NAF has launched a petition on Change.org calling on the FDA to prioritize treatment options for rare diseases with urgent unmet needs, including Spinocerebellar Ataxia (SCA).
SIGN THE PETITION
NAF has launched a petition on Change.org calling on the FDA to prioritize treatment options for rare diseases with urgent unmet needs, including Spinocerebellar Ataxia (SCA).
SIGN THE PETITION
NAF’s programs that support your work to accelerate treatment development.
NAF works with the most knowledgeable, accomplished Ataxia researchers in the world. We are committed to providing the resources needed to pursue a cure and better quality of life for people with Ataxia.
The National Ataxia Foundation (NAF) is committed to funding cutting-edge basic, translational, and clinical research relevant to hereditary and sporadic Ataxia.
NAF invites research applications from domestic and international non-profit and for-profit institutions. We accept applications across all career stages, from graduate students through senior researchers and established clinicians. Non-U.S. citizens are eligible to apply for some research grants from NAF; please check the specific eligibility requirements for each grant type for more information.
Applications are selected annually through a competitive review process. All applicants must first submit a Letter of Intent (LOI). High-scoring applicants will be invited to submit full grant applications. Please review the table below for pertinent deadlines.
| Grant Submissions | Open Date | Deadline | Decision Notification |
| Letter of Intent | June 16, 2025 | August 15, 2025 | early October 2025 |
| Grant Application | Upon LOI approval | December 5, 2025 | February 2026 |
Please note: Applicants may submit one letter of intent per year.
Please review the below information for more eligibility and application details.
The Michael Lundquist Grant to Advance MSA-C Research is a $50,000, 1-year, merit-based, nonrenewable grant awarded annually to independent researchers for outstanding proposals that aim to make meaningful advancements in the treatment and care of individuals affected by multiple system atrophy, cerebellar subtype (MSA-C). While proposals may include aspects relevant to other forms of ataxia, the primary focus must be on preclinical, translational, or clinical research directly related to MSA-C.
This grant honors the legacy of Michael Lundquist and reflects NAF’s commitment to advancing research that improves outcomes for people living with MSA-C.
Click to view Michael Lundquist MSA-C Grant RFP, including funding priorities
August 15, 2025 by 11:59 PM Eastern Time
To utilize the proposalCENTRAL online portal to submit letters of intent and applications, a user account needs to be created. Use this weblink https://proposalcentral.com to create an account. Creating an account can be done any time prior to submitting a Letter of Intent (LOI) to apply.
Read more about NAF’s LOI submission process and instructions for formatting & content here.
December 5, 2025 by 11:59 PM Eastern Time
Application is not available until LOI has been approved.
NAF retains the right to unilaterally cancel awards for nonperformance or noncompliance.
All NAF awards are subject to NAF Annual Research Grant Policies.
Eligibility & Guidelines
1. Applicants must have completed their post-doctoral training and have a full-time appointment as a faculty member, clinical fellow, or senior scientist at a research institution.
2. Non-U.S. citizens are eligible to apply for this NAF grant award.
3. Grant applications are accepted from U.S. and international institutions.
4. Individuals are ineligible if they were the lead PI on an awarded NAF grant within the past two fiscal years.
5. Applicants are only eligible to submit one application per year. Applicants should select the grant program that best suits their current position and proposal.
The NAF Research Seed Money Grant provides support for new and innovative studies that advance understanding of the cause, pathogenesis, or treatment of hereditary, sporadic, and acquired ataxias. These $50,000, 1-year, merit-based, nonrenewable grants serve as seed funding to assist investigators during the early or pilot phases of research, or as supplemental funding for ongoing innovative projects demonstrating a critical need. It is expected that funded projects will generate preliminary data to support applications for larger grants from other funding sources.
Click to view Research Seed Money Grant RFP, including funding priorities
August 15, 2025 by 11:59 PM Eastern Time
To utilize the proposalCENTRAL online portal to submit letters of intent and applications, a user account needs to be created. Use this weblink https://proposalcentral.com to create an account. Creating an account can be done any time prior to submitting a Letter of Intent (LOI) to apply.
Read more about NAF’s LOI submission process and instructions for formatting & content here.
December 5, 2025 by 11:59 PM Eastern Time
Application is not available until LOI has been approved.
NAF retains the right to unilaterally cancel awards for nonperformance or noncompliance.
In rare circumstances, Seed Money applications may be eligible for increased funding limits. All such requests must be approved by NAF CSO Dr. Lauren Moore ahead of submitting an LOI.
All NAF awards are subject to NAF Annual Research Grant Policies.
