Plan

FARA awards are modest in duration and budget relative to large NIH grants. Reviewers prioritize projects with clearly defined milestones, achievable aims, and feasible timelines within the funding period. Friedreich's Ataxia Research Alliance

Success tip: Include contingency plans and measurable endpoints tied to specific timelines.

✅ 4. Innovation With Therapeutic Impact Potential

Especially for mechanisms like the Award for Innovative Mindset (AIM), FARA prioritizes high-risk, high-reward approaches that deviate from incremental advances. Friedreich's Ataxia Research Alliance

Success tip: Explain how the work could create new research directions, tools, or drug targets for FA.

✅ 5. Relevance to Disease and Potential Translation

Projects that bridge discovery biology to translational endpoints — such as biomarker development, clinical measures, or preclinical efficacy — are viewed as more impactful. Friedreich's Ataxia Research Alliance

Success tip: In clinical or translational proposals, emphasize how outcomes inform therapeutic development or clinical trial design.

✅ 6. Investigator Experience and Environment

For career and fellowships (e.g., Postdoctoral, Clinician Scientist, Graduate Research Fellowship), reviewers consider:

Investigator’s track record and productivity

How mentorship and environment support success

Clear professional development plan tied to FA research goals Friedreich's Ataxia Research Alliance

Success tip: Include mentor letters that describe training and career milestone support.

✅ 7. Clear Budget Justification

FARA expects budgets that are strongly tied to project activities with no unrelated costs. Crafting a budget narrative that matches each aim increases confidence in feasibility. Friedreich's Ataxia Research Alliance

✅ 8. Engagement With FARA Community

FARA encourages collaboration, participation in forums, and engagement with the FA research community. Although not a formal requirement, active engagement signals commitment and networking that can strengthen applications. Friedreich's Ataxia Research Alliance

📌 Practical Application Tips

Before submission:

Read the latest FARA Grant Priorities page and match your aims directly to them. Friedreich's Ataxia Research Alliance

Contact FARA staff (e.g., grants@curefa.org) with questions about fit or clarifications. Friedreich's Ataxia Research Alliance

Select the grant type that matches the scale and scope of your research (e.g., AIM for innovative ideas vs. General Research for standard studies). Friedreich's Ataxia Research Alliance

Proposal drafting:

Start with a concise summary that expresses significance and translational relevance.

Define specific aims with measurable endpoints and tie them to FA pathophysiology or therapy development.

Use figures, timelines, and tables to clarify experimental design and deliverables.

Review readiness:

Ask for internal feedback from colleagues familiar with rare disease funding.

Keep lay summaries clear — reviewers often include clinicians or patient advocates.

🧠 What FARA Does Not Typically Fund

Projects unrelated to FA biology or therapy development. Friedreich's Ataxia Research Alliance

Incremental work lacking innovation (especially under AIM). Friedreich's Ataxia Research Alliance

🧠 Summary: FARA Success Predictors

Predictor	Why It Matters
Aligns with FARA research priorities	Ensures eligibility and relevance Friedreich's Ataxia Research Alliance
Strong hypothesis and rationale	Foundation of scientific merit
Feasible and detailed plan	Essential for trust in deliverability Friedreich's Ataxia Research Alliance
Innovation and translational emphasis	High impact potential Friedreich's Ataxia Research Alliance
Investigator experience & mentoring plan	Supports execution and career growth Friedreich's Ataxia Research Alliance
Justified budget	Demonstrates efficient use of funds

Specialties

Biomedical Engineering

Clinical Trials

Eligibility Requirements

Eligible applicants are postdoctoral trainees with fewer than 7 years working as a postdoctoral trainee, accounting for career disruptions. Postdoctoral trainees should focus their research proposal on projects that fall within FARA Research Priorities.

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: Friedreich's Ataxia Research Alliance(FARA)

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: 533 W. Uwchlan Ave, Downingtown, PA 19335

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