The Whitehall Foundation, through its program of grants and grants-in-aid, assists scholarly research in the life sciences. It is the Foundation’s policy to assist those dynamic areas of basic biological research that are not heavily supported by Federal Agencies or other foundations with specialized missions. In order to respond to the changing environment, the Whitehall Foundation periodically reassesses the need for financial support by the various fields of biological research.

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT: http://www.whitehall.org/about/

The Foundation emphasizes the support of young scientists at the beginning of their careers and productive senior scientists who wish to move into new fields of interest. Consideration is given, however, to applicants of all ages. The chief criteria for support are the quality and creativity of the research as well as the commitment of the Principal Investigator (a minimum time allocation of 20% is required). The principal investigator must hold no less than the position of assistant professor, or the equivalent, in order to participate in the application process. The applicant need not be in a tenure track position but must be an independent researcher and have Principal Investigator status at his/her institution, usually construed as having lab space independent of another Principal Investigator.

The Foundation does not award funds to investigators who have substantial existing or potential support, even if it is for an unrelated purpose. Applications may be held in abeyance until the results of other funding decisions are determined. While it is difficult to assign a specific dollar amount to this policy and each case is unique, the Foundation currently defines “substantial” as approximately $200,000 per year (including both direct and indirect expense but excluding the Principal Investigator’s salary).

The Foundation is currently interested in basic research in neurobiology, defined as follows: Invertebrate and vertebrate (excluding clinical) neurobiology, specifically investigations of neural mechanisms involved in sensory, motor, and other complex functions of the whole organism as these relate to behavior. The overall goal should be to better understand behavioral output or brain mechanisms of behavior.

The Foundation does not support research focused primarily on disease(s) unless it will also provide insights into normal functioning.

Research Grants
Research grants are available to established scientists of all ages working at accredited institutions in the United States. Applications will be judged on the scientific merit and the innovative aspects of the proposal as well as on the competence of the applicant. Research grants of up to three years will be provided. A renewal grant with a maximum of two years is possible, but it will be awarded on a competitive basis. Research grants will not be awarded to investigators who have already received, or expect to receive, substantial support from other sources, even if it is for an unrelated purpose. Research grants normally range from $30,000 to $75,000 per year.

Grants-in-Aid
The Grants-in-Aid program is designed for researchers at the assistant professor level who experience difficulty in competing for research funds because they have not yet become firmly established. Grants-in-Aid can also be made to senior scientists. All applications will be judged on the scientific merit and innovative aspects of the proposal, as well as on past performance and evidence of the applicant’s continued productivity. Grants-in-Aid are awarded for a one-year period and do not exceed $30,000.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Eligibility Requirements

The applicant must meet all three of the following eligibility requirements in order to participate in the application process:

• Appropriate title – must be an Assistant Professor (or higher). If the institution does not use this title, a letter from the department chair confirming the applicant’s eligibility is required.
• Status – must hold Principal Investigator status.
• Independent – must be considered an “independent investigator” with his/her own dedicated lab space or with lab space independent of another investigator.

The Letter of Intent

The first step in the proposal process is the submission of a letter as outlined below. The Foundation will accept only one letter of intent per year from an Investigator. This letter should be sent by US Mail or any dependable carrier to the Foundation and be received by the close of business on the deadline date (or the following business day if appropriate), displayed in the Application Dates section. Letters of Intent will not be accepted when submitted by electronic mail.

The following information must be included:

Part 1 Cover Page (use institutional letterhead):

• The investigator’s full name, academic rank and institutional affiliation.
• Complete US Mail and e-mail addresses, telephone and fax numbers.
• The title of the project (not to exceed 60 characters).
• The type of grant requested: a one year grant-in-aid, or a two or three year research grant.
• A table of all current and pending funding including the following information: grant title, source, total amount of direct and indirect costs per year, length in years, percent effort expended on the project, and notification date if the application is still pending. Pending funding should include all grant applications submitted but not yet approved or denied. If there is no current or pending funding please specifically indicate “no current funding’ or “no pending funding”.

Part 2 Research Abstract (plain paper):

The abstract is a technical description, not exceeding two pages in length, of the proposed research project. The abstract may not exceed 600 words in length and the font must be in no less than 11 point type. Figures are acceptable in the letter of intent. Figure legends should be included in the word count total. The word count should be displayed at the end of the abstract; abstracts longer than 600 words will not be accepted. Please type the investigator’s last name on the top right corner of each page and do not include any reprints, CVs, or letters of reference.

On the basis of this letter, the Whitehall Foundation’s scientific advisory staff will determine whether or not the proposed research project will continue to the application process. Support will not be provided to individuals who receive or expect to receive substantial support from other sources.

The Research Proposal

Grant application materials will be sent to those applicants whose proposed projects are considered to be the most meritorious and consistent with the Foundation’s current funding interests. The grant application should be carefully prepared as outlined in the instructions and on the form itself.

Budget items must be justified. Current and pending extramural support must be outlined as in the Letter of Intent: grant title, source, total amount of direct and indirect costs per year, length in years, percent effort expended and notification date if still pending. We expect that the deadlines will be honored and that all information requested will be supplied. Letters of recommendation should be sent by the writer directly to the Foundation in accordance with the instructions in the application packet.

BUDGET GUIDELINES

Whitehall Foundation funds may be used for the following purposes:

• Salary support for post-doctoral and graduate students, technicians and undergraduates in work study programs. The positions and individuals holding them should be identified when possible.
• Personnel Benefits may not exceed 25% of the salary for full and part time employees.
• The purchase of permanent scientific equipment is limited to $30,000 ($15,000 for Grants-in-Aid) and it should remain with the researcher during the life of the grant.
• Materials and supplies required to accomplish the project are funded while office supplies are not.
• Travel may be funded if it is required for research purposes, with foreign travel usually excluded.
• Publication costs will normally be funded if directly related to papers on the project which have been submitted to recognized journals.
• Overhead or Indirect expense is limited to no more than 25% of equipment and research supplies.

Foundation funds may not be used for any of the following:

• Salary of the principal investigator.
• Construction projects or laboratory renovations.
• Secretarial or other office expense.
• Travel to conferences or meetings.
• Tuition and/or fellowships.

During the period of the grant all meaningful budget changes must be approved in advance. A brief note describing the requested changes should be sent via electronic mail to the Foundation for approval.

APPLICATION DATES

If any of the above dates fall on a holiday or weekend, the next business day will normally be the deadline. Deadlines will be successfully met when the Letter of Intent or Application is received prior to the close of business on the deadline date.

These dates will be strictly observed and there will be no exceptions.