Best Grants for Digestive System Health and Diseases in North Carolina

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations providing health, medical assistance, or related human services in the Southern U.S., including North Carolina, can seek project funding from the Robinson Foundation. Focus areas include medical assistance, children and families, poverty relief, disaster relief, and veterans’ issues, with support limited to single-year, non-capital needs for organizations operating more than three years.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations working on economic and workforce advancement, safe and affordable housing, or community arts and culture, including those serving North Carolina, may be eligible for this program. Grants from US Bancorp Foundation support high-impact, equity-focused initiatives, with priority for organizations led by people of color in designated U.S. Bank communities.

American Gastroenterological Association

The American Gastroenterological Association is the trusted voice of the GI community. Founded in 1897, AGA represents members from around the globe who are involved in all aspects of the science, practice, and advancement of gastroenterology. The AGA Institute administers the practice, research, and educational programs of the organization.

AGA-Takeda Pharmaceuticals Research Scholar Award in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

This award provides funding for three years to early-career faculty (i.e., investigator, instructor, research associate or equivalent) working toward an independent career in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) research.

Objective

The objective of the AGA Research Foundation Research Scholar Award (RSA) is to support early-career investigators working toward independent and productive research careers in digestive diseases by ensuring that a major proportion of their time is protected for mentored research (i.e., a minimum of 50 percent effort dedicated to the proposed project). This award will support junior faculty (not fellows) who have demonstrated exceptional promise and have some record of accomplishment in research pertaining to inflammatory bowel disease.

Review all of the benefits AGA Research Scholar Award recipients are entitled to on the award policies page.

Application Requirements

• Maintain AGA membership throughout the three-year duration of the award.

• Applicants must self-assign their proposal to one of the following categories:
  • Clinical: Research involving direct contact with human subjects or using clinical data to address problems related to the prevention, diagnosis, treatment or outcome of human diseases (e.g., clinical epidemiology). This category also includes research related to health care delivery (e.g., health services, health IT).
  • Basic/Translational: Research with a primary goal of understanding basic biology or disease mechanisms. This category can involve animal subjects, cell culture, human biospecimens or human data as resources for laboratory- or informatics-based investigation.

• Resources allocated through this award are intended to support the career development of the applicant. The applicant must allocate a minimum of 50 percent effort to the proposed project.

• Applicants are required to have a sponsor and mentor for the award; one individual may serve in the capacity of both positions. A sponsor (typically a division chief or department chair) is an individual who takes responsibility for the quality assessment of the proposed research project, the quality of the research environment within which the project will be undertaken, and the experience and expertise of the principal investigator and other key researchers involved. A mentor will supervise the principal investigator’s research activities ensuring timelines and deliverables and will work with the applicant to create a research career development plan.

• The intent of this award is to foster the scientific independence of junior investigators. Applicants whose research activities become incorporated into a grant application from a senior mentor will need to delineate clearly the scientific and experimental distinctions between their respective programs. This requirement applies both to pending applications submitted prior to review of this award and to applications submitted during the term of the RSA. It must also be clearly stated how the work submitted by the applicant is that of the applicant and not that of the senior mentor(s).

• A complete research facilities and resources form must be submitted.

• Biographical sketches for the applicant, mentor and other key personnel must be submitted.

• Applicants resubmitting a revised application from a prior cycle must include a resubmission report describing responses to reviewer feedback and other major changes since the most recent past submission.

• Upon notification of receipt of this award, the recipient must provide institutional approval from the appropriate committee(s) for use of human subjects or animals. If approval is not necessary, then the recipient must provide documentation from the appropriate regulatory committee.

• Recipients must submit scientific and financial progress reports to AGA annually and final reports 60 days after the end date of the award period. Report templates and instructions are provided to awardees at the time of acceptance. Second and third year funding are contingent upon the submission and accuracy of this documentation.

• All publications, presentations, abstracts, and patent applications arising from work funded by this program must acknowledge support of the AGA–Takeda Pharmaceuticals Research Scholar Award in Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

• Additional pre-award policies are available on the Research Award Policies page.

Award Overlap

• At the time of application submission, applicants may not hold, or have held, an NIH K01, K08, K23, K99, R00, R01, R21, R29, Veterans Affairs Career Development Award or any award with similar objectives from non-federal sources (e.g., the American Liver Foundation, Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation).

• Applicants who have held a K12 or KL2 in the past are eligible to apply. Applicants with an active K12 or KL2 may apply in the final year of their active K12 or KL2 so long as the award will end before the Research Scholar Award term begins.

