This funding opportunity is currently accepting applications.
Application RSVP required: Due by 5 p.m. Wednesday, July 15, 2026.
Application deadline: 5 p.m. Wednesday, August 12, 2026.
The submission link will be emailed to principal investigators (PI) who submit an RSVP.
Upon its dissolution in 2011, the Schweppe Foundation established an endowment at Rush to support early career investigators with research pilot awards via internal competition. Rush’s Trustees later designated a portion of an Armour family estate gift to be paired with Schweppe as internal matching funds.
-
Funding Amount and Availability
- Two awards of up to $50,000 each for a one-year project period
- Faculty salary support is not allowed.
- No Cost Extensions (NCE) will not be allowed.
-
Eligible Investigators
- The PI must hold an active faculty appointment at Rush University at the rank of assistant professor or higher.
- Applicants must be early career investigators.
- No citizenship or residency requirements.
-
Application Criteria
One application per award cycle as PI or multiple PI (MPI).
Proposals must be for patient-oriented clinical, health services, or community health-focused research.
Interdisciplinary proposals are encouraged.
The project must be feasible within the applicable project period, unless otherwise specified.
Applicants are encouraged to identify funding mechanisms (federal, non-federal, or other specific grant mechanisms) to support continued progress.
-
How to Apply
The submission link will be emailed to PIs who submit an RSVP. Proposals should be submitted in 2 files and include the following components:
File 1 in PDF format
- Cover Page
- Project title
- Names of MPIs, highest degree, position title, department/division, phone number, and email
- Total funding amount requested
- Statement indicating whether the proposed research overlaps, in whole or part, with any ongoing or previously submitted projects
- List of current Rush collaborators with whom MPIs have published or submitted grant applications within the past three years (no more than 1 page)
- Budget
- Internal non-federal budget form (required). This file should be uploaded as File 2 in original format.
- NIH PHS 398 forms, pages 4 and 5 (required)
- Allowable: Fringe benefits 22%, Rush non-faculty/student salary support, and publication costs
- Not allowable: Faculty salary support, indirect costs, or capital expenses.
- Biographical Sketches
- Required for MPIs only
- Must follow the current NIH format
- Body of Application
- Formatting: 11-point Arial font with at least 0.5-inch margins
- Project summary/abstract in plain language (1 page)
- Specific aims (1 page)
- Research Strategy
- Significance, innovation, and approach (6 pages)
- Plan for Future Funding (1 page)
- Literature Cited (no limit)
- A form for the Department Chair/Division to acknowledge support of the application will be sent to the PI upon complete submission of the application.
File 2
Internal non-federal budget form in original format.
- Cover Page
-
Review Process
- A panel of non-competing researchers will review applications based on the new NIH simplified peer review framework.
- Applications that demonstrate potential for future funding will be prioritized.
-
Award Timeline
- Internal decision anticipated by October 2026.
- Anticipated funding period Jan. 1 Dec. 31, 2027.
Norma Sandoval
norma_sandoval@rush.edu