Best Grants for Rare Diseases in Kansas

The FY26 Defense Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (DEPSCoR) aims to enhance research capabilities in eligible states by increasing the number of university researchers and institutions conducting relevant science and engineering research. Sponsored by the Department of Defense, this program will fund multiyear awards to promote research aligned with national security needs. Applications require a multi-stage submission process, emphasizing early registration and timely proposal submissions.

Researchers conducting respiratory care and airway management studies in Kansas can access recognition and travel support through the American Respiratory Care Foundation’s Jeri Eiserman, RRT Professional Education Research Fellowship. Grants from American Respiratory Care Foundation help respiratory diseases and systems researchers present high-quality abstracts at the AARC Congress, covering a plaque, airfare, one night lodging, and registration.

Graduate students and other qualified investigators conducting respiratory care education or credentialing research can apply for grants up to US $5,000, including applicants based in Kansas. Grants from American Respiratory Care Foundation help respiratory diseases and systems researchers fund master’s theses, doctoral dissertations, or complete research proposals with practical value to the profession.

Nonprofit organizations in Kansas conducting respiratory care research can apply for the American Respiratory Care Foundation’s Parker B. Francis Respiratory Research Grant; awards up to US $10,000 to supplement other project funding. Eligible projects must involve respiratory therapists or technicians in a meaningful way and be led by a physician or respiratory care practitioner.

Focused on respiratory diseases and systems, this program invites Kansas nonprofit organizations conducting respiratory care or cardiopulmonary research to apply for support. Grants from the American Respiratory Care Foundation, through the Jerome M. Sullivan Research Fund, provide up to US $10,000 for projects where respiratory therapists or technicians play a meaningful investigative role.

Early-career respiratory care researchers focusing on pediatric respiratory therapy can receive up to US $5,000 for mentorship, hands-on experience, and starter project needs through this national fellowship, including in Kansas. Grants from American Respiratory Care Foundation help young investigators in respiratory diseases and systems build a foundation for independent research careers.

Health care professionals focused on respiratory diseases and systems in Kansas and worldwide can access an international observational fellowship covering U.S. lodging, food allowance, local transportation, and AARC Congress registration. The American Respiratory Care Foundation provides this 20-day U.S.-based experience to support advancing respiratory care as an allied health profession.

Early-career biomedical, behavioral, or clinical science faculty focused on cardiovascular, pulmonary, hematologic diseases, or sleep disorders in Kansas can access mentored career development funding through the National Institutes of Health. This K01 award supports supervised research and advanced training toward research independence, including work on respiratory diseases and related health disparities, with awards up to US $130,000.

Early-stage pulmonary fibrosis researchers focusing on respiratory diseases and systems, including those based in Kansas, can apply for Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation’s PFF Scholars awards of US $100,000 over two years to support mentored basic, translational, clinical, epidemiological, or health services research. Eligible applicants hold doctoral or professional degrees and junior academic appointments.

Postdoctoral biomedical researchers planning clinical trial careers can access funding for cardiovascular, respiratory, metabolic, sleep, and related disease research, including rare conditions, in Kansas and other eligible U.S. locations. US Dept. of Health & Human Services: National Institutes of Health supports a mentored intramural phase followed by an extramural phase to help launch independent research programs.

Biomedical research institutions and laboratories conducting leprosy research in Kansas can apply for The New York Community Trust’s Heiser Program, with awards ranging from US $87,500 - US $250,000 for projects advancing diagnosis, treatment, or transmission blocking. Rare disease researchers working on leprosy-related dermatological or neurological aspects may be eligible.

Early-career clinical and scientific investigators conducting innovative sarcoidosis research at U.S. institutions, including those in Kansas, can receive US $150,000 over two years to support their fellowship compensation. With a mission to advance sarcoidosis research, Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research provides rare disease researchers with support to build skills, strengthen academic credentials, and improve care for sarcoidosis patients.

Early-career medical and health researchers at academic or research institutions in eligible low- and middle-income countries can apply for NIH’s Emerging Global Leader Award to support mentored clinical research careers. Grants from the US Dept. of Health & Human Services: National Institutes of Health help build long-term research capacity, which may benefit rare and respiratory disease work connected to Kansas partners.

Early-career research scientists at academic or research institutions in eligible low- or middle-income countries can apply for National Institutes of Health Emerging Global Leader Awards, offering approximately US $140,000 for mentored health research and career development. Kansas-based partners collaborating with LMIC investigators on rare or respiratory disease priorities may benefit from this opportunity.

Research institutions and investigators conducting basic or early translational nonmalignant hematology studies, including work related to respiratory and other blood-related rare diseases in Kansas, can apply for R01 funding from the National Institutes of Health. With a mission to advance hematology research, NIH provides multi-year support across the U.S. and territories on evolving priority topics.

Small biomedical businesses developing heart, lung, blood, or sleep disorder technologies for rare diseases or young pediatric populations in Kansas and other U.S. locations can seek up to US $3,500,000 to advance toward regulatory approval and commercialization. With a mission to support public health innovation, National Institutes of Health provides Phase IIB SBIR funding for projects previously backed by SBIR or STTR Phase II awards.

Small business concerns developing technologies for heart, lung, blood, or sleep disorders can access later-stage SBIR Phase IIB funding to advance products toward regulatory approval and commercialization, including in Kansas. Grants from the National Institutes of Health help bridge the post–Phase II funding gap and support projects relevant to the NHLBI mission that attract matching third-party investment.