• If a applicant is granted the award and notified of a comparable award from another agency prior to the first payment of this award, then the recipient must select one of the two awards (i.e., the recipient may not retain both awards).

• If the recipient is notified that a comparable award has been granted after the first payment of this award, then the recipient may retain up to 50 percent of the remainder of his or her AGA award. AGA must be notified by the recipient via email within two weeks of receiving notification of additional funding.

North Carolina digestive health researchers and clinicians can access funding through the American College of Gastroenterology for epidemiologic studies on gastrointestinal endoscopy using GIQuIC data. Eligible applicants are ACG or ASGE member physicians, clinical researchers, or fellows in the U.S. or Canada, with awards up to US $50,000 to improve GI endoscopy quality and outcomes.

U.S. and Canadian ACG-member gastroenterology and hepatology physicians can receive up to US $75,000 for patient-oriented digestive and liver disease research advancing health equity. American College of Gastroenterology supports clinical, translational, social science, or health services studies on GI and hepatology disparities, which can include work benefiting North Carolina patients and communities.

Established ACG-member physician investigators in the U.S. or Canada with lapsed federal support can apply for up to US $300,000 in bridge funding to sustain clinical gastroenterology or hepatology research programs. This two-year award supports patient-oriented studies on digestive or liver diseases, which may benefit North Carolina–based digestive health research faculty.

Junior gastroenterology and hepatology faculty in the U.S. or Canada conducting clinical research on digestive or liver diseases can receive up to US $450,000 over three years for protected research time and career development. Focused on digestive system health, the American College of Gastroenterology supports projects tied to clinical gastrointestinal practice, including patient-centered and translational studies.

Nonprofit and academic research institutions in North Carolina can seek NIH R01 funding for innovative basic and early translational nonmalignant hematology studies, including work related to digestive system health and diseases. With a mission to advance blood, kidney, metabolic, aging, and related research, the National Institutes of Health provides support through the SHINE program on multiple annual deadlines.

Registered nurse researchers in pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology, and nutrition in North Carolina can apply for US $500 - US $10,000 to support research or quality improvement projects in digestive system health and related nutritional disorders. Grants from North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition support APGNN-member nurses in the U.S. or Mexico advancing pediatric GI nursing care.

Early-career MD or PhD investigators at U.S. nonprofit or government research institutions can seek three-year mentored support for pediatric inflammatory bowel disease research, including clinical, translational, epidemiological, or basic science projects. Focused on digestive system health, Crohns and Colitis Foundation invites North Carolina researchers to apply for US $102,500 - US $307,500 in career development funding.

North Carolina digestive health researchers can access funding through the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition to conduct pediatric gastrointestinal, liver, pancreatic, or nutritional disorder studies. Early-career NASPGHAN member faculty within five years of fellowship in the U.S., Canada, or Mexico may receive US $150,000 for clinical, translational, quality improvement, or basic science projects.

Medical students interested in pediatric digestive system health and nutrition research can receive up to US $4,000 for a 10‑week mentored summer project at sites across the U.S. and Canada. Grants from North American Society For Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition help North Carolina digestive health programs engage trainees in basic or clinical research experiences.

Research institutions and eligible organizations working on liver diseases and liver cancer interventions can seek NIH funding to reduce health disparities in North Carolina and across the U.S. The U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services: National Institutes of Health supports multi-level and multi-domain projects, which may include digestive system health and disease-focused research serving disproportionately affected populations.

Focused on digestive system health and diseases, this grant invites North Carolina general surgery residents and recent graduates to pursue clinical or lab research on colon, rectal, and anal diseases. Eligible residents in U.S. or Canadian programs can receive US $20,000 for research activities, salary, and living expenses from the American Society of Colon & Rectal Surgeons.

Focused on clinical colorectal surgery research, this grant invites U.S. and Canadian investigators to pursue hypothesis-driven projects that improve care for colorectal patients. North Carolina digestive health researchers who are ASCRS member surgeons or colorectal surgery residents can apply for up to US $25,000 in direct costs from the American Society of Colon & Rectal Surgeons’ Research Foundation.

Digestive health researchers in North Carolina conducting investigator-initiated, hypothesis-driven colon and rectal surgery studies may be eligible for up to US $25,000 in Limited Project Grant funding, with projects performed in the U.S. or Canada. The American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons supports research that can lead to larger national funding.

