The Partners Fund for Young Investigators and New Initiatives

The Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Centers (CVRC) "Partners' Fund" supports programs making contributions to our basic understanding of cardiovascular function and pathophysiology.  This program is funded through generous contributions from our Heart Center Board and other private donors. Special emphasis is placed on the funding of young investigators or investigators who propose new initiatives to redirect their research into promising areas. 

The CVRC Partners' Fund will award up to two grants in aid of up to $25,000 each year.  Application deadlines are announced twice a year via email to CVRC Faculty Members and through other posted announcements/media.

This nonrenewable grant is for one year and intended to support the generation of preliminary data for NIH RO1 or other equivalent funding applications.
 
Application Criteria
As noted, the goal of these grants is to stimulate and support innovative cardiovascular research.  Any member of the CVRC may submit an application.  Junior faculty (ie, Instructors and Assistant Professors) are particularly encouraged to apply for Partners’ Fund grants.

The criterion to be applied in evaluating the merits of the grant applications includes:

  • Novelty of the proposed research
  • Relevance of the research to cardiovascular disease or basic science
  • Justification by the applicant of the importance of the funds for the progress and development of the proposed research
  • Assessment by the Scientific Advisory Committee that this research will lead to future independent support by regular funding agencies (Ad hoc reviewers will be added as required)

Application Procedure

Your application must include the following:

  • Title
  • NIH CV
  • Abstract of proposal (250 words or less)
  • Layman’s summary (250 words or less)
  • Budget and brief justification
  • Brief paragraph (250 words or less) explaining how the award will assist you in garnering an RO1 or equivalent funding. Be sure that the studies outlined fit within the scope of what can be completed with $25K but describe in the context of how these studies relate to the larger R01 grant.
  • Other support
  • Research proposal ( 5 pages or less) which addresses:
    • Relationship to basic mechanism and/or clinical problems
    • Specific aims and methods
    • Novelty and significance
    • Facilities and resources available for proposed research
    • Preliminary work accomplished
    • Previous experience of the applicant the relates to this proposal
    • Short list of relevant references from the published literature supporting the assumptions and conclusion made in the proposal (include any relevant publications by the applicant).

All proposals must be saved in a single pdf file and sent via email to Paul Orange by the stated deadline.

Management of the Grant and Changes in Research Direction

Awards will be made to investigators who are full-time faculty members at the University of Virginia.  The funds will be transferred to a local account and administered by the CVRC Business.

It is expected that successful applicants will follow the plan outlined in the proposal. However, exciting new directions uncovered during the course of the research obviously should be followed.  Major changes in the direction of the research should be discussed with Director of the CVRC.

Award Conditions and Final Reports      

The award given is for support of a particular project and should not be used to simply expand the accounts of a given laboratory.  The award should not be used for the salary of a grantee of for travel.  No indirect cost will be provided with the award.

At the end of the period of the award, the recipient will be expected to give a full accounting of the progress made.  One or two time during the course of the award the applicant will be expected to meet with members of the Scientific Advisory Committee and/or the Heart Center Board.

It is expected that funding received from the CVRC Partners Fund will be recorded in publications and any extramural funding which results from this support will be reported to the Director of the CVRC.

Tips

  • Remember this award is for new investigators or more established investigators attempting to develop a new research direction. Be sure to explain the novelty of your work, and how it will assist you garnering competitive extramural funding. In most circumstances, the Partner Award funds will be used to complete critical preliminary studies to establish the feasibility, or importance of the work being proposed in an R01 level application. 
  • Have a senior investigator or if applicable, your mentor, review the application, prior to submission.
  • If this is a resubmission, include a one-page or less response to the previous review. This does not count towards the five page limit on the research proposal itself.
  • Be sure to show a clear relationship to cardiovascular disease.
  • If in the process of transitioning to an independent faculty position, particularly if your training was done at UVA, make sure and clearly distinguish how the work is unique from that of your mentor.
  • Remember that this is a $25,000 award and your proposal should be focused on providing a concise description of the exact studies that will be completed with those funds. However, also make it clear how these studies relate to the overall scope of the project you plan to submit for R01 level funding.
  • The most important review criteria are the overall quality, novelty, importance, and feasibility of the work, as well as the likelihood the Partner’s Funds will result in a new R01 or R01-like competitive extramural grant.