The Research Grant Program

One approach the organization uses to find a cause and cure for ALS is a peer-reviewed Research Grant Program, in which the investigator selects the area and method of research. The application/review process is modeled after the grant system used by NIH. The organization solicits investigator-initiated research proposals, which are peer-reviewed by the organization's Scientific Review Committee (SRC) and competitively evaluated for their scientific merit and ALS relevance. Grants are reviewed and funded twice yearly. Criteria for funding include:

1. innovative, cutting edge research; 
2. a process which lessens or eliminates favoritism and bias; 
3. to a specific description of the intended use of the grant funds by budgets and experimental design; and 
4. accountability by way of annual progress reports.

The SRC grant process generally involves the review of 200-300 abstracts per year with 20 to 25 grants receiving funding. This NIH-style, peer-reviewed grant process provides The ALS Assocation with a credible and equitable approach for finding and supporting the best possible research into discovering the cause and cure for ALS. The ALS Assocation currently has commitments of more than $7 million to active research grants with new commitments in the range of $2-2.5 million added each fiscal year.