• IWMF RESEARCH GRANT APPLICATION

    Submission Deadline: November 9, 2026
    Bliss Family Fund to Advance Cellular Therapies for WM

    Questions? Please contact GrantAdmin@IWMF.com

    Review Materials:
    IWMF's Research Strategy
    and
    Applying for a Research Grant

    NOTES

    • IWMF utilizes JotForm for application submissions. Please create a free JotForm account, so that you are able to save your application until ready to submit. (We recommend that you save a backup of your responses before exiting or closing the form, as drafts are deleted after two months of inactivity.)
    • Please add GrantAdmin@IWMF.com to your email contacts to ensure email confirmations are received.
    • This submission form includes several text fields. The field boxes are for high level narratives. You will be able to upload detailed PDFs at the end of each section.

    ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS & FAQS

    PRE-AWARD

    Who is eligible to apply for a grant?

    Applications may be submitted by academic, nonprofit entities that engage in oncology clinical research. Non-US institutions are welcome to apply.

    The sponsoring organization must have a track record in scientific leadership, collaboration, and demonstrate depth and breadth in its research. The organization must ensure support for the proposed research project. Appropriate institutional commitment to the program includes the provision of adequate staff, facilities, and resources that can contribute to the planning process and implementation of the project. The sponsoring organization must ensure to provide protected time to the Principal Investigator.

    Principal Investigators (PIs)

    • Must have a doctoral degree (MD, PhD, MD/PhD, DO, DVM, or equivalent doctoral degree)
    • Must be a full-time employee of sponsoring institution with an independent research or academic position

    The PI will be required to submit a biosketch illustrating their work as a clinician or researcher.

    What is IWMF's process for grant consideration?

    IWMF issues a Request for Proposals (RFP). Eligible applicants submit their proposal via link on IWMF's website Apply for a Research Grant using JotForm. Applicant submissions for a full grant application (FGA) are rigorously reviewed for Rationale, Plan/Impact, Clinical Relevance, Feasibility and Clarity, and are scored (using the NIH scoring model) by IWMF's Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC).

    FGA's scoring "fundable" are slated and presented to the IWMF Board of Trustees for final fiduciary and mission-centric review.

    What is the role of the IWMF's Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC)?

    Comprised of medical oncologists, clinician scientists, clinician trialists, and cancer researchers from institutions and organizations around the world. The SAC reviews applications and provides scoring (using NIH scoring system). A slate of fundable candidates is created for review by IWMF's Board of Trustees, who provide final fiduciary and mission-centric approval.

    Is IRB/IEC, IACUC and IND approval required prior to applying for a grant?

    Final regulatory approvals are required within 75 days of the award notification.

    If study includes cellular products, immune engagers, engineered biologics, or sponsor-controlled assets, documentation demonstrating access to study product, relevant sponsor/manufacturer support, and the current status of any additional regulatory and institutional approvals necessary for study initiation will need to be provided with the application.

    Direct Costs (permissible) 

    Permissible direct costs include the following with the specified limitations:

    • Personnel expenses include salary, wage, or stipend with fringe benefits. In total, no more than 40% of the direct costs may be requested for the salary and fringe benefit expenses of professional staff with a postgraduate degree (i.e., MD, PhD, MD/PhD, DVM or equivalent doctoral degree) regardless of function or role. This restriction does not apply to technical staff (lab assistants, nurses, etc.).
    • Supplies and materials requests should be itemized by category.
    • Equipment purchase requests must identify each item of equipment with an acquisition cost of more than $4,000.

    Indirect Costs (permissible)

    Permissible indirect costs (often referred to as Institutional Overhead, IDC, M&A, G&A, or pooled costs) are those costs incurred for common or joint objectives that cannot be readily identified with a particular project (general maintenance, utilities, library, etc.).

    • Indirect costs are limited to 20% of the total grant award value. For sponsoring institutions that do not need to use all the indirect funds allocated for indirect costs, the remaining funds can be applied to the project's direct costs, or the applicant may elect to only request their true indirect costs.
    • Journal publication costs are permitted.

    Impermissible Costs

    Impermissible costs include membership dues, tuition, books, journals, and travel costs.

    KEY TERMS

    Award Package

    The Award Package explains the relationship between and obligations among the grant award recipient, principal investigator and IWMF. It consists of an Award Letter, Funding Profile and the Grant Terms and Conditions.

    Compassionate Use Position

    IWMF expects patients to remain on investigational drugs as long as a physician indicates clinical benefit, subject to regulations of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

    Funding Profile

    The funding profile details the total amount potentially payable by IWMF for the grant and how grant payments are made after receipt and approval of required reporting.

    POST-AWARD

    Grant Management

    After the Board of Trustees has approved a grant, IWMF will provide an Award Package. Upon approval of all required Grantee Checklist items, the grant will be fully activated.

