Verified

The Rita Allen Foundation Scholars Award in Pain

Rita Allen Foundation

Applications for the 2027 Rita Allen Foundation Scholars Award in Pain are OPEN through December 9, 2026

The Foundation has awarded annually two grants or more in the amount of $150,000 over three years to early-career investigators pursuing innovative research that focuses on basic science mechanisms of pain.

Since 2009, the Rita Allen Foundation has provided a special award for early-career leaders in basic pain research whose work holds high potential for uncovering new pathways to improve the treatment of chronic pain.

The Foundation has awarded annually two grants or more in the amount of $150,000 over three years to early-career investigators pursuing innovative research that focuses on basic science mechanisms of pain.

Eligible candidates will have completed their training and provided persuasive evidence of distinguished achievement or extraordinary promise in basic research in pain. Candidates should be in the early stages of their career with an appointment at the faculty level.

Key Dates and Deadlines

Applications will be open from October 14 - December 9, 2026. Completed Applications must be submitted by 11:59 PM EASTERN TIME on December 9, 2026. Remaining letters of support should be submitted by Wednesday, December 16.

Grant awards will be announced in the summer of 2027. Grant funds will be awarded upon satisfactory execution of a grant agreement between the Rita Allen Foundation and the grant recipient’s institution.

Review Criteria

Reviewers will assess the candidate’s past contributions and their future potential as a leader in the field of pain research, based on the research proposal, biosketch, letters of support, and impact statement.

AI Based Application Success Predictor

Organization	Rita Allen Foundation
Organization type	Private philanthropic, non-profit foundation
Primary research areas	Basic biomedical science, cancer, immunology, neuroscience, and pain research.
Previous success predictors	Scientific originality; potential for groundbreaking discoveries; willingness to pursue high-risk, high-reward research; investigator's past contributions; exceptional early-career research potential; fundamental biological mechanisms; strong research proposal; institutional nomination; committed start-up funding and laboratory space; and letters of support. Rita Allen Foundation +2
Historical success rate	Not verified. Historical award counts without the number of eligible applications cannot establish a success rate.
Typical award	Rita Allen Scholars may receive up to $110,000 annually for five years; the separate Pain Award offers up to $50,000 annually for up to three years. Rita Allen Foundation +1

Excel-ready predictor string: Scientific innovation; high-risk/high-reward potential; fundamental biomedical research; investigator track record; early-career independence; potential for transformative discoveries; research proposal quality; institutional nomination; start-up funding; laboratory resources; and supporting letters.

Specialties

Molecular Biology

Pain Medicine

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for the Rita Allen Foundation Scholars Award in Pain, the applicant must:

Have received committed start-up funds and independent laboratory space from their institution. (This information must be clearly indicated in the Department Chair/Division Chief’s letter of support for the candidate.)

Be within three years of the start date of a tenure track position or equivalent (senior postdocs and associate professors are not eligible.)

Conduct their research and be appointed at an institution in the United States or Canada.

Demonstrate a commitment to the field of pain research.

Eligible Countries:

Canada

United States

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: Rita Allen Foundation

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: 92 Nassau Street, 3rd Floor, Princeton, NJ 08542

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