Eligibility & Guidelines
1. Applicants must have completed their post-doctoral training and have a full-time appointment as a faculty member, clinical fellow, or senior scientist at a research institution.
2. Non-U.S. citizens are eligible to apply for this NAF grant award.
3. Grant applications are accepted from U.S. and international institutions.
4. Individuals are ineligible if they were the lead PI on an awarded NAF grant within the past two fiscal years.
5. Applicants are only eligible to submit one application per year. Applicants should select the grant program that best suits their current position and proposal.
The Pioneer SCA3 Translational Research Award is annually granted to independent researchers to support outstanding research proposals that aim to make significant advancements in the development of treatments and/or improvements to patient care for Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 3 (SCA3). This 1-year, merit-based, nonrenewable grant provides $100,000 in direct research funding. Proposals must have a predominant focus on SCA3 preclinical, translational, or clinical research.
Click to view Pioneer SCA Grant RFP, including funding priorities
August 15, 2025 by 11:59 PM Eastern Time
To utilize the proposalCENTRAL online portal to submit letters of intent and applications, a user account
needs to be created. Use this weblink https://proposalcentral.com to create an account. Creating an
account can be done any time prior to submitting a Letter of Intent (LOI) to apply.
Read more about NAF’s LOI submission process and instructions for formatting & content here.
December 5, 2025 by 11:59 PM Eastern Time
Application is not available until LOI has been approved.
This 1-year award, beginning April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027, provides $100,000 in research funding that can be used to support direct research expenses.
No more than 50% of the grant can be used to support personnel costs.
Indirect costs and cost sharing are prohibited from being applied to NAF grants.
No-cost extensions (NCE) will be considered for extenuating circumstances and are subject to approval by NAF.
NAF retains the right to unilaterally cancel any awards for non-compliance or non-performance.
All NAF awards are subject to NAF Annual Research Grant Policies.
Eligibility & Guidelines
1. Applicants must have completed their post-doctoral training and have a full-time appointment as a senior scientist or clinician-researcher at a research institution.
2. Non-U.S. citizens are eligible to apply for a NAF grant award.
3. Grant applications are accepted from U.S. and international institutions.
4. Individuals are ineligible if they were the lead PI on an awarded NAF grant within the past two fiscal years. Past Pioneer SCA3 awardees are also ineligible.
5. Applicants are only eligible to submit one application per year. Applicants should select the grant program that best suits their current position and proposal.
The NAF Early Career Investigator Award is a $50,000. 1-year, merit-based, nonrenewable grant designed to support outstanding early-stage scientists who have completed their postdoctoral training within the past 6 years and hold a junior faculty or clinical fellow appointment. This award aims to foster the development of independent research careers by providing seed funding for innovative, high-impact studies in the field of ataxia. Proposals are welcome across the full spectrum of basic, translational, and clinical research, but must have a clear and significant focus on advancing our understanding of the causes, pathogenesis, or treatment of hereditary, sporadic, or acquired ataxias. It is expected that the projects supported by this program will catalyze significant progress toward meaningful scientific insights and therapeutic advances in ataxia.
Click to view Early Career Investigator RFP, including funding priorities
August 15, 2025 by 11:59 PM Eastern Time
To utilize the proposalCENTRAL online portal to submit letters of intent and applications, a user account
needs to be created. Use this weblink https://proposalcentral.com to create an account. Creating an
account can be done any time prior to submitting a Letter of Intent (LOI) to apply.
Read more about NAF’s LOI submission process and instructions for formatting & content here.
December 5, 2025 by 11:59 PM Eastern Time
Application is not available until LOI has been approved.
This 1-year fellowship, beginning April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027, provides $50,000 in research funding that can be used to support direct research expenses.
No more than 50% of the grant can be used to support personnel costs.
Indirect costs and cost sharing are prohibited from being applied to NAF grants.
No-cost extensions (NCE) will be considered for extenuating circumstances and are subject to approval by NAF.
NAF retains the right to unilaterally cancel any awards for non-compliance or non-performance.
All NAF awards are subject to NAF Annual Research Grant Policies.
1. Applicants must have completed a PhD, equivalent research degree program (e.g., PharmD, PsyD, ScD), formally combined MD/PhD program, or other combined professional/clinical and research doctoral degree (e.g., DDS/PhD).
2. Applicants must have completed their post-doctoral training and have an appointment as a junior faculty member or clinical fellow by Grant Application deadline. Individuals at the Associate Professor level are not eligible. Clinicians must have finished their residency no more than five (5) years prior to applying.
