Best Grants for Rare Diseases in North Carolina

Nonprofit 501(c) organizations in North Carolina addressing health equity through nutrition, healthcare access, STEM education, or climate and nature programs can apply for the Community Solutions Challenge, with awards up to US $30,000. Grants from Astrazeneca Foundation help community-based programs serve historically excluded populations, which may include those affected by respiratory and other rare diseases.

The NBRC William W. Burgin, Jr., MD and Robert M. Lawrence, MD Education Recognition Award, offered by the American Respiratory Care Foundation, provides up to $7,500 to third or fourth-year students in accredited respiratory therapy programs. This prestigious award includes a recognition certificate, travel expenses, and registration for the AARC Congress, supporting future leaders in respiratory care. Eligible students must demonstrate academic excellence and obtain letters of recommendation to showcase their potential.

The Charles D. McArthur Memorial Scholarship recognizes outstanding third and fourth-year students in accredited respiratory therapy programs. Funded by the American Respiratory Care Foundation, this award honors Charlie McArthur's legacy as a dedicated educator in respiratory care. Recipients may receive up to $1,000, including a certificate, travel, and registration for AARC Congress. Preference is given to Native American students or those from Minnesota, fostering diversity in the field of respiratory therapy.

The NBRC Gareth B. Gish Memorial Postgraduate Education Recognition Award, offered by the American Respiratory Care Foundation, honors the legacy of Gareth B. Gish, a pioneer in respiratory care. This award supports respiratory therapists pursuing advanced degrees, providing up to $5,000 in funding, along with recognition, airfare, lodging, and Congress registration. Established in 1999, it seeks to nurture future leaders in the field, continuing Mr. Gish's commitment to education and excellence in respiratory care.

Respiratory therapists pursuing advanced degrees can receive up to US $5,000 for postgraduate education from the American Respiratory Care Foundation, including support for respiratory diseases and systems. With a mission to promote respiratory health, this national award may benefit North Carolina clinicians working in rare or complex respiratory conditions.

Researchers conducting respiratory care and airway management studies in North Carolina can receive support for original university hospital research through fellowships from the American Respiratory Care Foundation. Grants from American Respiratory Care Foundation help respiratory diseases and systems investigators attend the AARC Congress with airfare, lodging, registration, and recognition, based on high-quality abstracts accepted for presentation.

Researchers and graduate students conducting respiratory care education or credentialing research, including work on rare respiratory diseases in North Carolina, can apply for grants from American Respiratory Care Foundation. Awards up to US $5,000 support master’s theses, doctoral dissertations, or complete research proposals with practical value to the respiratory care profession.

Nonprofit organizations conducting respiratory care research, including work relevant to rare respiratory diseases in North Carolina, can apply for the Parker B. Francis Respiratory Research Grant, awarding up to US $10,000 to supplement other project funding. Eligible projects must involve respiratory therapists or technicians in a meaningful way, with physicians or respiratory care practitioners as principal investigators.

Focused on respiratory disease research, the American Respiratory Care Foundation invites North Carolina nonprofit organizations to apply for support of original investigations in respiratory care and cardiopulmonary medicine. Projects must meaningfully involve respiratory therapists or technicians, and rare respiratory disease programs in the U.S., including North Carolina, may be eligible for up to US $10,000 in supplemental funding.

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 North Carolina and other U.S. investigators in respiratory diseases and systems access mentoring, hands-on experience, and small equipment or supplies. Active AARC membership is required.

Health care professionals working in respiratory diseases and systems can access an international fellowship experience in the U.S., including North Carolina, focused on observing and advancing respiratory care practice. American Respiratory Care Foundation covers on-the-ground U.S. expenses and AARC Congress registration, while fellows handle their own air travel, insurance, and personal costs.

Early-stage pulmonary fibrosis researchers in fields like basic, translational, clinical, epidemiological, or health services research can apply for Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation’s PFF Scholars awards of US $100,000 over two years. Investigators at academic institutions in the U.S., including North Carolina, pursuing interstitial lung disease research careers may be supported toward future K or R-level funding.