Doctoral students conducting physical therapy or respiratory-related research at accredited institutions, including those in Kansas, can receive up to US $7,500 to support their coursework phase. The Foundation for Physical Therapy Research prioritizes projects in acute care, cardiology and pulmonary, PT education, and pelvic health, helping build academic research careers in these areas.

The EMF/Fisher and Paykel High Flow Therapy Research aims to explore the use of high flow therapy as a first-line respiratory support in emergency departments. This research seeks to assess the number of patients with acute respiratory failure who may benefit from this therapy, understand the characteristics of EMS services, and identify patient outcomes. By analyzing these factors, the study intends to enhance patient care and inform effective health policies in emergency medicine.

The Hope APFED/AAAAI Grant Award aims to support innovative research projects related to Eosinophilic Disorders, excluding asthma, rhinitis, and eczema. This initiative encourages collaboration between the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology and the American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders, providing a platform for independent researchers to secure future funding. Applicants must be AAAAI members and hold relevant academic positions, ensuring a commitment to advancing knowledge in allergy and immunology.

The NHLBI Catalyze program aims to transition basic science discoveries into effective treatments for diseases under the NHLBI mission. This initiative supports early-stage product definition, prototype design, and assay development for HLBS disorders. The R61 phase focuses on initial designs and experimental setups, while the R33 phase extends support for prototype testing and user feedback. Successful completion prepares products for in vivo testing, enhancing health and societal outcomes with NIH and other support.

The IRSS RIFM Special Award for Inhalation Toxicology offers a $500 prize for trainees contributing to inhalation toxicology research. Sponsored by the Society of Toxicology, this award encourages innovative evaluations of inhaled toxicants, exposure science advancements, and risk assessment research. Applicants must submit a one-page summary of their work and a pending abstract for presentation at the SOT Annual Meeting, alongside a mentor's support letter. This award aims to promote excellence in the field.

The Community Foundation of Shelby County

Our Mission

To inspire donor generosity and transform it into meaningful, lasting impact through charitable gifts.

Our Vision

To be the primary partner for donors who want to advance the community’s quality of life and capacity for excellence.

Heidi Norris Scholarship

Auglaize, Shelby or Mercer County residents majoring in Respiratory Therapy or a closely related field who are one year removed from high school, surpassed college freshman status and, have maintained a college GPA of not less than 2.5, and who are pursuing an Associate’s, Bachelor’s, or Master’s degree.

Selection based upon:

Financial need, academic ability, community and school service, and recommendations.

Awards

• One $1,500 scholarship

The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) intends to release an Implementation of Findings From PCORI's Research Investments PCORI Funding Announcement (PFA) on Aug. 4, 2026, seeking to fund implementation projects that promote the uptake of peer-reviewed findings from specific PCORI-funded patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research (CER) in the context of the body of related evidence. This PFA is an open competition opportunity for principal investigators to propose implementation projects that move evidence toward practical use in improving health care and health outcomes. Applicants may propose projects with budgets up to $1.8 million in total direct costs.

PCORI seeks to fund implementation projects that incorporate active, multicomponent strategies that will lead to uptake and integration of evidence generated by PCORI-funded research in practice settings. Implementation should target specific end users with a clear interest in — and ability to benefit from — the evidence. Proposed implementation projects will adapt findings as needed to facilitate uptake in the proposed settings and accomplish scale-up to reach larger numbers and/or scale-out to reach broader populations and settings. Applicants must demonstrate commitment and buy-in — including from leadership as well as frontline staff critical to the success of the project — from proposed implementation sites across multiple health systems, such that they provide a supportive context and infrastructure for undertaking the proposed project. In addition, projects should involve regional and national stakeholder organizations positioned to extend uptake in broader venues.  

Applications must be guided by an established conceptual model or framework and, where possible, by evidence regarding effective strategies for implementing evidence-based practices and interventions. Additionally, applications must include a rigorous evaluation plan that documents the successful execution of the implementation approach and the impact of the project on health care and health outcomes as feasible and appropriate within the project scope.

The Childhood Asthma in Urban Settings Clinical Research Network (CAUSE) aims to enhance asthma prevention and treatment in economically disadvantaged pediatric populations. Funded by the NIH, CAUSE supports multi-site clinical studies to identify innovative strategies and treatment targets for asthma. Utilizing systems biology, the network seeks to discover specific disease endotypes suitable for new therapeutic approaches, addressing the high burden of asthma in urban settings.

The Asthma and Allergic Diseases Cooperative Research Centers (AADCRC) program, supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), aims to enhance research on asthma and related allergic diseases. This initiative fosters multi-center, multidisciplinary research to explore disease mechanisms and treatment responses. By promoting clinical trials and observational studies, the AADCRC seeks to advance understanding and improve interventions for conditions such as asthma and food allergies, ultimately benefiting public health.

The US Flu Vaccine Effectiveness (VE) Network aims to enhance the effectiveness of vaccines against influenza and other respiratory pathogens, which are significant contributors to morbidity and mortality. This funding opportunity invites proposals for surveillance studies, including annual VE assessments, acute respiratory illness tracking, household transmission research, and immunogenicity studies. Applicants can apply for either Component A or B, with the option to include additional components based on their primary selection.