3. Non-U.S. citizens are eligible to apply for a NAF grant award.
4. Grant applications are accepted from U.S. and international institutions.
5. Individuals are ineligible if they were awarded a NAF grant within the past two fiscal years. Past Early Career Investigator awardees are also ineligible to apply.
6. Applicants are only eligible to submit one application per year. Applicants should select the grant program that best suits their current position and proposal.
The NAF Post-doctoral Fellowship Award is a $35,000, 1-year, merit-based, nonrenewable grant that provides support for early-career researchers conducting innovative studies that can expand our understanding of the cause, pathogenesis, or treatment of hereditary, sporadic, and acquired ataxias. This fellowship is intended to foster the development of promising scientists by supporting mentored research experiences that build toward independent research careers. Funded projects are expected to generate high-quality preliminary data, strengthen research skills, and position fellows for future grant applications and academic advancement.
Click to view Post-doctoral Fellowship RFP, including funding priorities
August 15, 2025 by 11:59 PM Eastern Time
To utilize the proposalCENTRAL online portal to submit letters of intent and applications, a user account needs to be created. Use this weblink https://proposalcentral.com to create an account. Creating an account can be done any time prior to submitting a Letter of Intent (LOI) to apply.
Read more about NAF’s LOI submission process and instructions for formatting & content here.
December 5, 2025 by 11:59 PM Eastern Time
Application is not available until LOI has been approved.
This 1-year fellowship, beginning April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027, provides $35,000 in research funding that can be used as used as salary support or for direct research expenses.
Indirect costs and cost sharing are prohibited from being applied to NAF grants.
No-cost extensions (NCE) will be considered for extenuating circumstances and are subject to approval by NAF.
NAF retains the right to unilaterally cancel any awards for non-compliance or non-performance.
All NAF awards are subject to NAF Annual Research Grant Policies.
1. Applicants must have completed a PhD, equivalent research degree program (e.g., PharmD, PsyD, ScD), formally combined MD/PhD program, or other combined professional/clinical and research doctoral degree (e.g., DDS/PhD).
2. Applicants must have completed at least one year of post-doctoral training, but not more than four years of post-doctoral training at the time of application and should have shown a commitment to research in the field of ataxia.
3. Non-U.S. citizens are eligible to apply for a NAF grant award.
4. Grant applications are accepted from U.S. and international institutions.
5. Individuals are ineligible if they were awarded any NAF grant within the past two fiscal years. Past Post-doctoral Fellowship awardees are also ineligible to apply.
6. Applicants are only eligible to submit one application per year. Applicants should select the grant program that best suits their current position and proposal.
This URM Pre-doctoral research fellowship is a competitive, non-renewable, merit-based award intended to enhance research and/or clinical training of promising students who are matriculated in pre-doctoral or clinical health professional degree training programs and who intend careers as scientists, physician-scientists or other clinician-scientists aimed at continuing ataxia basic science, translational science or clinical research towards the goal of serving individuals with ataxia.
This award provides partial support ($50,000 across 2 years; $25,000 annually) for study and research and may be used to support pre-doctoral students who are pursuing research with an ataxia-relevant theme. Proposals across the spectrum of basic, translational, and clinical research are welcome.
Click to view Diverse Scientists in Ataxia Pre-doctoral Fellowship RFP, including funding priorities
August 15, 2025 by 11:59 PM Eastern Time
To utilize the proposalCENTRAL online portal to submit letters of intent and applications, a user account
needs to be created. Use this weblink https://proposalcentral.com to create an account. Creating an
account can be done any time prior to submitting a Letter of Intent (LOI) to apply.
Read more about NAF’s LOI submission process and instructions for formatting & content here.
December 5, 2025 by 11:59 PM Eastern Time
Application is not available until LOI has been approved.
This award provides up to two years of support, beginning April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2028, totaling $50,000 ($25,000 per year).
Funding can be used to support direct research costs associated with the funded proposal and can be used to support the fellow’s annual stipend.
Indirect costs and cost sharing are prohibited from being applied to NAF grants.
A progress report is required 11 months after the start of the grant funding term. The second year of funding is contingent on demonstration of progress by the awardee.
NAF retains the right to unilaterally cancel any awards for non-compliance or non-performance.
All NAF awards are subject to NAF Annual Research Grant Policies.
Eligible Applicants:
At the time of application, the applicant must:
1. Have a baccalaureate degree or equivalent and be currently enrolled in a PhD or equivalent research degree program (e.g., PharmD, PsyD, ScD), a formally combined MD/PhD program, or other combined professional/clinical and research doctoral (e.g., DDS/PhD) in the United States.
2. Have successfully completed their qualifying exams, or equivalent*, in their respective programs by the final grant due date.