Postdoctoral fellows and research trainees conducting NHLBI-related clinical research, including respiratory and other rare disease areas, can access funding through this NIH K22 award to transition from intramural to extramural institutions, including North Carolina. The program supports a mentored intramural phase followed by an independent extramural phase over five years total.

Biomedical research institutions and early-career or senior scientists conducting leprosy research can apply for The New York Community Trust’s Heiser Program, with awards from US $87,500 - US $250,000. Projects in areas like dermatology, neurology, respiratory or related rare disease systems in North Carolina may be eligible if focused on leprosy.

Early-career clinical and scientific investigators conducting innovative sarcoidosis research at U.S. institutions, including those in North Carolina, can receive fellowship support for projects in respiratory and immune system diseases. With a mission to advance sarcoidosis research, Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research provides US $150,000 over two years to support the fellow’s compensation package and career development.

Early-career research scientists at academic or research institutions in eligible low- and middle-income countries can apply for the Emerging Global Leader Award to support mentored clinical research and career development. Grants from the National Institutes of Health help investigators working on areas like respiratory and other major diseases, which may benefit rare disease research partners in North Carolina.

Early-career research scientists at academic or research institutions in eligible low- and middle-income countries working on health-related projects, including respiratory diseases, can apply for the Emerging Global Leader Award from the National Institutes of Health. Awards of approximately US $140,000 support three to five years of mentored career development and research relevant to their country’s health priorities.

Research institutions and investigators conducting basic or early translational nonmalignant hematology studies in North Carolina can apply for R01 project support through the Stimulating Hematology Investigation: New Endeavors (SHINE) program. With a mission to advance hematology related to diabetes, kidney, cardiovascular, respiratory, aging, and digestive health, the National Institutes of Health provides recurring deadlines through 2027; rare disease projects in these areas may be eligible.

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.

Quality Improvement Grant Request for Proposals

Optimizing Maternal RSV Immunization Delivery: A Systems-Based Quality Improvement Initiative to Improve Uptake, Equity, and Newborn Outcomes

Pfizer, in collaboration with the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM), is pleased to announce a competitive grant opportunity to support independent Quality Improvement (QI) initiatives focused on advancing maternal immunization, with a specific emphasis on Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccination during pregnancy.

This initiative builds upon insights generated from the Maternal Immunization Needs Assessment (MINA) project, a multi-stakeholder collaboration that identified persistent clinical, behavioral, and system-level gaps in the delivery and uptake of maternal vaccines.

We seek to fund projects that implement measurable, evidence-based interventions to improve real-world delivery of maternal RSV immunization across healthcare systems and care settings. Proposed initiatives should aim to optimize access, strengthen provider–patient communication training and tools, enhance care coordination, and address structural and behavioral barriers impacting vaccine uptake and equity.

Pfizer Global Medical Grants (GMG) supports the global healthcare community’s independent initiatives (e.g., research, quality improvement or education) to improve patient outcomes in areas of unmet medical need that are aligned with Pfizer’s medical and/or scientific strategies. Pfizer’s GMG competitive grant program involves a publicly posted Request for Proposal (RFP) that provides detail regarding a specific area of interest, sets timelines for review and approval, and uses an expert review panel (ERP) to make final grant decisions. Organizations are invited to submit an application addressing the specific gaps in clinical practice or care as outlined in the specific RFP.

For all QI grants, the applicant (and ultimately the grantee) will be solely responsible for the design, implementation, and conduct of the proposed initiative. Pfizer will have no involvement in project development, execution, or outcomes.

Sanofi Philanthropic Donations support non-profit organizations aligned with Health Equity, STEM Education Equity, and Local Communities. Applications are accepted year-round, with a review process of 8 to 16 weeks. The initiative focuses on improving healthcare access, fostering innovation, and addressing social determinants of health. Sanofi emphasizes collaboration and sustainable solutions, advocating for equal opportunities in health and education, and nurturing future talent to tackle medical challenges.