Programs

Home ▶ Programs ▶ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Below are answers to common questions. Please review this document first before contacting Research Program staff as we are a small staff and, in general, are unable to discuss individual projects prior to or after the submission of an application. We encourage applicants to use resources such as mentors, grant officers, and peers.

About the Grant Program


Grant Eligibility


Application Forms and Process

About the Grant Program

What areas does the ATS Research Program fund?

  • ATS Research Program funds research interested in advancing the knowledge and understanding of the fields of pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine. We encourage applications in basic, translational, and clinical science, pediatric and adult medicine, and patient-oriented and public health topics.
  • Please refer to the Grant Opportunities section for more detailed information on grants available.

What projects are currently supported?

When does the grant cycle open?

  • The 2023-2024 grant cycle opened Monday, July 17, 2023.
  • As of 2021, the annual grant cycle has changed and will now open in the summer. To receive information on the grant cycle and grant opportunities, please sign up for the mailing list.

How much funding will the ATS provide for my proposal?

  • We offer both 1-year and 2-year grants from $40,000 to $200,000. The amount of funding varies by grant type.
  • Please refer to the Grant Opportunities section for more detailed information on grants available.

What are the deadlines for proposals?

  • The 2023-2024 grant cycle opened Monday, July 17, 2023. 
  • The letter of intent (LOI) deadline is Tuesday, September 11, 2023 by 11:59 PM EST. Please note that the LOI is only required of the Unrestricted and Diversity Grants.

What percent of applications are awarded funding?

  • The ATS Research Program is highly competitive. About 20 percent of the applications submitted result in funding.

Should I apply if I think my area of research is atypical for Research Program grantmaking?

  • Yes, please consider applying. The diversity of research among our awardees may surprise you.
  • Grants are offered in all three pillars of the ATS: pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine.
  • Grants are offered for basic, translational, and clinical science.
  • Grants are offered in pediatric and adult medicine.
  • Grants are available to international and domestic applicants.
  • Grants are encouraged in basic, patient-oriented, and public health topics.
  • Those interested in nursing research are encouraged to apply to our grants. In the past, ATS has offered the ATS Nursing Research Award for licensed registered nurses with PhDs, but this grant will not be offered in the 2023-2024 cycle. Please consider the NIH National Institute of Nursing Research a resource for strengthening your application: https://www.ninr.nih.gov/training.

My funding request does not fall under any of your programs. How do I submit it?

  • The ATS Research Program currently does not make grants outside our funding mechanisms.

Grant Eligibility

What are the eligibility requirements for an ATS Research Program Grant?

  • While specific eligibility requirements vary by award type, all ATS Research Program grants must meet the requirements in the Eligibility Criteria section.

May I apply if I am not an ATS Member?

  • Yes. However, at least one of the key personnel must be an ATS member at the time of application, and the principal investigator must be a full ATS member at the time the grant is awarded (May 2024). 

May I apply if I am not a US Citizen?

  • International applicants are welcome to apply (except to the partnered ALA/ATS/CHEST Foundation Respiratory Health Equity Research Awards).
  • US-based trainees must hold a visa that spans the project period of the grant.

What qualifies as an "early-stage investigator”?

  • Early-stage investigator is defined by the following:
    • within 12 years of last terminal degree (e.g. MD, PhD, DVM)
    • sub-specialty training (e.g. fellowships) does not count as terminal degrees
    • exceptions may be considered if there were extenuating circumstances (e.g. absence from the field for parental leave)
    • if you believe you have extenuating circumstances not related to sub-specialty training, submit a letter of intent and provide the explanation when prompted under "Special Circumstances"

May I apply if there are gaps in my work history?

  • Yes. Your Letter of Intent application allows you to explain impediments to your past productivity in a section titled “Special Circumstances.” This may include factors such as family care responsibilities, illness, disability, and active-duty military service.

Are there any grants for established investigators?

  • While the mission of the ATS is to support early-stage investigators, some of the partner grants are open to investigators at any stage in their career.
  • The 2023-2024 portfolio grant that is open to established investigators is:
  • Please refer to the Grant Opportunities section for more detailed information on grants available.

May I apply for an ATS Research Program grant if I have received one in the past?

  • Yes, however recipients of currently-funded ATS Research Program grants are not eligible.
  • Individuals who have received two Research Program grants are not eligible.

May I re-submit a proposal?

  • Yes, as long as you meet the eligibility requirements, we strongly encourage you to re-apply. If you received written comments on the proposal, be sure that you address those concerns in the resubmission.

May I hold grants from other organizations?

  • Simultaneous submission of grants with scientific overlap is allowed, but if multiple applications are funded, then the applicant must notify the ATS within one month of formal notification of award. A subcommittee of the Scientific Grant Review Committee (SGRC) will assess the degree of overlap. In the case of significant scientific overlap, the applicant will have to choose between the ATS Research Program grant and the other grant. Budgetary overlap is not allowed.