3. Be a U.S. citizen, non-citizen U.S. national, U.S. permanent residents, individual granted deferred action status under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program, or individual granted Temporary Protected Status.
4. Identify as one or more of the following:
i. An individual from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups in the U.S., including but not limited to Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, American Indian or Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islanders. Individuals from racial or ethnic groups not listed here that can be demonstrated convincingly to be underrepresented by the grantee institution are also encouraged to apply.
ii. An individual who identifies as LGBTQIA+.
iii. Individuals with a disability, who are defined as those with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, as described in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
5. Have identified a research project and sponsor, show evidence of high academic performance in the sciences, and a commitment to a career as an independent research scientist, or as an independent physician-scientist or other clinician-scientist (dual-degree training) with a specialized interest in ataxias. The primary sponsor should be an active investigator and be committed both to the candidate’s research training and to direct supervision of his/her/their research.
6. Applicants are only eligible to submit one application per year. Applicants should select the grant program that best suits their current position and proposal.
The National Ataxia Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship is a competitive, non-renewable, merit-based award intended to encourage pre-doctoral students to pursue research and a career in the field of ataxia. This award provides partial support ($25,000, 1-year) for study and research and may be used to support pre-doctoral students who are pursing research with an ataxia-relevant theme. Applications for any type of ataxia are accepted for this award. Proposals across the spectrum of basic, translational, and clinical research are welcome.
Click to view Graduate Research Fellowship RFP, including funding priorities
August 15, 2025 by 11:59 PM Eastern Time
To utilize the proposalCENTRAL online portal to submit letters of intent and applications, a user account
needs to be created. Use this weblink https://proposalcentral.com to create an account. Creating an
account can be done any time prior to submitting a Letter of Intent (LOI) to apply.
Read more about NAF’s LOI submission process and instructions for formatting & content here.
December 5, 2025 by 11:59 PM Eastern Time
Application is not available until LOI has been approved.
This award provides one year of support, beginning April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027, totaling $25,000.
Funding can be used to support direct research costs associated with the funded proposal and can be used to support the fellow’s annual stipend.
Indirect costs and cost sharing are prohibited from being applied to NAF grants.
NAF retains the right to unilaterally cancel any awards for non-compliance or non-performance.
All NAF awards are subject to NAF Annual Research Grant Policies.
Eligible Applicants: At the time of application, the applicant must:
1. Have a baccalaureate degree or equivalent and be currently enrolled in a PhD or equivalent research degree program (e.g., PharmD, PsyD, ScD), a formally combined MD/PhD program, or other combined professional/clinical and research doctoral (e.g., DDS/PhD)
2. Have successfully completed their qualifying exams or equivalent in their respective programs by the final grant due date.
3. Non-U.S. citizens are eligible to apply for a NAF grant award.
4. Grant applications are accepted from U.S. and international institutions.
5. Applicants are only eligible to submit one application per year. Applicants should select the grant program that best suits their current position and proposal.
NAF utilizes proposalCENTRAL for grant applications, from LOI submission through post-award reporting. All interested researchers will need to create a ProposalCentral account in order to access the application portal.
NAF expects all applicants to submit original work. Submissions should clearly display the applicant’s individual intellectual contributions, analysis, and writing style. References should be clearly cited.
Applicants who were not selected for funding in a previous cycle are welcome to resubmit their proposal in a future round. However, resubmissions must demonstrate meaningful improvements and responsiveness to prior feedback.
LOI Instructions: Click to open NAF’s LOI submission instructions and formatting guidelines
Full Application Instructions: Coming later this year
Research Grants Policies: Click to open NAF’s grants program policy manual
1. Create a proposalCENTRAL account.
2. Submit a Letter of Intent by the deadline
3. If your LOI scores highly, you will be invited to submit a full application
1) I see I can only submit one application each cycle. How do I know which grant type is for me?
Applicants should carefully review eligibility criteria and guidelines for each award mechanism. Please only apply to a program if your career stage and area of research align with stated eligibility and funding guidelines.
Generally:
-applicants still pursuing their PhD should apply through our predoctoral offerings
-early career applicants should review our post-doc and early career investigator programs
-established independent researchers are eligible to apply for Seed Money awards
-SCA3 researchers dedicated to translational and clinical work, please consider the SCA3 Pioneer mechanism
-MSA-C senior researchers, check out our newest grant program, the Michael Lundquist Grant to Advance MSA-C Research
2) I have previously been awarded funding from NAF. May I apply for another grant type in this new funding cycle?
