AFTD Pilot Grants

AFTD Pilot Grants provide seed funding for novel research in the initial phase of development across the full spectrum of FTD disorders (behavioral variant FTD, primary progressive aphasia, progressive supranuclear palsy, corticobasal syndrome, and FTD-ALS). Pilot Grants aid recipients in generating data that will be the basis for follow-on funding applications to government funders or other public or private agencies.

AFTD funds two types of Pilot Grants:

  • Pathways for Hope Pilot Grants – These grants support both basic research on the neurobiological mechanisms underlying FTD and translational research to improve clinical practice or advance biomarker and drug development. This Pilot Grant category is limited to early-stage investigators.
  • Well-Being in FTD Pilot Grants – These grants support research to improve the well-being of persons diagnosed, families, and caregivers and to improve access to equitable, high-quality diagnosis, care, support, and research participation options. This Pilot Grant category is open to early-career as well as more senior researchers.

Award Details (All Pilot Grant Categories)

  • Funding period: 1 year
  • Amount of award (USD): $110,000
  • Application of funds: Up to $10,000 of the total award amount can be allocated to indirect costs

Who can apply?

All applicants:

  • Must have a faculty appointment or an equivalent position at a nonprofit/academic research
    institution.
  • U.S. and international researchers.
  • Postdoctoral fellows cannot be Pilot Grant PIs unless they can confirm a faculty appointment beginning by the start of the funding period in April 2025.
  • Fellows are encouraged to review AFTD’s Holloway Postdoctoral Fellowship or the Clinical Research Training Scholarship AFTD supports in partnership with the American Brain Foundation and the American Academy of Neurology.

Pathways for Hope Pilot Grant only:

  • Applicants must be new or early-stage investigators in the process of establishing an independent research career

Well-Being in FTD Pilot Grant only:

  • Investigators at all career stages are eligible; however, early-career investigators are especially encouraged to apply.
  • Collaborations between senior and early-career investigators are also welcomed.

Requests for Proposals - AFTD Pilot Grants

Timeline: 2025 Pilot Grants (both categories)

Application deadline: Friday, December 6, 2024, 8:00 pm EDT
Notification of awards: March 2025
Award start date: April 2025

AFTD Application Submission Portal

Visit AFTD's application submission portal to create an account and complete a profile.

General Instructions for Applicants

Instructions to help you as you apply for an AFTD Pilot Grant are available in a downloadable PDF format.

For more information, please contact AFTD at research@theaftd.org or 267-758-8654.