About Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation 

Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) emerged from the front yard lemonade stand of 4- year-old Alexandra “Alex” Scott, who was fighting cancer and wanted to raise money to find cures for all children with cancer. Her spirit and determination inspired others to support her cause, and when she passed away at the age of 8, she had raised $1 million. Since then, the Foundation bearing her name has evolved into a national fundraising movement. Today, ALSF is one of the leading funders of pediatric cancer research in the U.S. and Canada, funding more than 1,000 research projects and providing programs to families affected by childhood cancer. ALSF is also the only childhood cancer research organization that has been given the NCI peer-reviewed funder designation for rigorous selection of research grants. The mission of ALSF is to change the lives of children with cancer through funding impactful research, raising awareness, supporting families, and empowering everyone to help cure childhood cancer. 

Young Investigator Grant Program Description 

The Young Investigator grant is a three-year award designed to support early career researchers, such as postdoctoral fellows, clinical fellows or instructors, pursuing promising childhood cancer research ideas. These grants aim to cultivate the best and brightest researchers of the future who demonstrate a commitment to a research career in pediatric cancer. A mentor is required, and a career development plan must be included. The Young Investigator grant offers up to $60,000 in direct costs per year for three years.

Application Timeline and Review 

• A full proposal must be submitted that meets all guideline criteria as well as all eligibility criteria; otherwise, applications will be administratively rejected. • Proposals will be reviewed by an independent panel of experts according to the NIH recognized peer-review process. 

APPLICATION TIMELINE

 PROPOSALS DUE December 12, 2024, 8:00 PM (ET) 

AWARD NOTIFICATION May 2025

 PROJECTED START/END DATE July 2025 - June 2028

Scope of Proposal 

• Proposals must fall within the scope of Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation’s mission, focused on childhood cancers. Proposals with a sole/primary focus on patients >19 years of age will not be considered. 

• Translational and Clinical Research Projects are encouraged.

Budget The requested budget should be in proportion to the scope of the proposed project and should be at or under $180,000 USD in direct costs over 3 years. A maximum of $60,000 in total costs may be requested per year. 

Restrictions: 

o ALSF adheres to the NIH salary cap for principal investigator(s). 

o Indirect costs are not allowed. 

o The grant may not be renewed; one no-cost extension request is allowed. o Other budget items may include fringe, travel, supplies and small pieces of equipment. ALSF funds cannot be used for tuition remission. View ALSF’s complete budget policy. 

o If utilizing a subcontract or subaward, you must include this expense in the budget. 

 No indirect costs will be paid. 

 The PI’s institution is responsible for disbursing funds for subawards and/or subcontracts.

Resource and Data Sharing Grant recipients are expected to share unique resources developed under this funding award, and as part of the application, applicants are required to submit a Resource Sharing Plan using ALSF’s Resource Sharing Form. Applicants should describe their track record of generating resources that are broadly re-used, the specific resources that will be generated in this proposed project, and the mechanisms by which those resources will be shared. To demonstrate a commitment to sharing that will be actualized, applicants should provide information in their sharing plan that clearly states the type of resource that will be shared, the method, characterization and timing of such sharing, and the anticipated resources (budget, personnel, etc.) required by the applicant and the resource user. Reviewers will consider the extent to which the dissemination of resources produced under the award will enhance or diminish the impact of the proposed work. For a full description and an example, see the Resource Sharing Form. For the full Resource Sharing Policy visit our Resources for Grant Applicants page. 

Childhood Cancer Data Lab Collaboration (optional) 

Applicants may elect to work with the Childhood Cancer Data Lab, at no cost to the investigator(s), as part of this award. This is not required and is meant to serve as a benefit. If you are interested in collaborating with the Data Lab, please fill out this form (preferably at least 3 weeks before Grant due date) and indicate your submission is associated with an Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation grant application. This resource does not have a cost associated with it and should not be included in the budget.

Resubmissions One resubmission of an application previously reviewed by ALSF’s Review Board is permitted. Applicants should respond to the prior ALSF critique of the proposal in the Resubmission section of the application. The response to critique will be scored in the review process, and resubmissions compete with new applicants for funding. 

Restrictions 

• ALSF does not fund proposals for research utilizing human embryonic stem cells or nonhuman primates. Research with human induced pluripotent stem cells is permissible. 

