Please review FAQs before contacting Research Program staff, as our team is unable to provide individual guidance on project proposals.
We encourage you to consult mentors, grant officers, peers, or other institutional resources for support. Consider the NIH's "Grants Process" as a resource for strengthening your application.
If your questions aren’t addressed here, email us.
About the Grant Program
What research areas does the ATS Research Program fund?
The ATS Research Program funds research in respiratory health medicine. We encourage applications in basic, translational, and clinical research, pediatric and adult medicine, and patient-oriented and public health topics.
The Research Program also offers targeted and disease-specific funding opportunities, in collaboration with our partners.
Refer to Grants and Eligibility for details on current funding opportunities.
What projects are currently supported?
Visit the Grants and Eligibility page for current grant details.
View current and past ATS grant recipients.
When does the grant cycle open?
As of 2025, the ATS Research Program grant cycle has aligned with the calendar year. The 2027 grant cycle will open in January 2026, with a grant start date of January 2027.
How much funding does the ATS Research Program provide?
Funding varies by grant type. Unrestricted and diversity grants are one-year grants of $40,000. Partner grant amounts vary. Refer to Grants and Eligibility for specific information on partner grant funding levels.
What are this year's application deadlines?
Refer to Grants and Eligibility for the latest information about grant cycle timelines.
What percentage of applications are funded?
The Research Program is highly competitive. In 2025, approximately 20 percent of applications were funded.
Should I apply if I think my area of research is atypical for the ATS Research Program's current grantmaking?
Yes, please consider applying. The Research Program funds a broad range of respiratory health-related topics in pediatric and adult medicine. Projects may be focused on basic, translational or clinical research. Investigators working on patient-oriented research and public health topics are also encouraged to apply.
Can I submit a proposal that falls outside the current grant offerings?
No, the Research Program does not accept proposals or make grants outside of established funding mechanisms.
Grant Eligibility
What are the grant eligibility requirements?
All applicants must meet the general eligibility criteria. Review Grants and Eligibility for details and additional requirements by grant type.
May I apply if I am not an ATS Member?
Yes. However, at least one of the key personnel on your proposed project must be an ATS member at the time of LOI/application submission, and the principal investigator must be an ATS member by the grant start date.
I work outside the United States. May I apply for a grant?
ATS accepts submissions from international researchers unless otherwise specified. Review partner grant requirements, which may differ from ATS unrestricted and diversity grants.
Review Grants and Eligibility for additional eligibility requirements by grant type.
The ATS defines international applicants as individuals not working at a US-based institution or someone who does not reside or work in the United States.
What qualifies as an early-career investigator?
ATS defines early-career investigators as:
- within 10 years of receiving a terminal degree (e.g., MD, PhD, DO, MPH) or completing postdoctoral training. For the grant cycle launching in 2026, this means that you must have received your terminal degree no later than 2016.
- For MDs, postdoctoral training includes clinical sub-specialty training, but not research training. For example, if you are an MD in a fellowship or residency, the eligibility window opens when you have completed the clinical training portion. The eligibility window is not inclusive of research training. To be eligible, you must be 0-10 years from your terminal degree or the end of your clinical sub-specialty training.
- For PhDs, this definition is inclusive of postdoctoral training.
- For investigators with multiple terminal degrees (e.g., MD/PhD or MD/MPH), eligibility is determined by the date of the most recent degree.
- never having received a non-mentored grant ≥ $100,000 per year for at least 2 years.
- For example, researchers are generally no longer considered early career if they have secured an independent, non-mentored research grant (e.g., NIH R01).
ATS considers exceptions to the early-stage investigator requirement for extenuating circumstances such as parental or military leave. Note that sub-specialty training is not considered an extenuating circumstance.
If you have extenuating circumstances not related to sub-specialty training, contact us before beginning a letter of intent or application.
May I apply if there are gaps in my work history?
If you have extenuating circumstances, please contact us before starting a letter of intent or application so we can evaluate your eligibility.
Extenuating circumstances include factors such as family care responsibilities, illness, disability, and active-duty military service.
Are there any grants for established investigators?
While the mission of the ATS is to support early-career investigators, some partner grants may be open to investigators at other career stages. Review current Grants and Eligibility.
May I apply for a Research Program grant if I received one in the past?
If you are not a current Research Program grantee you may apply. Individuals who have received two Research Program grants are not eligible.
May I re-submit a proposal?
Yes, if you meet the eligibility requirements, you may resubmit your proposal. If you receive feedback on your original proposal, it must be addressed in the application resubmission.
May I hold grants from other organizations?
