Application Invited for American Lung Association Innovation Award Funding Opportunity 2026 in United States of America (USA), The Innovation Award provides funding of $75,000 per year for a maximum period of two years. The award is designed to support highly promising investigators who have demonstrated strong records of achievement and have the potential to make meaningful contributions to the field of lung disease research.
The program is particularly aimed at researchers in the early stages of their careers who can demonstrate prior excellence, productivity, and research potential. Applicants must have held a K- or R-type award within the five years preceding their application for the Lung Association award.
Awards are subject to an annual review and may be supported for up to two years. Continued funding for the second year depends on satisfactory research progress and the availability of funds from the Lung Association.
Use of Award Funds
The funding must be allocated in accordance with the following limits:
- Salary and fringe benefits for the awardee: No more than 75% of the requested budget may be allocated to the applicant’s salary or fringe benefits.
- Permanent equipment: No more than 30% of the total award budget may be used to purchase permanent equipment.
- Other personnel: Grant funds may also cover salary and fringe benefit expenses for personnel working on the proposed research project other than the applicant.
Applicants are encouraged to carefully review the full details and submit their applications before the specified deadline to seize this grant opportunity.
Last Date of Submission: 18th September 2026
Application Invited for American Lung Association Innovation Award Funding Opportunity 2026 in United States of America (USA) Key Dates
| Date | Important Milestone |
| August 5, 2026 | Letter of Intent (LOI) opens for submission through ProposalCentral |
| September 18, 2026 | Deadline to submit LOI — 11:59 PM ET |
| October 23, 2026 | LOI notifications are sent to all applicants |
| December 1, 2026 | Full application deadline — 11:59 PM ET |
| January–April 2027 | Peer review period |
| June 2027 | Outcome notifications are sent to all applicants |
| July 1, 2027 | Research term begins |
Application Invited for American Lung Association Innovation Award Funding Opportunity 2026 in United States of America (USA) Important Notes
- Applicants may submit only one American Lung Association Awards and Grant application per annual cycle.
- An applicant may receive this grant only once.
- Applicants are encouraged to submit their projects to the appropriate Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) and Institutional Review Board (IRB) at the time of application or before.
- Copies of IACUC and IRB approvals, when applicable, must be provided to the American Lung Association before the award begins.
- Where applicable, researchers are encouraged to pursue hypothesis-driven research that can contribute to evidence-based clinical practice or policy in communities throughout the United States.
Application Invited for American Lung Association Innovation Award Funding Opportunity 2026 in United States of America (USA) Eligibility Requirements
Employment Certification Requirement
As part of the application process, all applicants must certify that they are authorized to work in the United States.
In addition, the institutional Signing Official—defined as the individual authorized to submit grant applications and make institutional commitments—must certify that the applicant’s employment is expected to continue for the entire duration of the grant period.
Education and Experience
At the time of application, applicants must meet the following requirements:
- Hold a doctoral degree.
- Have a full-time faculty or professional appointment equivalent at a recognized academic or other nonprofit research institution.
- Demonstrate institutional commitment through salary support and research space, as evidenced by a letter from the Department Chair or equivalent.
- Have a publication record demonstrating significant scientific contributions.
- Have held a K- or R-level grant within the five years preceding their application for the Lung Association award.
- Individuals who have served as PI on three or more large federal research grants during their career are not eligible to apply. This includes grants such as R01, U01, P01, and VA Merit, even when they involve multiple PIs.
- Being identified as a Co-Investigator on a large federal grant does not count toward this restriction.
Application Invited for American Lung Association Innovation Award Funding Opportunity 2026 in United States of America (USA) Institution Eligibility
The applicant’s research institution must:
- Be located in the United States.
- Be nonprofit.
- Be owned and operated exclusively for scientific and educational purposes.
Eligible institutions include:
- Nonprofit colleges or universities.
- Domestic nonprofit scientific and research institutions.
Application Invited for American Lung Association Innovation Award Funding Opportunity 2026 in United States of America (USA) Peer Review
Applications that are found eligible through the administrative review process will proceed to an external peer review.
Reviewers will consider several factors, including:
- Scientific rigor and feasibility: The quality of the proposed study design, research methods, analysis plan, and the likelihood that the proposed work can be successfully completed within the project period.
- Mission relevance: The extent to which the proposed project aligns with the mission of the American Lung Association.
- Importance of the research: The significance of the proposed work to lung health research and the extent to which innovative concepts, approaches, or methodologies increase the overall impact of the project.
