Best Grants for Rare Diseases in Nevada

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 university hospital studies in respiratory care and airway management can receive support for original research, including projects using bench, animal, or human models. Grants from American Respiratory Care Foundation help Nevada respiratory health researchers attend the AARC Congress with airfare, lodging, registration, and recognition, based on high-quality accepted abstracts.

Researchers and graduate students conducting respiratory care education or credentialing research, including work on rare respiratory diseases, can apply for grants from American Respiratory Care Foundation supporting projects in Nevada and across the U.S. Awards up to US $5,000 include cash, recognition, and support to attend the AARC Congress.

Nonprofit organizations in Nevada 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 support respiratory diseases and systems studies. Projects must meaningfully involve respiratory therapists or technicians, and principal investigators may be physicians or respiratory care practitioners.

Nonprofit organizations conducting respiratory care or cardiopulmonary research, with respiratory therapists or technicians meaningfully involved, can apply for support that may benefit Nevada-based projects. Focused on respiratory diseases and systems, the American Respiratory Care Foundation invites proposals for original investigations, offering up to US $10,000 to supplement other research funding sources.

Early-career respiratory care researchers focusing on pediatric respiratory therapy can receive up to US $5,000 to support their first research projects and professional development. Grants from American Respiratory Care Foundation help Nevada and other U.S. investigators fund mentoring, hands-on experience, and small equipment or supplies for respiratory diseases and systems research.

Health care professionals working in respiratory diseases and systems from outside Nevada can access training support through the American Respiratory Care Foundation’s International Fellowship. The program funds U.S.-based lodging, food allowance, local transportation, and AARC Congress registration while fellows observe respiratory care practice, education programs, and alternate care sites across multiple cities.

Biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research institutions in Nevada can access funding through the National Institutes of Health to support mentored career development for diverse junior faculty. This K01 award offers up to US $130,000 for research training in cardiovascular, pulmonary, hematologic diseases, respiratory conditions, and sleep disorders, including projects relevant to rare disease populations.

Early-stage pulmonary fibrosis researchers in Nevada and across the U.S. can apply for Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation’s PFF Scholars awards of US $100,000 to support mentored basic, translational, clinical, epidemiological, or health services research. Eligible applicants hold doctoral or professional degrees and junior academic appointments focused on interstitial lung disease-related fields.

Postdoctoral fellows in the NHLBI Division of Intramural Research planning clinical trial–required cardiopulmonary or related biomedical research can access career transition funding supporting mentored intramural and extramural phases. US Dept. of Health & Human Services: National Institutes of Health (NIH) supports work in areas like respiratory diseases, obesity, and cardiovascular systems, which may include rare disease–focused projects in Nevada.

Biomedical research institutions and scientists conducting leprosy research can apply for US $87,500 - US $250,000 to support fellowships or projects through the Heiser Program for Research in Leprosy. Nevada rare disease researchers studying leprosy-related dermatological, neurological, respiratory, or ocular complications may be eligible for this U.S.-wide funding from The New York Community Trust.

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

Early-career research scientists at academic or research institutions in low- or middle-income countries, including those working on respiratory or other rare diseases in Nevada-linked collaborations, can apply for the Emerging Global Leader Award. Grants from the National Institutes of Health provide approximately US $140,000 for 3–5 years of mentored clinical research career development leading toward independent funding.

Early-career research scientists at academic or research institutions in eligible low- or middle-income countries can apply for the Emerging Global Leader Award from the National Institutes of Health, receiving approximately US $140,000 for mentored health-related research career development. Nevada-based partners collaborating with LMIC investigators on respiratory or other listed health priorities may benefit.

Research institutions and investigators conducting basic or early translational nonmalignant hematology studies, including work related to respiratory or rare blood disorders in Nevada and other U.S. locations, may apply for this R01 opportunity. With a mission to advance hematology science, the National Institutes of Health provides multi-year support for innovative projects aligned with NIDDK, NIA, and NHLBI priorities.

Small businesses developing heart, lung, blood, or sleep disorder technologies for rare diseases or young pediatric populations in Nevada can seek Phase IIB SBIR funding to advance toward regulatory approval and commercialization. With a mission to support biomedical innovation, National Institutes of Health provides up to US $3,500,000 to bridge the gap between Phase II research and market readiness.

Small business concerns developing heart, lung, blood, or sleep disorder technologies that need federal regulatory approval can apply for Phase IIB SBIR bridge funding, with awards up to US $3,500,000. Grants from National Institutes of Health help Nevada and other U.S. respiratory and rare disease innovators advance late-stage R&D toward commercialization with third-party investment.

Doctoral students pursuing physical therapy research related to respiratory diseases and systems in Nevada can receive up to US $7,500 to support the coursework phase of their studies. Foundation for Physical Therapy Research offers these national scholarships, with priorities including cardiology and pulmonary, PT education, pelvic health, and acute care topics.

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.