• The Young Investigator grant is not transferrable to another investigator or to the mentor. Transfer of the Young Investigator grant to another institution will be considered on a case-by-case basis. 

• Proposals focused on social determinants of health with an emphasis on oncologic outcomes (rather than psychosocial outcomes) are permitted.

Grant Policies & Reporting Requirements 

• Please review ALSF’s Grant Policies, including Budget Expenditures, Resource Sharing and Grant Agreement with IP, found on the Resources for Grant Applicants page. 

• Annual progress reports, and each year of funding is contingent upon demonstration of satisfactory progress toward the completion of proposed research objectives and appropriate budget expenditures. 

• Minor carry-over of funds (25% or less) is permitted each year with justification. Each year’s budget will be approved subsequent to the review of project progress and milestones. 

• ALSF may elect to partially fund or to hold new funds if carry-over is excessive. 

• A final report is required at the conclusion of funding. Report must state findings, expenditures, as well as publications and presentations which acknowledge ALSF funding. 

• The grant may not be renewed; one no-cost extension may be requested in the final report. 

• Grant Awardees will be invited to attend the YI Summit. Awardees are encouraged to attend. 

• Publications, presentations, and posters featuring results of the experiments funded by this grant mechanism should acknowledge “Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation” and include the award number. Copies should be sent via email to Grants@AlexsLemonade.org.

Application Package Instructions 

• All sections described below should be combined into one PDF (max 20 MB) and uploaded to the ALSF online application form (see Application Submission Instructions). 

• All templates and policies mentioned can be found at ALSF’s Resources for Grant Applicants page. 

Format Instructions 

• PAGE HEADER: All pages of the application should be numbered; the name of the principal investigator should appear in the upper right-hand corner of each page. 

• FORMAT: Follow NIH format guidelines: Arial, Helvetica, Palatino Linotype, or Georgia fonts with a font size of 11 points or larger with a minimum of ½ inch margins. 

• ORDER & LENGTH: The order of the application should be followed, adhering to the maximum number of pages allowed for each subsection indicated in parentheses. 

• Appendices are not allowed.

Section Descriptions 

1. Project Information 

a. Cover Page (1 page): Download and complete the Cover Page Template. 

b. Table of Contents (1 page): Provide a Table of Contents with page numbers to the corresponding sections. 

c. Scientific Abstract (0.5 page): Summarize the research objectives and rationale. d. Impact Statement (0.5 page): How will this project impact childhood cancer? 

2. Budget/Justification (3 pages): 

a. Budget Template (1.5 pages): Complete the ALSF budget template. The signature from an institutional representative on the cover page of this grant application specifically acknowledges and accepts this budget and acknowledges that no indirect costs will be paid. 

i. The award amount is no more than $180,000 over 3 years. 

ii. ALSF adheres to the NIH salary cap for Principal Investigator(s)/CoInvestigator(s). 

iii. Indirect costs are not allowed. 

iv. If utilizing a subcontractor, you must include their budget. No indirect costs will be paid to the subcontractor. 

v. Reasonable travel expenses to national/international research meetings to disseminate findings may be budgeted.

b. Budget Justification (1.5 pages): Include a narrative for the following. Use N/A in sections as needed:

i. Personnel 

ii. Subcontractors/Subawards/Consultants 

iii. Equipment (for equipment costs above $5000) 

iv. Travel 

v. Computer and Software 

vi. Other

3. Career Development: 

a. PI Statement (0.5 page): Describe goals and long-term objectives for the PI over the three-year funding period. Include what the PI hopes to gain from the experience and any future aspirations. 

b. Mentoring & Career Development Plan (1 page): A mentor is required. The career development plan should include a detailed strategy for professional activities/responsibilities that will enable the PI to successfully complete the proposed research project and foster the PI’s development as an independent pediatric cancer researcher. An environment appropriate to the proposed mentoring and research project must be clearly described. The plan should include strategies for mentorship, continued education, and future research. 

c. Institutional Commitment (1 page): Include a specific plan from the institution (typically a statement from the Division Chief or Department Chair) demonstrating that the applicant is, or is on the fast track to become, an independent investigator. The plan should include the institution’s guarantee of protected time for this research, mentoring support for the applicant, and what laboratory facilities, office space and equipment are dedicated to this project.

4. Biographical Sketch(es): Use the NIH five-page biographical sketch (SF424) format for the principal investigator and all key personnel. 