- Applicant qualifications: The applicant’s education, experience, faculty status or permanent research appointment, and evidence of ongoing institutional commitment from the Department Chair or equivalent.
- Potential impact: The expected contribution of the research to lung health and the likelihood that the applicant will make significant contributions to the field.
How to apply?
Letter of Intent (LOI)
Applicants seeking the Innovation Award are required to submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) before proceeding to the full application stage. Interested applicants must submit their LOI to the American Lung Association through ProposalCentral by September 18, 2026.
Letter of Intent Submission Requirements
The LOI submission must include the following:
- A one-page Letter of Intent providing brief information on:
- Rationale and Significance of the Research Project: Explain the importance of the proposed research and why the project is significant.
- Specific Aims and Hypotheses: Present the key aims and hypotheses of the proposed research. These may be slightly revised in the full application.
- Overall Experimental Approach: Briefly describe the proposed research methodology and experimental strategy.
- Applicant Biographical Sketch
- Proposed Budget
Application Guide
Only applicants whose Letters of Intent have been approved and who have received an invitation may proceed to submit a full proposal.
The American Lung Association uses the ProposalCentral e-grantmaking platform to manage its award and grant application process. Applicants can access the application system at:
https://ProposalCentral.altum.com
For questions or technical assistance related to the electronic application process, applicants can contact ProposalCentral support by email at pcsupport@altum.com.
Applicants whose LOIs are approved for submission of a full application will receive notification by email.
Tips for a Strong and Successful Application
1. Present a clear and important research problem
Explain exactly what problem your research addresses, why it matters, and what gap in current knowledge it will fill. Avoid making the significance section overly broad.
2. Make the innovation obvious
Since this is an Innovation Award, clearly explain what is new about your project. Highlight innovative hypotheses, methodologies, technologies, approaches, or potential applications.
3. Develop focused aims and hypotheses
Keep the Specific Aims realistic and tightly connected to the central research question. Reviewers should be able to understand the project’s objectives quickly.
4. Demonstrate feasibility
Show that the proposed research can realistically be completed within the award period. Clearly describe the experimental approach, available resources, research environment, and relevant expertise.
5. Connect the project to lung health
Make the relevance to the American Lung Association’s mission explicit. Explain how the findings could ultimately contribute to better prevention, diagnosis, treatment, clinical practice, policy, or understanding of lung disease.
6. Use your track record strategically
The award is intended for investigators with evidence of prior excellence and productivity. Highlight your strongest publications, previous research achievements, K- or R-level funding, and other accomplishments that demonstrate your ability to successfully conduct the proposed work.
7. Keep the budget realistic
Make sure every requested expense is directly connected to the research plan. Pay particular attention to the funding restrictions, including the limits on awardee salary/fringe benefits and permanent equipment.
8. Address the review criteria directly
Structure the proposal so reviewers can easily assess scientific rigor, feasibility, significance, innovation, applicant qualifications, and potential impact on lung health.
9. Prepare regulatory approvals early
If your project involves human subjects or animals, consider submitting it to the appropriate IRB or IACUC early. Required approvals must be available before the award begins.
10. Make the LOI concise and compelling
The LOI is only one page, so every sentence should contribute something important. Clearly communicate the research problem, significance, aims, hypotheses, innovation, and overall approach without unnecessary background.
Note: For more comprehensive details click the link below
Get full access to the grant information, visit the Official Website Link
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How much funding does the Innovation Award provide?
The Innovation Award provides $75,000 per year for up to two years. Continued support during the second year depends on satisfactory progress and the availability of funding.
2. Who is eligible to apply?
Applicants must hold a doctoral degree, have a full-time faculty or equivalent professional appointment at an eligible U.S. nonprofit research institution, and demonstrate institutional commitment. They must also have held a K- or R-level grant within the five years preceding the application.
3. Can an applicant receive the award more than once?
No. An applicant can receive the American Lung Association Innovation Award only once.
4. What is the deadline for the Letter of Intent?
The deadline to submit the Letter of Intent (LOI) is September 18, 2026, at 11:59 PM ET. Applicants whose LOIs are approved will be invited to submit a full proposal.
5. What factors are considered during peer review?
Reviewers consider the scientific rigor and feasibility of the research, relevance to the American Lung Association’s mission, importance and innovation of the proposed work, applicant qualifications and institutional support, and the potential impact of the research on lung health.
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