Impact
Award
Purpose
The NBS Impact Award, launched in 2026, is designed to support clinicians and researchers based in low-income, lower-middle-income, or upper-middle-income economy countries (LMICs) who are working to improve newborn brain health and neurodevelopment.
Description
This award aims to fund clinically oriented, research, or implementation projects that demonstrate the potential for high impact on the brain care of newborns and children at a community or population level. Each award provides $10,000 (no indirect costs allowed).
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must:
- Be a NBS member
- Hold one of the following degrees or credentials: MD, PhD, MD/PhD, RN, NNP, PT/OT, MPH, or be an allied health professional.
- Be based in a low-income, lower-middle-income, or upper-middle-income economy country (LMIC)
- Be an early- to mid-career clinician or researcher working in newborn brain health or neurodevelopment
- Demonstrate active involvement in clinical care, research, or implementation relevant to neonatal or infant brain development
Applicants must NOT
- Hold a full professorship or equivalent senior academic position
- Lead a well-established, independently funded research program (e.g., Principal Investigator on large national or international grants)
- Have access to substantial and sustained external research funding as a lead applicant (funding ≥ $100,000 US dollars).
Application
An approved Letter of Intent is required prior to the submission of a full application.
- Letter of Support: signed by the department chair or division chief that confirms support for both the applicant and the project, as well as dedicated time to conduct the project.
- Abstract (max 200 words)
- Research plan: (maximum 2 pages; Arial 12-point font, single-spaced, 0.5-inch margins) structured as follows: background, hypothesis and 1-2 specific aims, research design and methods, and expected outcome.
- Timeline: (max 200 words) demonstrate feasibility within one year
- Infrastructure and environment: (max 200 words) demonstrate the feasibility of the project and outline available local support, such as institutional (e.g., university or hospital), governmental, or community resources
- Impact on fetal or newborn brain care: (max 200 words) outline the significance of the project, and its expected immediate, short-term, and long-term impact
- Impact on career development (max 200 words)
- Budget and justification (max 1 page)
- NIH style Biosketch: Use the sample format on the Biographical Sketch Format Page to prepare this section for all grant applications.
- Other Support document: (max 200 words) must list all funding sources and amounts and clearly demonstrate that there is no overlap with the proposed project.
2026 Important Dates
Letter of Intent Deadline
August 1, 2026
Application Deadline
October 1, 2026
Award Announcement
December 15, 2026
Application submissions opening May 15, 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
1. May the grant also be used for salary costs Yes
2. In the budget preparation, can we consider personnel costs of researchers already hired by the institution, in their proportion of the time dedicated to the project? Yes
3. Besides indirect costs, are there any other categories that are not eligible? The funds must be used for costs related to conduct of the research project, with appropriate justification. No more than $2000 can be used for travel to present data from this project.
4. In the application requirements, “other funding sources with amounts” should be indicated. Are these funding sources considered for the calculation of the $100k/year limit in career development awards that the early stage researcher can have in other grants excluding salary? All funding sources should be listed, whether the funds are used to support salary, research costs, or other research-related items. Note that the amount used for salary support will not be counted towards the $100,000. This could include start up funds, funding from pharmaceutical companies or other types of non-grant funds for research support.
5. For the “percent time dedication to research” in the Letter of Support, is this percentage related to the effort of the team dedicated specifically to the project, or does this concern the institutional dedication to research activities? Ideally both, but the Letter of Support should indicate the percent time that the researcher will dedicate to research, which may be greater than the time that will be spent on the proposed project for which the NBS Early Career Award funds. There is no specific percent time dedicated to research required for this award.
6. Are financial reports submitted in the end of the project? Yes
7. Should the application be novel research (as in a new addition) within an existing project? It can be for a novel project or to complete an ongoing project being conducted by the applicant– note that this is a competition for funds so the request should be compelling. The funds should not be used solely to complete a mentor’s project; the applicant should have their own substudy or question that they‘re addressing, if the study is part of a larger study.
8. Are there any restrictions on what the grant can be used for? There are no restrictions on the type of research that can be funded through this award – animal, clinical, Quality Improvement. Overall, the work must be hypothesis-driven, but not necessarily an innovation.
9. Regarding the budget, could you give us a few examples of eligible and non-eligible expenses? The funds must be used for direct costs required for conduct of the research project, with appropriate justification.
10. Are the funds managed by the institution for the candidate, or are they transferred directly to the candidate’s personal account Managed by the institution.