Focused Projects Grant for Junior Investigators

About this funding opportunity

Previous Next Focused Projects Grant for Junior Investigators

Issue Date: May 18, 2026 Application Due Date: June 29, 2026 by 11:59 pm ET Grant Selection Notification: By October 30, 2026 Period of Performance: 1 year Amount of Grant: Up to $50,000 per grant

The Focused Projects Grant for Junior Investigators is our career development grant that supports early career investigators dedicated to focusing their research on basic, translational, clinical, or population sleep and circadian science.

This opportunity provides seed funding for mentored research projects to jumpstart an early career investigator’s research career and provide the necessary support and resources needed to establish a track record of funding.

_Note: Cycle 2 of the 2026 Focused Projects Grant for Junior Investigators is open only to projects that address one of the following topics:_ _Idiopathic Hypersomnia_ _Pediatric Sleep_ _Diagnosis, Management and Treatment of Sleep Apnea_

_See the Funding Opportunity Description below for additional detail._ Eligibility

The following individuals are eligible to apply: Individuals with an MD, DO, DDS, DMD, DNP, DNSc, PharmD, PhD, or equivalent professional degree. Individuals within 10 years of their terminal degree, post-doctoral training, or clinical training. International applicants, who meet all the eligibility criteria and whose sponsoring organization can accept the payment of grant funds in U.S. dollars, are eligible to apply. Ineligibility

The following individuals are not eligible to apply: Individuals who have received independent research funding of more than $250,000 are not eligible to apply. This does not apply to post-doctoral/ fellowship level training grants primarily covering the applicant’s salary (e.g., NRSAs). Individuals who have a financial conflict of interest or have the potential to incur significant financial benefit from the proposed work and beyond the work itself are not eligible to apply. Current AASM and AASM Foundation Board of Directors members are not eligible to apply and cannot be listed as a PI, co-PI, key personnel, mentor (paid or unpaid) or paid consultant for one year after their term ends.

_Note: In rare instances, AASM and AASM Foundation Board members may serve as unpaid consultants on an application, however, this requires Executive Committee approval prior to submitting the application._ Individuals and organizations located in, or operating from, countries subject to U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctions are not eligible to receive AASM Foundation funding. Funding Opportunity Description

The Focused Projects Grant for Junior Investigators supports early career investigators dedicated to focusing their research on basic, translational, clinical, or population sleep and circadian science. This grant provides seed funding for mentored research projects to jumpstart an early career investigator’s research career and provide the necessary support and resources needed to establish a track record of funding.

Research Focus

The Focused Projects Grant for Junior Investigators is open to mentored, general and specific topical projects that that address one or more important unanswered scientific questions related to sleep and circadian science, sleep disorders, and/or sleep health. The applicant must select one of the following topics.

Idiopathic Hypersomnia: Open to mentored projects that will address one or more important unanswered scientific questions related to idiopathic hypersomnia (IH).

Pediatric Sleep: Open to mentored projects that address one or more important unanswered scientific questions related to pediatric sleep, sleep disorders and/or sleep health.

Diagnosis, Management and Treatment of Sleep Apnea: Open to mentored projects that address known research gaps in the diagnosis, management and/or treatment of OSA. There have been several publications that have noted the limitations, challenges, and gaps in research with diagnosing and…

Topic areas: Life Sciences and Health, Education and Training.

Funding amount

This grant provides Varies in funding.

Deadline

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis; there is no single fixed deadline.

Who can apply

This opportunity is open to the following applicant types:

• Not specified by the program.

Eligibility

The program did not publish a separate eligibility statement. See the official opportunity page for the full eligibility criteria.

Agency

Focused Projects Grant for Junior Investigators is administered by AASM Foundation (AASM), listed via AASM Foundation.