5. Research Plan 

a. Resubmissions (1 page, if applicable): If this proposal was previously submitted to ALSF and did not receive funding, describe any changes in response to the reviewer critiques (e.g. changes in experimental design, scope, new data) 

b. Specific Aims (1 page): List the goals, long-term objectives and what the specific research proposed in this application is intended to accomplish. State the hypothesis to be tested and relevance to childhood cancer research. 

c. Significance (1 page): Describe the relevant background that supports the current research plan. State the significance and importance of your proposed project with respect to childhood cancer research. Relate the specific aims to the goals and longterm objectives. Include potential impact in the clinic for children battling cancer.

d. Innovation (0.5 page): Describe how the proposed research challenges and shifts paradigms, or introduces a novel concept, approach, or technology and how this could potentially translate to the clinic in the near or long term. 

e. Approach (4 pages): Describe the experimental approach to the research question and how the research will be realistically accomplished within the proposed funding period. Images, graphs, and charts that are critical to the project should be included within this section. They will count against the page limit. This section must include but is not limited to:

 i. Feasibility of the approach to reach project goals; if available, include PI’s preliminary studies pertinent to the project. 

ii. Key milestones with expected outcomes, details of potential problems, and plans to address these issues. 

iii. A timeline.

6. Resource Sharing (1-2 pages): Use the Resource Sharing Form to complete this section of the application to describe the outputs from the proposed project and how they will be shared. Reviewers will be asked to consider the manner in which outputs from this project will be shared and the extent to which this plan will increase or decrease the impact of the proposed project. 

7. Literature Cited (no limit): Use Vancouver or NIH style (numbered citations within text) format. 

8. Human Subjects (1 page): If approved, include the IRB approval letter or equivalent. If approval is pending, indicate the expected approval date. If IRB approval is not applicable, include a note in this section. 

9. Vertebrate Animals (1 page): If approved, include the IACUC approval letter or equivalent. If approval is pending indicate the expected approval date. If IACUC approval is not applicable, include a note in this section. 

10. Letters of Recommendation: Include three letters of recommendation. One letter should be from a current mentor; a second should be from the applicant’s Division Chief or Department Chair. The third letter may be from a senior colleague of the applicant’s choosing and should address the applicant’s potential for independence, success, and potential for making an impact in the field. Letters should address the applicant’s strengths as they align with the goals of the Young Investigator Grant. 

11. Letters of Support (no limit): Include any appropriate letters from individuals confirming their roles in the project. Institutional letters of support are not required, but can be included, especially if there are issues of feasibility that can be addressed. If you have requested support from the CCDL (optional) insert the Letter of Support from the Director of the CCDL here. 

12. Appendix: No appendices are permitted.

Application Submission Instructions 

1. To start an application, navigate to Proposal Central and select “I am an Applicant.” 

a. Returning applicants (with an existing Proposal Central): log in with your Proposal Central ID. 

i. A password reset request can be sent using the following link 

b. First time applicants (using Proposal Central): click “Need an Account?” under the “Login” Button or use this link. Enter all the required fields and click “Submit.” 

c. ORCID Registrants: you can login using your ORCID. If you don't have one, you can obtain one by registering through this link. 

2. After you’ve logged in to Proposal Central, navigate to the Grant Opportunities tab and you can search Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation in the search bar to find our active grant application cycles, or click here to see the ALSF’s Grant Opportunities currently open. Click the “Apply Now” button to start an application. 

3. The application document must be uploaded as one PDF (maximum of 20 MB), in the Attachments tab. Please see the guidelines for specific format and section instructions. 

4. You may save your application to finish later. Just click “Save”. 

a. When you return to Proposal Central, click the “Proposals” tab at the top to navigate to your applications. You can filter your application based on Proposal Status in the upper right-hand corner. Click “In Progress” to return to your existing applications.

5. Once completed, click “Submit”. Within 10 minutes you will receive a confirmation email. As long as the deadline has not passed, you may unsubmit your application to make changes by clicking the “Unsubmit” button on the “Proposals” tab. 

6. If you have any questions regarding your Proposal Central account, please contact pcsupport@altum.com.

Contact 

• If you have any questions regarding the ALSF Young Investigator Grant, please contact Lisa Towry at 610-649-3034 or by email at LisaTowry@AlexsLemonade.org.