The Principal Investigator (PI) must hold an independent faculty appointment (or the equivalent at their institution) and be authorized by their institution to serve as a PI on externally funded research grants. Graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, residents, clinical fellows, and other trainees are encouraged to participate as co-investigators or key personnel; however, the application must be led by an eligible PI.

No. The Uncle Kory Foundation Seed Grant Program is open to applicants from around the world.

No. The Uncle Kory Foundation Seed Grant Program is open to applicants from institutions worldwide.

At this time, the Uncle Kory Foundation Seed Grant Program supports research conducted at academic institutions. Applications from industry, biotechnology companies, or other private organizations are not eligible.

Yes. More than one PI from the same institution may apply for the Uncle Kory Foundation Seed Grant Program.

No. Each Principal Investigator (PI) may submit only one application per funding cycle. However, a PI may participate as a co-investigator or key personnel on additional applications led by other eligible investigators.

The deadline for submitting the application online is September 1, 2026. The online application will be available beginning August 1, 2026.

No. Please submit the online application and upload all required documents. If you experience a problem with the online application, you may email your completed application to grants@unclekory.org. You may also mail your application to our office; however, it must be received no later than September 1, 2026.

Applications are first reviewed for completeness by Foundation staff before being evaluated by the Uncle Kory Foundation Medical Advisory Board. Funding decisions are expected by approximately November 1, 2026, and applicants will be notified by email.

Yes. The PI will receive an automatic confirmation email acknowledging receipt of the application, as well as a follow-up email from the Foundation within three business days. Please check your spam or junk folder if you do not receive either email.

Yes. If you discover an error or need to update your application before the submission deadline, please submit a new online application with the corrected information and email grants@unclekory.org. The Foundation will remove the earlier submission and review only the most recent application.

The PI will be notified of the decision by approximately November 1, 2026.

No. The amount requested is at the PI’s discretion, but cannot exceed the maximum amount of the grant award.

Yes. The Description of Investigation must be prepared using a font size no smaller than 11-point.

The Relevant Publication List should include publications by the Principal Investigator and/or research team that are most relevant to the proposed research. This is separate from the scientific literature cited within the Proposed Investigation.

A biosketch is required for the Principal Investigator and key personnel who will have a substantive role in the proposed research.

If a mentor will be actively involved in the project—for example, providing scientific oversight, contributing to the research design, performing or supervising key aspects of the work, or otherwise serving as key personnel—a biosketch should be included.

If an individual is serving only in an advisory or informal mentoring capacity and will not have a substantive role in conducting the proposed research, a biosketch is not required.

Applications are first reviewed for completeness by Foundation staff before being evaluated by the Uncle Kory Foundation Medical Advisory Board. Reviewers consider factors including:

• Significance

• Innovation

• Scientific Approach

• Investigator(s)

• Research Environment

Funding recommendations are based on scientific merit, innovation, feasibility, and alignment with the Foundation's mission to advance brain cancer research.

Yes. Applicants who are not selected for funding will receive written feedback from the UKF Medical Advisory Board.

Yes. Investigators whose applications were not selected for funding are encouraged to apply again in a future funding cycle. Applicants may submit either a revised version of a previously submitted proposal or a new research project.

Personnel working on the proposed project may receive salary support from the grant. The allocation of funds is at the PI's discretion and should be appropriate to the proposed work.

No. The Uncle Kory Foundation does not allow administrative or indirect costs to be charged to Seed Grant awards.

UKF requires full disclosure of any potential financial and/or scientific overlap with other funded or pending grant applications or research projects. Please use the Other Support Form to disclose all current, pending, or overlapping sources of funding. Failure to disclose the required information may result in withdrawal of a grant award.

Yes. Salary support included in a UKF Seed Grant budget should be based on the individual's institutional base salary and may not exceed the applicable NIH salary cap. Salary support must also be proportionate to the individual's effort devoted to the proposed project.

UKF Seed Grants are intended to maximize support for activities that directly advance the proposed research. While reasonable salary support for personnel actively engaged in the project is allowable, UKF generally expects faculty salary support to represent a limited portion of the overall project budget.

Awardees are expected to submit a scientific progress report approximately six months after the start of the award and a final scientific and financial report at the completion of the funding period.