Healthcare researchers and colorectal surgery teams in the U.S. or Canada can seek up to US $20,000 for pilot projects improving digestive system health and reducing disparities. With a mission to advance colorectal care, the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons supports work on access, outcomes, and workforce diversity, including efforts relevant to North Carolina patients.

The Robotic Research Grant, offered by the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons, provides up to $150,000 over two years for innovative research in colorectal surgery and robotics. Emphasizing education, health equity, and novel techniques, the grant supports projects conducted in the U.S. or Canada, with a focus on scientific rigor. Applications must be submitted by ASCRS members who are principal investigators, ensuring alignment with ethical research standards.

The NIDDK Disease Research and Translational Core Centers (P30 Clinical Trial Optional) program invites applications to support innovative biomedical research focused on cystic fibrosis, diabetes, and other chronic diseases. These centers foster collaboration, provide essential resources, and mentor early-stage investigators, enhancing the research landscape. Funding will support pilot programs and access to shared services, ensuring efficient use of resources while promoting a robust scientific community dedicated to advancing health outcomes.

The NIDDK Disorders of Gastrointestinal Interoception Consortium Clinical Centers (DGIC) aims to enhance understanding of gastrointestinal disorders by expanding the previous Gastroparesis Consortium's research scope. This initiative will include adult and pediatric conditions linked to impaired interoceptive processing, utilizing multidisciplinary approaches to uncover mechanisms connecting GI function to symptoms, identify biomarkers for treatment efficacy, and explore new therapeutic targets for future clinical trials.

The NIDDK Inflammatory Bowel Disease Genetics Consortium (IBDGC) Data Coordinating Center aims to enhance understanding of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) by coordinating extensive genetic research. By leveraging diverse patient cohorts and advanced data science techniques, the center seeks to identify genetic risk factors, develop predictive biomarkers, and improve IBD patient management. This initiative will facilitate collaboration among various research centers and ensure efficient data collection and sharing to foster advancements in precision medicine for IBD.

The NIDDK Inflammatory Bowel Disease Genetics Consortium (IBDGC) aims to enhance understanding of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) through genomic research. By leveraging patient cohorts and advanced data science, the IBDGC seeks to identify genetic risk factors and develop predictive biomarkers for disease outcomes. This initiative will improve medical management and advance precision medicine for IBD patients, addressing the need for effective diagnostics and treatment strategies in this chronic condition.

The NIDDK is expanding its Gastroparesis Consortium into the Disorders of Gastrointestinal Interoception Consortium (DGIC) to explore various GI disorders linked to interoceptive processing. This initiative aims to include multiple Clinical Research Centers and a Scientific Data Research Center, focusing on multidisciplinary approaches to uncover mechanisms connecting GI function to symptoms. The effort seeks to identify biomarkers and novel therapeutic targets for future clinical trials, enhancing understanding and treatment of complex gastrointestinal conditions.

The Silvio O. Conte Digestive Diseases Research Core Centers (DDRCCs) program invites applications to enhance communication and collaboration among researchers in digestive and liver diseases. Funded by the NIDDK, DDRCCs focus on shared resources that foster productivity and innovative research ideas. Each center must revolve around a central theme aligned with the NIDDK's mission, ensuring effective research support while avoiding overlap with other NIH Institutes' funding areas.

The NASPGHAN Foundation Abbott Advanced Fellowship in Pediatric Nutrition offers up to $75,000 for one year of advanced training in pediatric nutrition for members of NASPGHAN. This fellowship aims to enhance pediatric nutrition expertise by supporting a well-defined clinical experience and focused research project. Eligible applicants must be MDs or DOs and members in good standing, with a preference for those seeking training at different institutions. This initiative addresses the increasing importance of pediatric nutrition in child health.

The Kenneth Rainin Foundation seeks to promote innovative research in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) by encouraging diverse perspectives from early career investigators and those underrepresented in science. The Innovator Awards do not require preliminary data and are evaluated based on the potential for innovation and scientific merit. Eligible researchers must hold advanced degrees and can apply for funding through their home institutions, fostering groundbreaking ideas that can transform IBD treatment and prevention.

The NIDDK High Risk Multi-Center Clinical Study Implementation Planning Cooperative Agreements (U34 Clinical Trial Optional) supports innovative, hypothesis-driven clinical studies with a focus on diseases relevant to NIDDK. This initiative facilitates early peer review and assessment of study designs while providing essential support for operational documents. Applicants are encouraged to consult with NIDDK staff before submission to enhance the chances of success.