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.

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.

Biomedical, behavioral, and clinical science faculty in North Carolina focused on cardiovascular, pulmonary, hematologic diseases, or sleep disorders can access mentored career development funding through the National Institutes of Health. NIH provides North Carolina medical education and research professionals with up to US $130,000 to pursue supervised research training that builds toward independent investigation, which may benefit rare disease-related work.

U.S. institutions that promote diversity and train predoctoral, health professional, or postdoctoral researchers in cardiovascular, pulmonary, hematologic, or sleep disorders can apply for this NIH T32 training program, including those in North Carolina. Funding supports research training at institutions serving health disparity populations, which may include programs addressing rare respiratory diseases.

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.

Small businesses developing technologies for rare diseases or young pediatric populations can seek up to US $3,500,000 to advance heart, lung, blood, or sleep disorder products toward regulatory approval and commercialization, including work benefiting North Carolina. With a mission to advance biomedical innovation, NIH supports Phase IIB SBIR projects requiring eventual Federal regulatory clearance and third-party partnerships.

Small business concerns developing heart, lung, blood, or sleep disorder technologies that need federal regulatory approval can seek later-stage R&D funding through this NIH SBIR Phase IIB opportunity, including in North Carolina. Grants from US Dept. of Health & Human Services: National Institutes of Health support commercialization milestones, with awards up to US $3,500,000 for projects relevant to the NHLBI mission.

Doctoral students conducting physical therapy or respiratory-related research at accredited institutions, including those in North Carolina, can receive up to US $7,500 to support the coursework phase of their studies. The Foundation for Physical Therapy Research prioritizes acute care, cardiology and pulmonary, PT education, and pelvic health, with potential for multiple awards over a doctoral program.

The T32 Training Program aims to enhance the participation of individuals from underrepresented backgrounds in cardiovascular, pulmonary, hematologic, and sleep disorders research. This initiative, funded by the NIH, supports institutions committed to diversity and health disparity populations. By providing training opportunities for students and postdoctoral trainees, the program seeks to foster research that improves health outcomes for these communities. Note that appointed trainees cannot lead independent clinical trials but can gain experience in trials conducted by mentors.

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.