Since 2005, the Foundation Seed Grant program has been extremely successful in providing research support to basic and clinical scientists and investigators. The Seed Grant program funds research in the following areas: treatment/therapy, patient care, early diagnosis, detection, cancer biology, basic science, prevention/metabolism and research core facilities. The goals of the Seed Grant Program are:
- To provide start-up funding for basic scientists and clinicians who intend to test innovative ideas for improving diagnosis and to develop new treatment modalities for pancreatic cancer.
- To obtain preliminary data required for additional funding from other agencies for pancreatic cancer research.
- To impact on the understanding of pancreatic cancer cell biology, biochemistry, physiology, morphology and response to therapy.
- To establish collaborations within the field for mutual projects that can be considered for further funding.
Seed Grant Application Information
Award Information
- Submission deadline: August 15, 2025
- Notification of award decision: November, 2025
- Earliest award start date: November, 2025
- Duration of award: 1 year. No-cost extension (1 year) may be requested.
- Amount of award: $75,000. No indirect costs are provided. Salary support for mentors cannot be requested.
Eligibility
Applications are invited from US academic institutions and research organizations. The funding opportunity is available to all academic researchers, including research-track and clinical-track faculty, staff scientists, and post-doctoral trainees. There is a single PI associated with each seed grant. Collaborative projects are encouraged but multi-PI applications are not allowed. Applicants with no independent research programs need to enlist the support and participation of a senior mentor with a track record in pancreatic cancer research.
Application Requirements
For your application, please use 11 point Arial font, single spaced text, and at least 0.5″ margins. Compile all documents into a single pdf file, and upload on the submission website. Include the following documents.
- Application Cover Page with the applicant’s and institution’s information and signatures.
- Title and abstract (300 words or less).
- Research plan (3 pages) should include background and significance, hypothesis, specific aims, and approach with preliminary results (optional). Figures are included in the 3-page limit.
- References cited (1 page).
- Vertebrate animals (if applicable, 1 page).
- Protection of human subjects (if applicable, 1 page).
- Investigator’s and mentor’s NIH biosketch (5 pages or less).
- Investigator’s and mentor’s other support (No page limit).
- Mentor’s support letter (1 page).
- Budget justification is required (1 page).
Download Application Cover Page
Administrative Requirements
- Name, phone number and email address of the Finance or Grant Manager
- A high-resolution headshot photo in jpg format (to be used on our website if your award is selected)
- A simple, layperson summary (2 paragraphs) of your project (to be used on our website if your award is selected)
Award selection process
Applications will be reviewed and scored by a panel of experts including members of the Hirshberg Foundation Scientific Advisory Board and outside reviewers as needed. Applications will be ranked based on their scientific merit scores and the programmatic priorities of the Foundation. Formal reviews or feedback will not be provided to the applicants.
Reporting requirement
Award recipients will be required to submit a final report within 3 months of the completion of the grant.
Travel support for conference presentations
Award recipients may apply for additional travel support (up to $1000) after they attended a US or international meeting where they presented their work directly related to the Hirshberg research award.
Please refer to our FAQ page. If you do not see your question there, email us at info@pancreatic.org for further assistance.