YOGA Grant Application Guidelines

The YOGA Grant is not sufficient to support expensive large sample patient-based studies but it may be possible to attach a study to a clinical project already under way or for which other funding has become available. Some examples of preliminary clinical studies include:

1. Support for an add-on study to identify a biomarker in the context of an ongoing clinical trial.
2. Determining if a computer-based cognitive or other remediation enhances effectiveness of cognitive agents.
3. Proof of principle study to see if efficacy is detected with a new treatment.
4. Testing a novel hypothesis within an already established data set.

These examples do not define the Center’s specific goals but illustrate feasibility for clinical studies. The Center is committed to spending all contributions for direct support of research. Reviewers are members of the Center’s External Advisory Board and volunteer their time to evaluate applications; therefore, no feedback can be provided to applicants.

Grant Requirements

• The Center welcomes diversity with YOGA grant applications including gender, race, ethnicity, and culture of the applicant, and geographic location for their proposed work.
• Applicants must have a doctoral level degree (e.g., M.D. with [minimum PGY-IV] training, Ph.D., Psy.D., Pharm.D., etc.) and already be employed in research training or a faculty research position. The YOGA Grant is intended to support advanced post-doctoral fellows, instructors and assistant professors (or equivalent).  Pre-doctoral students, first year post-doctoral fellows, faculty who serve(d) as a principal investigator (PI) on a NIH R01 grant are not eligible. Investigators at the rank of associate professor or equivalent are also not eligible.
• Applicants may only apply twice for an initial YOGA Grant. Applicants are eligible for a maximum of one YOGA Grant.
• Only one principal investigator is allowed per application.
• Funding is for one or two years and is up to $25,000 per year. The Center does not pay institutional overhead on the YOGA Grant Program.
• The Center allows considerable flexibility in the use of funds: equipment, stipends, etc., are all acceptable as long as the support is in the service of the YOGA research project.
• Applications must be submitted by June 30, 2023, no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern.

Application Requirements

• Applications must be submitted online. Applicants must first complete the online form, and then upload the application in a single PDF document to this UR Box folder.
• Each section must be on a separate page. Please follow the order of the application as follows and adhere to the maximum number of pages allowed for each section indicated in parentheses.
• Label each section and include applicant’s name in upper-right corner of each page. 
• Please follow NIH format guidelines: Arial, Helvetica, Palatino Linotype, or Georgia fonts with a font size of 11 or larger with minimum of ½ inch margins.

Please upload the following application documents to this UR Box folder, along with a PDF of your online application:

(a) Face Sheet (2 pages) – A 250-word statement must also be provided on how your proposal best fits the Conte Center’s mission to understand and treat OCD.

(b) Abstract (less than 500 words) – A summary of the research project written in lay terms.

(c) Applicant C.V. (5 pages) – NIH biosketch OR the biography portion of the curriculum vitae only, with current grant support listed.

(d) Proposal (2 pages with no appendices) – A letter from the applicant outlining training and/or project goals that will be accomplished within the grant period. The project should be described in sufficient detail to elucidate hypothesis, significance, sample size, feasibility, and central methodology. Figures, tables, diagrams, et.al., must be included within the 2-page limit.

(e) Research Training/Career Plans (½ page) – Brief description of present or recently completed research training, and applicant's future career plans. This grant is intended for fellowship extension or early faculty support.

(f) Budget (1 page/itemized table format in US $) – A budget description specifying the amount requested with a brief justification and indicating whether applicant is applying for a one- or two-year grant. Requests must not exceed $25,000 per year. The budget statement should define the unique contribution of this grant to applicant's research activities and note the impact of this grant on other institutional support available to applicant. Specific assurance that receipt of this grant will not result in duplication of funding or reduction of support from the host institution is required. The Center does not pay institutional overhead on the YOGA Grant Program. The applicant's research funding must be listed, and should include any support pending, as well.

(g) Two letters of reference.

(h) References (1 page, optional) – A listing of up to 10 bibliographical references may be included.

(i) Collaborator Letter (1 page, optional) – Letter of commitment from essential project collaborators (not letter of reference), addressed to the applicant, briefly explaining the specific contribution and confirming a willingness to collaborate.

** IRB/IACUC approval for human and animal subjects must be verified at the time of the Grant (do not include IRB/IACUC with application), as well as institutional acceptance of the Foundation’s Grant Agreement.

** In fairness to all applicants, supplemental material (i.e., appendices) will NOT be considered in the review process. Applications not following the guidelines will be administratively rejected.

** Funds will be granted to universities, institutions or medical research centers operating in the United States. Researchers need not be U.S. citizens.