    Grantee Checklist

    The grantee checklist must be completed within 75 days of Award Package receipt and consists of the following:

    • Contact Information verification (PI, Institution, PR contact, Foundation Relations contact, etc.)
    • Study Layperson summary (final version)
    • ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (if applicable)
    • Fully executed Award Package
    • IRB/IEC initial, (latest) amendment, or continuing review approval letter
    • IACUC, and IBC approvals for human, animal, and recombinant DNA research (if applicable)
    • IND final approval including FDA "Study May Proceed", "Remove Clinical Hold", "Acknowledge/Exempt IND" letter (if applicable)
    • PI Headshot
    • IRB/IEC approved informed consent/assent form (if applicable)
    • Wiring / ACH payment instructions
    • Institution's W9
    • Institution's Branding Guidelines

    Reporting

    Semi-annual reports (SAR) are due twice yearly; on January 31 and July 31.

    Annually, at the discretion of IWMF, the PI may be asked to provide a presentation on the study to date via webinar.

    Amendments

    Amendments to the Terms and Conditions of the grant may be provided in the following approved circumstances: No Cost Extension (NCE), Change of Principal Investigator, and Extended Use of Funds.

    Grantee/Institution will need to submit a detailed explanation of request for consideration at least 30 days prior to the event (i.e. Research Study End Date). If request is approved, IWMF will prepare an amendment to be signed by all parties.

  • APPLICANT'S INFORMATION

  • INSTITUTION'S INFORMATION

  • RESEARCH STUDY

  • Is your proposal an investigator-initiated trial or a investigator-sponsored trial?*
  • NCI designated center?*

  • REGULATORY

  • Does study have approvals?

  • IRB
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  • IACUC
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  • IEC
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  • IND
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  • FDA
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  • ENROLLMENT

  • Patient Population (Age) Select all that apply
  • Patient Population (Sex)
  • Upload Project Timeline
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  • Upload Detailed Budget
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  • Upload
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  • DOCUMENT UPLOADS

  • Upload
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  • Does this study have a Collaborator / Co-I / Sub-I Biosketch?
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  • Upload
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  • Are there additional uploads you wish to share?
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  • SUBMISSION SUMMARY

    Research Study Title: {ResearchStudyTitle}

    APPLICANT'S INFORMATION

    Name: {name}

    Education/Professional Credentials: {Credentials}

    Title: {AppProfTitle}

    Department: {department}

    Institution: {ApplicantInstitution}

    Preferred Name for Communications: {preferredName}

    Email Address: {ApplicantEmail}

    Phone Number: {phoneNumber}

    Mailing Address: {address}

    Fax Number (optional): {faxNumber100}

    INSTITUTION'S INFORMATION

    Financial Officer for Grants Research

    Name: {financialOfficer}

    Title/Dept: {titledept}

    Address: {address174}

    Email: {email}

    Phone: {phoneNumber191}

     

    Grant Officer

    Name: {grantOfficer}

    Title/Dept: {titledept183}

    Email: {email184}

    Phone Number: {phoneNumber192}

     

    Authorized Signing Official

    Name: {authorizedSigning}

    Title/Dept: {titledept188}

    Email: {email189}

    Phone Number: {phoneNumber193}

     

    How did you find out about this grant opportunity?: {howDid}

    RESEARCH STUDY

    Is your proposal an investigator-initiated trial or a investigator-sponsored trial?: {InstitutionApproval}

    NCI designated center?: {IRBapproval}

    Total Funds Requested (USD): {totalFunds}

    Anticipated trial duration (years):  {typeA166}

    ENROLLMENT

    How many patients are expected to be treated on the trial?: {typeA127}

    Estimated number of WM patients seen annually at study site?: {howMany}

    Patient Population (Age): {patientPopulation}

    Patient Population (Sex): {patientPopulation130}

    Study Rationale: {projectDescription}

    Project Description: {projectDescription131}

    Layperson Summary of Project: {significance21}

    Objectives/Endpoints/Aims: {laypersonSummary}

    Proposed Research Design/Approach Summary: {objectivesendpointsaims}

    Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria: {proposedResearch}

    What is innovative about this  proposal: {inclusionexclusionCriteria}

    Expected Impact/Significance: {significance}

    Project Timeline: {sixmonthTimeline}

    First Six-Month Timeline: {firstSixmonth}

    Scientific Approach: {scientificApproach21}

    Budget: {sixmonthTimeline143}

    Budget Justification: {scientificApproach}

    Other Sources of Funding: {budgetJustification}

    Protocol or White Paper: {budget}

    DOCUMENT UPLOADS

    PI Biosketch: {piBiosketch}

    Does this study have a Collaborator / Co-I / Sub-I Biosketch?: {doesThis}

    Collaborator / Co-I / Sub-I Biosketch: {collaborator}

    Provide list of current research: {piBiosketch155}

    Are there additional uploads you wish to share?: {doesThis196}

    If yes: {fileUpload197}

  • Should be Empty: