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Welcome to the Uncle Kory Foundation Seed Grant Program FAQ. This page provides answers to frequently asked questions about eligibility, the application process, review procedures, award policies, and reporting requirements. If you have additional questions, please contact us at grants@unclekory.org.

ELIGIBILITY

  • 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.

APPLICATION PROCESS

  • 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.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

  • 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.

REVIEW PROCESS

  • 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.

FUNDING POLICIES

  • 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.

AFTER AN AWARD IS MADE

  • 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. 

CONTACT INFORMATION

  • If you have questions about the Seed Grant Program or the application process, please contact us:

    By email at grants@unclekory.org

    By mail at:
           Uncle Kory Foundation
           2121 Rosecrans Ave.
           Suite 4335
           El Segundo, CA 90245