Updated: April 2025
To apply for an opportunity listed below, submit your proposal through the RUSH Research Portal. Select “Non-Profit: Philanthropy” as the “Funding Source” when creating a new master project and grant within the portal.
If you are unsure which office can coordinate a particular application, just ask! Members of either team will be happy to direct you to the right place:
- Philanthropy can be reached at (312) 563-7564 or by contacting david_vornholt@rush.edu
- Sponsored Programs Administration, ORA can be reached at ora_grants@rush.edu
Archived philanthropic RFPs from the past year can be found here.
Funding Source | Grant Name | Description | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acumed LLC | Education grants | Professional Medical Education Grants: Professional Medical Education Grants provide funding for independent medical educational programs for health care professionals, including congresses, conferences, symposiums, or courses, with or without labs, that are sponsored by professional medical associations, societies, or continuing education providers and academic institution labs. This includes support requested for cadaveric labs intended to educate fellows or residents at an academic institution. More Information | Rolling deadline: Completed application, including all required supporting documentation, must be received at least 60 days before the scheduled date of the event, activity, or program |
| The Vilcek Foundation | Creative Promise Prize | The Vilcek Foundation will award three Vilcek Prizes for Creative Promise of $50,000 each to young, immigrant biomedical scientists who demonstrate outstanding early achievement. Who Should Apply
| 06/09/2025 Application Due |
| Helen Hay Whitney Foundation | Postdoctoral Research Fellowships | The Helen Hay Whitney Foundation supports early postdoctoral research training in all basic biomedical sciences. To attain its ultimate goal of increasing the number of imaginative, well-trained and dedicated medical scientists, the Foundation grants financial support of sufficient duration to help further the careers of young men and women engaged in biological or medical research. More Information | 06/16/2025 Application Due |
| Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation | OREF Mentored Clinician Scientist Grant (Must have been awarded a "K" award to apply) | $20,000 award to promote the development of new clinician scientists who have demonstrated success as both a clinician and a researcher. Allows investigators to spend dedicated time in research for a period of up to five years to develop a long and productive career in academic surgery. More Information | 06/17/2025 Application Due |
| Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation | OREF/AAOS Clinical Gaps Research Grant | $100,000 award solicits investigator-initiated research proposals focused on addressing clinical gaps in healing, repair, or diagnostics through devices, biologics, or technology. Areas of research focus may include translational preclinical or clinical research to preferably include pilot human studies. More Information | 06/17/2025 Application Due |
| Gateway for Cancer Research | Gateway Traditional Grant Program | Core grants funding early phase clinical trials for cancers of all types at renowned institutions around the world. These grants are typically 2-5 years in duration with award amounts from $200,000 to $1.5 million. More Information | 06/20/2025 Application Due |
| Gateway for Cancer Research | Joint NCI/ SPORE/ P20 Program | Our collaboration with the National Cancer Institute (NCI)/Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE)/ P20 Program allows us to fund more patient-centric research. This grant program will support translational research through clinical trials conducted by institutions that receive NCI SPORE awards. Gateway will issue grant awards based on an application and review process conducted by Gateway. More Information | 06/20/2025 Application Due |
| Gateway for Cancer Research | Integrative Research | Gateway focuses on funding integrative oncology research that pairs conventional therapies with evidence-based, complementary therapies to manage symptoms and side effects from treatment. This also aims to increase quality of life during treatment. More Information | 06/20/2025 Application Due |
| Gateway for Cancer Research | Joint Society for Integrative Oncology (SIO) Program (FGAs Reviewed Once Annually) | Our collaboration with the Society for Integrative Oncology (SIO) allows us to bring the most promising patient-centered, integrative oncology research proposals forward, Gateway collaborates with SIO to support integrative clinical trials conducted by principal investigators and institutions among its membership. SIO’s mission is to advance evidence-based, comprehensive, integrative healthcare to improve the lives of people affected by cancer. More Information | 06/20/2025 Application Due |
| Gateway for Cancer Research | Decentralized Clinical Trial Initiative (DCTI) | Successful DCTI proposals should:
| 06/20/2025 Application Due |
| Little Giraffe Foundation | 2025 Neonatal Research Initiative | The Little Giraffe Foundation is offering research grants in the amount of $5,000 - $10,000 for neonatal research and invites qualified scientists, doctors, and nurses at universities, hospitals and research institutions to submit applications for research grants directed at addressing both the long term and immediate health needs caused by premature birth. More Information | 06/20/2025 LOI Due |
| American Brain Foundation (ABF) | Cure One, Cure Many Award in Lewy Body Dementia | The Cure One, Cure Many Award invites proposals for research aimed at developing and validating biomarkers for Lewy Body Dementia (LBD). Proposals should aim to identify one or more biomarkers that support or confirm LBD as the underlying cause of dementia at any stage. Biomarkers should focus on measuring biological changes through biofluid or imaging studies, or other approaches such as genotyping, retinal or skin assays. Award amount: Up to $2 million over 2 years. More Information | 07/15/2025 Full application by invitation only. |
| American Brain Foundation (ABF) | Cure One, Cure Many Award in neuroinflammation: Breakthrough Grants | The Cure One, Cure Many Award in neuroinflammation is part of a research initiative focused on advancing understanding of neuroinflammation’s role in brain disease. The Breakthrough Grants supports interdisciplinary teams investigating novel mechanisms of neuroinflammation and the potential development of new biomarkers, therapeutic targets, or technologies. Teams must involve collaborators from at least three institutions and span multiple disciplines. Award amount: Up to $2 million over 2 years. More Information | 07/15/2025 Full application by invitation only. |
| American Brain Foundation (ABF) | Cure One, Cure Many Award in neuroinflammation: Catalyst Grants | The Cure One, Cure Many Award in neuroinflammation is part of a research initiative focused on advancing understanding of neuroinflammation’s role in brain disease. The Catalyst Grants support early-stage, high-risk, high-reward research projects that explore and innovate interdisciplinary approaches to neuroinflammation. These grants are intended to help researchers overcome critical hurdles in the field and to fund bold ideas that could lead to significant advances in diagnosis, treatment, or prevention. Award amount: Up to $500,000 over 2 years (up to $250,000 per year). More Information | 07/15/2025 Full application by invitation only. |