Yes, applicants may hold grants from other organizations. However, there cannot be budgetary or significant scientific overlap between the ATS-funded grant and other grants the applicant may hold.
What if I submitted a similar grant to another funding agency?
Simultaneous submission of grants with scientific overlap to other funding agencies is allowed.
However, if multiple grants are funded, then the applicant must notify the ATS as soon as possible and no later than one month of formal award notification.
The Scientific Grant Review Committee will assess the degree of overlap. In the case of significant scientific overlap, the applicant will have to choose between the Research Program grant and the other grant.
Budgetary overlap is not allowed.
Can I apply if I have a K award or K99/R00 award?
Applicants who hold active career development grants (e.g., K award) are eligible to receive ATS funding, but the projects must be scientifically distinct.
Applicants who hold active K99/R00 grants are eligible if they are in the K99 phase of their grant at the time of application. Applicants in the R00 phase are not eligible.
Application Forms and Process
How do I access the letter of intent/full application forms?
ATS uses Foundant to manage its grant applications.
For all Research Program grants, applicants must pass an eligibility quiz to gain access to the letter of intent form (unrestricted grants only) or the full application (partner grants) in Foundant.
During an open grant cycle, you may access the eligibility quizzes via the links on the Grants and Eligibility page.
I missed the letter of intent deadline. May I submit a full application?
No, for unrestricted and diversity grants you must submit a letter of intent by the stated deadline and have been invited to submit a full application.
Letters of intent are not required for partner grants.
I was invited to submit a full application, but I am having trouble accessing the full application form.
To access the full application within Foundant, you will need to use the same login and password that you used for your letter of intent submission. You may reset your password on the main login page in Foundant.
May I apply for more than one Research Program grant?
Applicants may submit multiple scientifically distinct letters of intent. However, ATS will extend only one invitation to submit a full grant application per applicant. We highly recommend you limit your number of submissions to focus on one quality, well-prepared grant proposal.
You may not submit the same proposal to multiple categories. In choosing a category for your submission, review the criteria for each award and pick the category most appropriate to your budget and timeline.
If you submit a letter of intent for an unrestricted grant and are not invited to submit a full application, you may not resubmit the same proposal for a partner grant application.
If I am eligible for multiple categories, which do you recommend I submit to?
In choosing a category for your submission, review the criteria for each award and pick the category most appropriate to your project scope, budget and timeline.
If you are eligible for a partner grant that is appropriate to your project scope and budget, we recommend you apply to that category over the unrestricted grants, which receive most applications.
May an institution/department/lab submit multiple applications?
Yes, we do not limit the number of applications by institution/department/lab.
For key personnel, how is “percent effort” defined?
“Percent effort” may be defined by percent of participation on the project, percent of salary support, or a combination of both. Make sure that you are clearly stating how you are defining it.
Are overhead and/or indirect costs an allowable expense?
Overhead and indirect costs are not allowable expenses in the budget.
Who can serve as a “signing official?”
A signing official is any individual at your institution that has the authority to sign contracts.
How many letters of recommendation will I need?
The letter of intent does not require any letters of recommendation.
The full application requires two letters of recommendation and provides space to upload letters from collaborators.
Where can I find the necessary application forms?
All application forms are available for download directly on the application website. Refer to the individual grant descriptions and application instructions for full details.
What documents/uploads are required for the letter of intent submission?
The letter of intent requires:
- Faculty Employment Certification
- PI Biosketch
- Co-investigator Biosketches
All LOI forms are available for download directly within the applicant portal, Foundant and on the application instructions page. See individual grant descriptions and related LOI instructions for full details.
What document uploads are required for the full application?
The full application requires:
- PI Biosketch
- Mentor Biosketch (if applicable)
- Co-investigator Biosketches (up to two)
- Research Plans
- Literature Cited
- Budget Form
- Lab Resources and Equipment
- Two letters of reference/support
- Signature Form
- Faculty Employment Certification (for applications without an LOI stage only)
All forms are available for download within the applicant portal, Foundant and on the application instructions page. See individual grant descriptions and related application instructions for full details.
Will I receive scores or written comments?
Due to high volume, we are unable to provide scores, written comments, or customized feedback on letters of intent.
Individuals who have submitted a full application will receive a summary of reviewer comments after the award cycle concludes.
Are staff members available to discuss my application before or after submission?
ATS staff are unable to discuss individual projects prior to or after the submission of an application. We encourage investigators to use the resources available to them, including mentors, grant officers, and peers.
The ATS Scientific Grant Review Committee conducts a rigorous, NIH-style review process to identify the most impactful research proposals submitted to the ATS Research Program. Consider the NIH's "Grants Process" as a resource for strengthening your application.