FAST Grants Terms and Conditions

Grant Application
Grant Application

Purpose:

FAST’s grants and fellowship programs aim to encourage therapeutic translational research agendas focusing on potential treatments, research or biomarker and outcome measure development that will greatly enhance the progress of these platforms toward human benefit for Angelman syndrome (AS).

FAST is committed to bringing practical treatments for Angelman syndrome (AS) into current medical practice as quickly as possible. While our priority is on funding translational and clinical research, we also support high-risk/high-reward discovery projects. FAST’s research program awards grants to the world’s best scientists who are focused on discovering and developing treatments, technologies and ultimately a cure benefiting those with AS. The focus of FAST-funded research is in supporting projects that have the potential for immediate and high impact on the Angelman community; therefore, priority will be given to research-based translational grants or those showing high promise for translating basic biomedical knowledge into clinical application.

FAST’s research program funds are raised exclusively through donations and grassroots fundraising activities initiated by FAST, our supporters, and families of children with Angelman syndrome. We have a duty to ensure that this money is used to fund the highest quality research that has the greatest chance of having an impact on the lives of children and families affected by AS. FAST will not pay any indirect costs on our FAST Grant-In-Aid or FAST Postdoctoral Fellowship programs, but will pay up to 5 percent in indirect costs on FAST-Trac Grants, Impact Grant, Investigator Grant and other investigator proposed clinical development programs. Indirect costs will be included in total project cost.

Because Angelman syndrome research falls into one of the most rapidly advancing fields of science, FAST accepts innovative grant proposals on a rolling basis.

FAST Targeted Research to Advance a Cure (FAST TRAC) Program >

The FAST TRAC Program provides targeted funding to enable translational research projects on AS, and are primed to proceed at a rapid pace. These awards aim to stimulate the development or enhancement of potential therapeutics for the treatment of AS, with particular areas of interest being gene modifying therapeutics, disease-modifying therapeutics, symptomatic therapeutics and various platforms for high throughput drug screening. Additionally, developing novel models of disease, both in vitro and in vivo, are a focus of FAST to assist in drug discovery and screening. FAST is also focused on readying any potential therapeutic for a clinical trial through support of biomarker and outcome measure development, specific to the needs of AS. This includes readying clinical sites for the collection of natural history data, collecting novel data on AS specific assessments, and evaluating biomarkers on those living with AS.

FAST Grant-in-Aid > 

FAST Grant-in-Aid grants are smaller, one-time awards aimed to provide funds for needed equipment, reagents, or research costs to further promising projects on Angelman syndrome.  Typical awards total approximately $10,000, but FAST will consider additional funding if warranted

Postdoctoral Fellowships >

Postdoctoral Fellowships will be awarded to increase the number of bright and creative scientists working on Angelman syndrome.  Successful applicants for these grants will likely be working in established labs with secure overall funding, which have funding for supplies and any required handling costs.  Applicants may request up to $50,000 per year for up to two years for salary, fringe and consumable costs.  Proposed research projects must focus on Angelman syndrome and have a translational goal.  A yearly progress report is expected, a progress report form will be included at time of the award to be filled out annually. If a project is only for one year, a progress report will be expected at 6 months.  As the project is a large part of the criteria for giving this award, if the awardee changes labs or switches to a non-Angelman syndrome project then the award shall be terminated.

New Investigator Award >

FAST New Investigator Award—This award will be granted to a promising new scientist that is looking to start a significant research program focusing on translational research in Angelman syndrome, or on technologies specifically relevant to advancing Angelman Syndrome treatment modalities. This award is geared toward financially supporting the start-up needs for this investigator for 2 years, with the potential of a one-year extension, with the one-year extension at an additional $125,000.  This award will be a two-year grant, in the amount of $250,000/year.  Potential allowable costs are the same as that for a FAST-TRAC award.  While this is a two-year grant, each year of funding will be based on review of the prior year’s progress report. A progress report to include a financial report is required at the 11th month from award activation date. A final report, including financials, will be required at the end of the two-year award period.

Impact Grant Program >

A new program called the FAST IMPACT (Innovative Methods to Progress Angelman Syndrome Treatments Towards Clinical Trials) grant program has been launched to support large therapeutic translational research platform projects from pre-clinical to IND-enabling stage. The FAST IMPACT award is open to investigators proposing novel approaches or repurposing approved or other clinically safe therapies evaluated in other disease indications that could advance Angelman syndrome research. Pharmacological and biologic interventions, disease modifying therapeutics, as well as gene altering and gene replacement therapies are prioritized.  FAST will strongly consider programs where clinical and pre-clinical approaches are built on strong scientific and biological rationale for targeting fundamental processes underlying the Angelman syndrome cause.  FAST will also consider large program proposals that could greatly enhance the Angelman syndrome community’s progress to help de-risk various therapeutic approaches which could expedite moving forward to IND enabling studies or clinical readiness.  Our goal is to provide funds to pursue and validate innovative ideas, support the researcher as she/he conducts translational studies, up to IND-enabling studies. Please note that FAST prefers to work closely with study investigators to ensure a plan is designed and executed with the greatest chance of success as the goal of these grants is to financially support the needs of a program and de-risk these programs for clear therapeutic potential.  Award amount for FAST IMPACT Grant is up to $1,000,000 per year.  Final budgets will be determined based on review of proposed work and based on the extent of FAST’s role.

Prohibition of Discrimination

No person shall be excluded from participation in or denied the benefits of any program or activity receiving financial assistance from FAST because of race, ethnic origin, religion, age, sex or sexual orientation.

Amendment of Policies

FAST reserves the right to modify its policies governing research awards at any time. The recipient agrees to abide by any changes or to terminate the grant at the time when such changes become effective. Failure to abide by the policies governing awards shall be considered sufficient grounds for cancellation of an award or refusal to consider any pending application by the grantee.