UKF must be notified in writing of any changes in the project’s budget, personnel, or additional funding.  ​

UKF must be notified immediately of the request. All letters requesting and authorizing the move must be submitted from the previous institution, the PI, and the new institution.  Each request will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the terms of the award and the agreements between the Foundation, the PI, and the participating institutions.

PIs must submit a written request for a no-cost extension detailing why such a request is necessary. A statement from the accounting department must be included to show the current status of the project’s finances, as well as a revised budget for the proposed extension. The UKF Board will review the request to determine if the extension will be granted. 

UKF does not require a specific format or page limit for the 6-Month Progress Report. Investigators may submit the report using their preferred format; however, the report should follow UKF’s 6-Month Progress Report Guidelines and address the required reporting areas.

Reports should provide sufficient detail to clearly communicate progress toward the original Specific Aims, key findings and data generated, challenges or changes, plans for the remainder of the grant period, use of grant funds, and relevant research outcomes.

Figures, preliminary data, publications, abstracts, and other supporting materials may be included or attached as appropriate.

View the 6-Month Progress Report Guidelines

UKF does not require a specific format or page limit for the Final Report. Investigators may submit the report using their preferred format; however, the report should follow UKF’s Final Report Guidelines and address all required reporting areas.

The Final Report should summarize progress and completion of the original Specific Aims, key findings and research outcomes, challenges or changes, next steps, publications and other research outputs, additional or subsequent funding, and the overall impact of UKF funding on advancing the project.

Figures, data, publications, abstracts, and other relevant supporting materials may be included or attached as appropriate.

View Final Report Guidelines

UKF does not require a specific format for the Final Financial Report. Institutions may submit the report using their standard institutional financial reporting format, provided it includes the information outlined in UKF’s Final Financial Report Guidelines.

The report should include the total UKF award amount, approved budget compared with actual expenditures by major budget category, total expenditures, any unexpended balance, and an explanation of any significant budget variances. The report should reflect the institution’s final grant accounting records and be certified or approved by an authorized institutional financial or grants official.

Receipts and other supporting financial documentation are not required unless specifically requested by UKF. Any unexpended UKF funds must be reported and may not be carried forward or used for another purpose without prior written approval from UKF.

The Final Financial Report is due within 60 days following the conclusion of the grant period, unless otherwise approved by UKF.

View Final Financial Report Guidelines

Yes. Current UKF Seed Grant recipients may apply for a second year of funding of up to $50,000 to continue or logically extend their originally funded project. Year 2 renewal funding is competitive, subject to Medical Advisory Board review and availability of UKF funding, and is not guaranteed.

Because UKF Seed Grant start dates vary, there is no single annual deadline for Year 2 Renewal Applications. Investigators should generally apply after sufficient progress has been made during the initial grant period and once the required 6-month Progress Report has been submitted.

Priority consideration is given to Year 2 Renewal Applications received by September 15, in alignment with UKF's annual fall grant review and funding cycle. Applications received after September 15 will be considered on a rolling basis based on the individual grant timeline, scientific progress, Medical Advisory Board review, and availability of UKF funding.

Yes. Applicants must be current with all required UKF reporting at the time the Year 2 Renewal Application is submitted. Any outstanding 6-month Progress Report must be submitted before or with the renewal application.

Yes. Approval of Year 2 renewal funding does not replace or waive the requirement to submit the Year 1 Final Report at the conclusion of the original grant period.

The Year 2 Renewal Application includes a maximum four-page narrative addressing progress and key data from Year 1, research outcomes, proposed Year 2 aims and milestones, and the need for continued UKF funding and path toward external funding.

The four-page limit includes figures, tables, and figure legends. The Year 2 budget, budget justification, NIH-style biosketch, Other Support, and other required supporting documents are submitted separately and do not count toward the four-page limit.

Please visit the Seed Grant Renewal page for complete application requirements and submission instructions.

No. Year 2 renewal funding is competitive. Applications are reviewed by the UKF Medical Advisory Board and considered based on progress during the initial funding period, scientific merit and feasibility of the proposed Year 2 work, potential impact, and the value of continued UKF support in advancing the project toward external funding or further development. All renewal awards are subject to availability of UKF funds.

Year 2 aims may evolve based on Year 1 findings, but the proposed work should remain a continuation or logical extension of the originally funded project.