Application Forms and Process

How do I access the letter of intent/full application forms?

I missed the letter of intent. May I submit a full application?

  • For the Unrestricted and Diversity Grants you must submit a letter of intent and be invited to submit a full application. 
  • The 2023-2024 grant cycle opened Monday, July 17, 2023.
  • If you missed the letter of intent stage please sign up for the mailing list and look out for the next cycle which opens in summer 2024.

I have been invited to submit a full application but I am having trouble accessing the full application form.

  • To access the full application form, you will need to use the same login and password that you used for your letter of intent submission.
  • Full application forms are found on the Foundant Technologies Website. 

May I apply for more than one of the ATS Research Program awards?

  • Applicants may submit multiple scientifically distinct letter of intent (LOI) applications, but ATS will extend at most one invitation to submit a full grant application to each applicant. We recommend you limit your number of submissions to focus on one quality, well-prepared grant proposal.
  • You may not submit the same application to multiple categories. In choosing a category for your submission, please review the criteria for each award and pick the category most appropriate to your budget and timeline.
  • If you are eligible for a targeted grant that is appropriate to your budget, we recommend you apply to that category over the unrestricted grants which receive the majority of applications. 

If I am eligible for multiple categories, which do you recommend I submit to?

  • If you are eligible for a targeted grant that is appropriate to your budget, we recommend you apply to that category over the unrestricted grants which receive the majority of applications.
  • In choosing a category for your submission, please review the criteria for each award and pick the category most appropriate to your budget and timeline.

May an institution/department/lab submit multiple applications?

  • Yes, we do not limit the number of applications by institution/department/lab.

For key personnel, how is “percent effort” defined?

  • “Percent effort” may be defined by percent of participation on the project, percent of salary support, or a combination of both. Make sure that you are clearly stating how you are defining it.

Can overhead and/or indirect expenses be allocated from ATS Research Program grants?

  • No, overhead and indirect costs are not allowed.

Who constitutes as a “signing official”?

  • A signing official is any individual at your institution that has the authority to sign contracts.

How many letters of reference/support will I need?

  • The letter of intent does not require any letters of reference/support.
  • The full application requires two letters of support and allows the ability to upload letters from collaborators.

Where can I find the necessary application forms?

What documents/uploads does the letter of intent application require?

  • The letter of intent requires:
    • Certification of Faculty Employment
    • Biosketch of PI
    • Biosketches of Key Personnel
    • The letter of intent does not require a Budget Form or Signature Form
    • All forms can be found in the Application Documents section.
    • For more detailed instructions refer to the LOI Instructions page.

What documents/uploads does the full application require?

  • The full application requires:
    • Biosketch of PI
    • Biosketch of mentor
    • Biosketch of co-investigator (up to two)
    • Research Plans
    • Literature Cited
    • Budget Form
    • Lab Resources and Equipment
    • Two letters of reference/support
    • Signature Form
  • The full application does not require Certification of Faculty Employment (unless there was no LOI stage in which case it will be required)
  • All forms can be found in the Application Documents section.
  • For more detailed instructions refer to the Full Application Instructions page.

Will I receive scores or written comments?

  • Due to the high volume of proposals at the letter of intent stage, we are unable to provide scores, written comments, or customized feedback to applicants.
  • Applicants that are invited to submit a full application will receive their score upon notification.

Are staff members available to discuss my application before or after submission?

  • We are a small staff and are unable to discuss individual projects prior to or after the submission of an application. We encourage investigators to use the resources available to them, including mentors, grant officers, and peers.
  • The ATS Scientific Grant Review Committee (SGRC) leads a rigorous, NIH-style review process to identify the most impactful research proposals that the ATS Research Program receives. Please consider the NIH “How to Apply” section a resource for strengthening your application: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/how-to-apply-application-guide/format-and-write/write-your-application.htm.

If my question was not addressed who do I contact?

The American Thoracic Society improves global health by advancing research, patient care, and public health in pulmonary disease, critical illness, and sleep disorders. Founded in 1905 to combat TB, the ATS has grown to tackle asthma, COPD, lung cancer, sepsis, acute respiratory distress, and sleep apnea, among other diseases.

X Facebook LinkedIn Instagram YouTube Social Media Page

AMERICAN THORACIC SOCIETY
25 Broadway
New York, NY 10004
United States of America

Phone: +1 (212) 315-8600
Fax: +1 (212) 315-6498
Email: atsinfo@thoracic.org

© 1998 - American Thoracic Society, all rights reserved.

Privacy Statement | Term of Use | COI
Conference Code of Conduct