Limited Submission Process Overview

The Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) is pleased to announce this limited submission funding opportunity/award. Limited submission programs restrict the number of applications an institution may submit to the sponsor.

All interested PIs must submit a Notice of Intent (NOI) through the UConn Quest Portal by the deadline listed below to be considered.

After the NOI deadline, OVPR will determine whether an internal competition is needed based on the number of NOIs received. If the number of NOIs does not exceed the sponsor’s limit, eligible PIs who submitted an NOI by the deadline are typically approved to move forward without an internal competition. If no NOIs are received, the opportunity may remain open on a first-come, first-served basis until all available slots are filled or the sponsor deadline passes, whichever comes first (see full process on our website).

Deadline

Date/Time

Notes

Internal NOI Deadline

Monday, 9/21/2026 by 12 noon

Required

Internal Pre-proposal Deadline

Monday, 10/5/2026 by 12 noon

Only required if an internal competition is needed.

Sponsor LOI Deadline

12/8/2026, 5 p.m. ET

Sponsor Full Proposal Deadline

3/5/2027, 5 p.m. ET

Invite Only. 

Item

Details

Program Link

https://r1058-1.cdn.stbaldricks.org/file/sbf-scholar-guidelines.pdf 

Quest Portal Link

https://quest.uconn.edu/prog/SBF_SCD_FY27 

Award Details

$330,000

Number of UConn Applicants Allowed

1 UConn – 1 UCH

To encourage submissions in these priority areas, institutions may submit one additional LOI beyond the standard limited submission:

• Rhabdomyosarcoma
• Brain tumors –especially atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor (AT/RT), diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG)/diffuse midline glioma (DMG), and glioblastoma (GBM)
• Burkitt lymphoma – all types, especially sporadic
• Rhabdoid tumors - Extrarenal 

Eligibility Requirements

• Applicants must currently hold (for no longer than 7 years at the time the award begins), or will hold by start of the award, a title that is considered by the institution to be a full-time, faculty position.
• Applicants must have an appropriate Sponsor who provides supervision, facilities, and research support.
• Applicants holding or awarded R01s or equivalent funding prior to or at the time of the LOI are not eligible to apply.
• Applicants holding or awarded a NIH K-award prior to or at the time of the LOI are not eligible to apply. (Institutional K awards are allowed).

Program Description

This is an early career award. The Scholar award is intended to develop the independent pediatric cancer research careers of highly qualified investigators, not to support well established or senior investigators. Scholar awards intend to provide funding to support young pediatric cancer researchers who must compete for funding with more established researchers; these grants are a way to make sure promising early-career scientists are able to continue doing research.

Research projects must have direct applicability and relevance to pediatric cancer. They may be in any discipline of basic, clinical, translational, or epidemiological research.

Question

Answer

What happens after the NOI deadline?

After the NOI deadline, one of three outcomes typically applies.

1. If the number of NOIs received exceeds the sponsor’s limit, OVPR will conduct an internal competition. 
2. If the number of NOIs does not exceed the sponsor’s limit, eligible PIs who have submitted an NOI by the deadline are typically approved to move forward without an internal competition. If any slots remain available, the opportunity will remain open on a first-come, first-served basis.
3. If no NOIs are received by the deadline, the opportunity will remain open on a first-come, first-served basis until all available slots are filled or the sponsor deadline passes, whichever comes first.

Only PIs selected and approved by OVPR are eligible to submit to the sponsor.

What are the pre-proposal requirements?

If an internal competition is necessary, pre-proposals should include:

1. Maximum one page summary that describes the following:
   1. Area of focus of the research project (childhood cancer type or other research focus)
   2. Relevance of the proposed research project to the mission of St. Baldrick’s; to find cures for childhood cancers and give survivors long and healthy lives 
   3. Brief rationale for the proposed research project 
   4. Brief timeline of the progression of research (Gantt charts preferred)
2. A brief budget overview and justification, 1-2 pages. No indirect costs allowed.
   1. This does not need to be a final budget.
3. Biosketches or CVs for all key personnel.

Please see the sponsor’s guidelines for details about program goals and application components.

What happens after the pre-proposal is submitted? 

1. Pre-proposals are reviewed by an ad hoc faculty committee with expertise in grant submission and relevant research areas. External reviewers may be involved when necessary.
2. After selections are made, all applicants will receive notification of the results (and reviewer feedback, when available) at the conclusion of the review.
3. Selected investigators will be approved to complete and submit full proposals according to the sponsor’s guidelines.

Where can I find more information?

For more information about the limited submission process, please visit our FAQ page.

For additional assistance, please contact us at research@uconn.edu.

How can I stay connected with UConn Research?

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