Applicants may receive more than one award from NAF over the course of their career. However, past NAF awardees are ineligible to apply if they were the lead PI on an awarded grant within the past two fiscal years.
Awardees under No-Cost Extensions are also ineligible to apply for additional funding.
3) Are there any restrictions on how my awarded funds may be used?
Specific restrictions on use of funds vary between grant types. Please review the instructions associated with your particular grant application. No funds provided by National Ataxia Foundation may be used for indirect/F&A costs. Funded researchers must follow the budget submitted with your application; any budget reallocations or changes post-award must be preapproved by the NAF CEO Dr. Lauren Moore.
Want to check out research that we have funded in the past? Click a link from past years to a see a list of researchers and information about their studies.
In our Science Showcase webinar series, NAF-funded researchers will present their work and facilitate a discussion about their study. Fellow researchers, clinicians, and industry partners are welcome to participate in scientific discussions or ask questions after the presentation, gaining insights into advancements, methodologies, and findings that are shaping the landscape of Ataxia research.
Are you interested in presenting your NAF-funded research to an audience of fellow academics, clinicians, industry professionals, and our NAF community? Please email Aimee Alcott at aimee@ataxia.org.
If you are considering requesting a No-Cost Extension for your funded award, please review the below and reach out to Dr. Lauren Moore, NAF CSO, at lauren@ataxia.org for more information and next steps.
We know that patient recruitment for research is important to the success of your work. NAF is here to help.
We maintain an active list of Ataxia research opportunities for patients on our website. We ensure that studies listed on our site have undergone approval by esteemed Institutional Review Boards (IRBs), Research Ethics Boards (REBs), and/or Research Ethics Committees (RECs). In addition, NAF offers recruitment assistance via email and social media, including targeted recruitment efforts by location and Ataxia type. We can also work with you to develop and deliver an informational webinar on your research study.
If you would like to have your study listed on our website or request help with recruitment, download the Research Recruitment Application or email research@ataxia.org with your question.
NAF hosts an annual patient conference each year which is attended by those affected by Ataxia and their caregivers/family members. Attendance is often over 500 individuals. Presentations by leading Ataxia researchers are given during the 2-day conference. Ataxia researchers are invited to participate in the exhibit area of the meeting to recruit patients for IRB approved research studies or share their research findings.
If you are interested in recruiting patients at NAF’s Annual Ataxia Conference, please contact us at (763) 553-0020 or email research@ataxia.org.
NAF partners with Sanford Research Coordination of Rare Dieseases (CoRDS) to maintain a registry of Ataxia patients. Access the registry to find potential participants for your research studies.
NAF and the University of Florida’s Center for NeuroGenetics are working together to maintain a repository of brain and spinal cord tissue from Spinocerebellar Ataxia (SCA) donors. This tissue is available to SCA researchers to help advance our understanding of these diseases. To learn what is available and how to request tissue, download our instruction sheet.
The Clinical Research Consortium for the Study of Cerebellar Ataxia (CRC-SCA) is on a mission to better understand the factors that determine disease progression among Cerebellar Ataxia with the goal of improving the understanding of disease process, current treatments, and development of disease-modifying therapies. CRC-SCA collects longitudinal data and biospecimens for research participants who have a confirmed diagnosis of SCA 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8 or 10. Ataxia researchers can request data and biosamples.
ICAR is a collaborative research environment that promotes exchanges of ideas and knowledge to improve understanding of Ataxias and accelerate treatment development initiatives. This bi-annual conference is hosted by NAF, Ataxia UK, FARA and AGI. It is attended by hundreds of delegates from countries around the world. The event offers oral presentations, poster presentations and networking opportunities.
The Ataxia Global Initiative (AGI) is a worldwide research platform that has the goal to facilitate the clinical development of therapies for ataxias. AGI´s activities are based on the principles of openness, transparency, flexibility and fairness.
The Centralized Ataxia Genomics Core (CAGC) is a freely accessible resource developed with support from the National Ataxia Foundation and hosted within the Clinical Neurogenomics Research Center based at the University of California, Los Angeles. This application is designed to facilitate connections within the ataxia research community related to shared interest in the same gene(s) and/or genetic variant(s). The goal of the CAGC is to improve collaboration to help solve undiagnosed Ataxia cases through a centralized ataxia-specific data repository of genomic data collected from both research and/or clinical sources.
Our generous donors help us fund promising Ataxia research and offer support services to people with Ataxia. Your gift today will help us continue to deliver on our mission to improve the lives of persons affected by Ataxia.
Join for FREE today! Become a part of the community that is working together to find a cure. As a member you will receive access to the latest Ataxia news with our e-newsletter and Generations publication.
