The National Kidney Foundation established a Young Investigator Research Grant program to support clinical research studies addressing important issues for patients with kidney disease.
Donor Name: National Kidney Foundation
State: All States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 02/09/2026
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: 1 Year
Details:
Projects must be patient-oriented. Elements of patient-oriented research activities may include, but are not limited to, development of new technologies, mechanisms of human disease, educational or therapeutic interventions, epidemiological studies, health policy studies, and clinical trials. Individuals who have completed fellowship training in an ACGME-accredited training program and who hold junior faculty positions (Instructor or Assistant Professor) at university-affiliated medical centers in the United States are eligible to apply. (Francisco ‘Frank’ M. Gonzalez Memorial Research Fund projects will accept Basic Science applications). The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) will fund the most meritorious research projects after a peer review by an independent review committee. Applicants will be asked to provide a description of the applicability of the proposed research to the NKF’s mission to improve the detection, prevention, and treatment of kidney disease, to foster kidney transplantation, and to improve the lives of patients with kidney disease.
Funding Information
Initial support for awards commencing July 1, 2026, is provided for one year in a total amount not to
exceed $35,000 ($25,000 for the Francisco ‘Frank’ M. Gonzalez Memorial Research Fund for one year).
Eligibility Criteria
Promising young scientists are encouraged to submit proposals for investigating clinical research
questions in nephrology, or closely related fields.
They will consider applications from individuals who:
- Instructions for National Kidney Foundation Young Investigator Research Grant Program
- Have completed training in nephrology prior to the start of the grant award, and who intend to pursue research directly related to these areas.
- Applicants trained in Internal Medicine or Pediatrics with subsequent Nephrology fellowship training are also accepted.
- Hold a full-time appointment to a faculty position at a university, or an equivalent position as a scientist on the staff of a research-oriented institution, at the time funding begins (July 1, 2026).
- The university or research-oriented institution must be in the United States.
- Customarily, the appropriate faculty rank is that of Assistant Professor. In some institutions, at title such as Instructor is used to designate junior faculty status; individuals at that rank are eligible to apply.
- Qualifications should be documented in the biosketch (using the NIH Biosketch format) limit: five pages.
- Are within their first four years of initial appointment to a faculty position or staff scientist position in a research organization. Candidates who received an appointment before July 1, 2022, are not eligible for this award in this funding cycle. NKF will accept extension requests to the 4- year eligibility window on a case-by-case basis.
For more information, visit NKF.
