How to Apply

Eligibility for 2027 Round

A candidate for a McKnight Neurobiology of Brain Disorders Award must work as an independent investigator at a not-for-profit research institution in the United States, must have held a tenured or tenure-track faculty position for at least three years at the time of application (no later than September 2023), and must wait at least one year before reapplying after two unsuccessful consecutive applications.  

Those holding other titles such as Research Professor, Adjunct Professor, Professor Research Track, Visiting Professor or Instructor are not eligible. If the host institution does not use professorial titles, a letter from a senior institutional official (e.g., Dean or Director of Research) must confirm that the applicant has his/her own dedicated institutional resources, laboratory space, and/or facilities. 

A candidate may not apply to both Scholar Awards or Neurobiology of Brain Disorders Awards in the same funding cycle. Previous McKnight Awardees are eligible to apply so long as they have not already been awarded the same kind of award. Example: a Scholar Awardee can later apply for an NBD Award once they have completed their Scholar Award funding.

If your proposal has more than one principal investigator, all co-principal investigators must meet this eligibility.

There is no limit for how many applications we can receive from the same institution in the same funding round, and while we strive for institutional diversity, multiple NBD Awardees from the same institution can be awarded in the same grant period. 

Application

The application process is completely online, and the portal will open for submission by early August 2026.   

Within our portal you will need to provide the following information:

1. Research Proposal. Should clearly describe how the proposed research will uncover mechanisms of brain injury or diseases related to the neurobiology of brain disorders and how it will translate to diagnosis, prevention, treatment, or cure. Please include:

a) What clinical problem are you addressing?

b) What are your specific aims?

c) How will the knowledge and experience you have gained in basic research be applied to improving the understanding of a brain disorder or disease?

d) How is the proposed research novel or disruptive in the field?

e) How are you fostering a lab environment where all members feel valued and supported? (not more than one page)

f) How are you addressing an environmental contribution to brain disorders (if applicable)?

Formatting Requirements:

• • 5-page limit, numbered, single-spaced with one-inch margins

• • 12-point Arial font

• • Figures/tables within the 5-page limit (text within figures may be less than 12 font as long as easily readable)

• • No appendices
  • Bibliography does not need to be included in the 5-page limit

3. Budget. Please include a budget of $100,000 for each year of the award, i.e. July 1, 2027 – June 30, 2028; July 1, 2028 – June 30, 2029; and July 1, 2029 – June 30, 2030.  Indicate any major categories (salaries, benefits, supplies, travel, tuition, etc) including indirect costs of up to 10 percent of the total award, meaning indirect costs should not exceed $30,000 over the entire award term for all recipients including any subrecipients. The budget should be calculated as $90,000 direct costs + $10,000 indirect costs = $100,000 total costs per year, treating IDC as 10% of the total annual award. The 10% Indirect rate applies to all direct costs, there are no exclusions to this calculation. Funds may be used toward a variety of research activities, but not more than 10% of the total award may be used for the salary(ies) of any principal or co-principal investigators on the grant who are the named award recipients. The rationale for these limitations is for award funds to go as much as possible to new science rather than institutional offset. Funds may be used without restriction for salary/tuition of trainees or other staff supporting the research. Please limit any kind of miscellaneous category to no more than 15% of the budget and break down any large categories, i.e. do not simply list $50,000 for supplies. 
4. Other Sources of Funding for your Laboratory. 3. Please include amounts for each award listed, e.g., R01, $100,000 annual direct costs, project title. You do not need to list proposals currently under consideration that have not yet been awarded. Follow NIH guidelines for external funding. But different from NIH, no signature is required. Please indicate whether any current funding is dedicated toward the project outlined in this proposal (overlapping funding).
5. Biographical Sketch. Please submit an NIH biosketch. Please include biosketches for each PI, if collaborating.
6. Weblinks to Reprints. Include three to five, representative of previous work. Please submit links for only three reprints for each PI if collaborating. Do not include full publication text, only links. 

Please upload a SINGLE COMBINED PDF of all application materials listed above. Applications must be received by Thursday, October 15, 2026  (by 5 PM Central time).  

Selection Process

A review committee will evaluate the proposals and later invite the top 8-10 applications to interview with the review committee, likely in April 2027.  

Following interviews, the committee will recommend up to four awards to the Board of Directors of the Endowment Fund. The board will make the final decision. 

The Endowment Fund will fund up to four awards, each providing $100,000 per year for three years. Awards will be announced in May 2027 and begin in July 2027.