NAF Research Seed Money Grant

The NAF Research Seed Money Grant is a merit-based, nonrenewable award that provides support for new and innovative studies that advance understanding of the cause, pathogenesis, or treatment of hereditary, sporadic, and acquired ataxias. These grants serve as seed funding to assist established investigators during the early or pilot phases of research, or as supplemental funding for ongoing innovative projects demonstrating a critical need. It is expected that funded projects will generate preliminary data to support applications for larger grants from other funding sources. The grant provides up to $50,000 for direct research expenses only, with no more than 50% allocated to personnel costs. Indirect costs and cost sharing are not allowed. The funding period runs from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027. NAF is committed to supporting research that advances scientific discovery and improves outcomes for all individuals living with ataxia, regardless of disease subtype. Equal priority is given to proposals targeting more common forms of ataxia with strong translational potential and proposals focused on rare, less characterized, or newly identified forms of ataxia that build critical foundational knowledge.