Apply for Sprouts Grant
The O’Donnell Brain Institute (OBI) Sprouts Grant Program is designed to encourage creative, high-quality research that advances the training of early-career laboratory or clinical scientists who are working with OBI Investigators. Submitted proposals should describe the targeted collection of pilot data for a novel research direction.
All brain-related research areas are eligible, including both laboratory and clinical research. Preference will be given to proposals in the areas of cellular and molecular mechanisms of neurodegenerative disease and delineation and/or modulation of normal and disease-altered brain circuits.
Award Information
- Up to six grants awarded annually
- Maximum funding per project: up to $25,000
Timeline
September 2025 – Request for applications released
December 1, 2025 – Application deadline
February 2026 – Awards announced
March 1, 2026 – Funds available and grant performance period begins
November 2026 – Formal progress report due to OBI
March 1, 2027 – Funding closed and grant performance period ends
June 2027 – Final report due to OBI
***Applications are currently closed but will reopen September 2025
Submission Deadline: December 1, 2025, 11:59 p.m.
Eligibility
- Applicant must be a trainee (e.g., a graduate student, postdoctoral fellow, resident or clinical fellow) working under the supervision of an OBI Investigator.
- Only one proposal is allowed per laboratory.
Regulatory Compliance
Projects are subject to applicable federal, state, and local regulation, as well as UT Southwestern policy.
It is the PI’s responsibility to ensure compliance with the UTSW Institutional Review Board (IRB), Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC), export control, conflict of interest, and UTSW safety regulations and approvals.
Application Components
- Formatting: All documents must be single-spaced, no less than 12-point Times New Roman font, 1” margins on all document sides.
- Specific aims (1 page limit): State concisely the specific objectives of the proposed research with expected outcomes, including the impact that the project research will have on the research fields involved.
- Key References (1 page limit): References should be limited, relevant, and concise.
- Budget: Use a table format.
- Budget justification (1 page limit): Includes details of all expenditures and budget line items (e.g., time and effort, materials, supplies, travel) needed to support the research project.
- Biographical sketches from mentors: Sketches are required for all PIs (NIH Fellowship template) and OBI Investigator Mentor.
Budget Considerations
Funds may be used for direct expenditures in accordance with the following:
- Salary support for individual(s) who are making significant effort towards the goal of the proposed research
- Fringe benefits in proportion to salary charged to the award
- Consumable scientific items — materials and supplies, any item with a cost of less than $5,000/unit; must be justified as needed for project success
- Core Facility Services – costs associated with services performed by a recognized UT Southwestern Core Facility
- Expenses related to animal research and human subjects research, including compensation to human subjects.
- Contracts for activities outside UT Southwestern (must be clearly and convincingly described as necessary for successful execution of the proposed project).
- Consultant fees and/or related expenditures are allowable, excluding any overhead costs.
The following are excluded as direct expenditures:
- General office supplies, equipment, or expenses
- Building construction, alteration, renovation, rent or utilities
- Student tuition or fees
- Membership dues
- Overhead Equipment – unit cost of $5,000 and useable life of greater than one year
- Payments of salaries to non-UT Southwestern personnel
- Refreshments
- Domestic and international travel
Grant Administration
- The PI (applicant) is responsible for the administration of grant funds.
- All grant expenditures must conform to state and university regulations and approvals. In particular, the PI must be certain that over-expenditures do not occur, and that all funds are fully expended according to programmatic deadlines.
- All work must be completed within the performance period.
- Any publication or presentation resulting from this award should acknowledge the support from the Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute at UT Southwestern Medical Center.
Peer Review
Applications will be reviewed by an internal OBI Grant Review Committee whose members will be appointed by OBI leadership. Proposals will be evaluated based on significance, innovation, and approach.
See NIH grant review criteria (OBI uses the NIH criteria as a basis but we will tailor our criteria for the Sprouts Grant Program.)
Information Disclosure
- Patentable ideas, trade secrets, or other confidential information should be included in applications only when such information is necessary to convey an understanding of the proposed project.
- If a grant is awarded, the OBI may use or disclose the information in internal administrative business, marketing communications (internal and external), OBI-sponsored events, department and center newsletters, and in other ways necessary for the project's success.
- It is the PI's responsibility to convey any concerns regarding confidentiality in the initial application, including requests for non-disclosure, which will be reviewed and evaluated by the Sprouts committee.
Mentor Involvement
Should your application be successful, it is anticipated that you and your mentor will engage in and provide support for various OBI programs throughout the year. This may involve participation in committee membership, offering ad-hoc counsel or advice, serving as a judge for poster sessions, or responding to other special requests as needed.
Contact Information
Mary-Colette Lybrand, M.S. mary.lybrand@utsouthwestern.edu
Program Manager
O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute