Best Grants for Rare Diseases in North Dakota

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.

The ARS Resident Research Grant aims to foster innovative research in rhinology, supporting residents engaged in basic, translational, or clinical projects. Applicants must collaborate with a preceptor and obtain departmental approval. Eligible residents in U.S. or Canadian programs can apply, ensuring that their projects align with the standards of the American Rhinologic Society. This grant does not cover salary for the Principal Investigator but allows funding for assistants.

Researchers conducting respiratory diseases and systems studies in North Dakota can receive support for original university or hospital research in respiratory care and airway management. Grants from American Respiratory Care Foundation cover a plaque, airfare, one night of lodging, and registration for the AARC Congress, with fellows selected from high-quality abstracts accepted for presentation.

Graduate students and other qualified investigators conducting respiratory care research, including work on respiratory diseases and systems, can apply for American Respiratory Care Foundation support; awards up to US $5,000 for educational or credentialing research. Researchers in North Dakota studying rare or complex respiratory conditions may be eligible.

Nonprofit organizations conducting respiratory care research in the U.S., including North Dakota, can apply for the Parker B. Francis Respiratory Research Grant, awarding up to US $10,000 to supplement existing project funding. Projects must involve respiratory therapists or technicians in a meaningful way, with a physician or respiratory care practitioner as principal investigator.

Focused on respiratory care research, American Respiratory Care Foundation invites North Dakota nonprofit organizations to apply for support of projects in respiratory care and cardiopulmonary medicine. Eligible projects must meaningfully involve respiratory therapists or technicians, and may include studies on theory, practice, management, or education, with awards up to US $10,000 to supplement other funding.

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

Health care professionals focused on respiratory diseases and systems in North Dakota and worldwide can access an international fellowship that funds a 20-day U.S.-based observational and educational experience in respiratory care. American Respiratory Care Foundation covers domestic lodging, food allowance, local transportation, and AARC Congress registration; participants handle their own air travel and health insurance.

Early-career biomedical, behavioral, or clinical science faculty conducting mentored research on cardiovascular, pulmonary, hematologic diseases, or sleep disorders in North Dakota can access funding through the National Institutes of Health; awards up to US $130,000 support career development toward research independence. Projects addressing respiratory and related rare disease populations may be eligible.

Early-stage pulmonary fibrosis researchers in the U.S., including those in North Dakota, 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 focused on interstitial lung disease.

Postdoctoral fellows and research trainees conducting cardiovascular, respiratory, metabolic, or related biomedical research can access funding that includes work in North Dakota through the National Institutes of Health. This NHLBI K22 award supports a mentored intramural phase and a subsequent extramural phase, helping investigators transition to independent research careers, including projects that may address rare disease questions.

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 ranging from US $87,500 - US $250,000. Projects in areas like dermatology, neurology, or respiratory systems may benefit, including work connected to rare disease efforts in North Dakota.

Early-career clinical and scientific investigators conducting innovative sarcoidosis research at U.S. institutions can receive US $150,000 over two years to support their compensation and career development. With a mission to advance understanding and care for sarcoidosis, Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research provides fellowships that may benefit rare disease researchers connected to North Dakota institutions or collaborations.

Early-career research scientists 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 National Institutes of Health help investigators develop independent programs in areas like respiratory, cardiovascular, neurological, mental health, cancer, and other clinical and environmental health fields, which may benefit rare disease work in North Dakota and beyond.

Early-career research scientists at academic or research institutions in eligible low- or middle-income countries can apply for the Emerging Global Leader Award, with approximately US $140,000 to support mentored health research and career development. Projects relevant to national health priorities, including respiratory and other rare disease-related topics, may be supported by the National Institutes of Health.

With a mission to advance nonmalignant hematology research, the National Institutes of Health provides North Dakota medical and research institutions with R01 funding for basic and early translational studies. Projects focused on hematological systems, aging, kidney, respiratory, digestive, endocrine, or related rare disease mechanisms may be eligible across the U.S. and territories.

Small biomedical businesses developing technologies for rare heart, lung, blood, or sleep disorders can receive up to US $3,500,000 to advance products toward regulatory approval and commercialization, including in North Dakota. With a mission to support public health innovation, NIH provides Phase IIB SBIR awards for projects previously funded under SBIR or STTR Phase II.

Small business concerns developing heart, lung, blood, or sleep disorder technologies that need federal regulatory approval can access up to US $3,500,000 to advance commercialization. Grants from US Dept. of Health & Human Services: National Institutes of Health help North Dakota and other U.S. innovators bridge the post-Phase II funding gap for clinically relevant products, including respiratory disease solutions.

Graduate students pursuing doctoral research in physical therapy and related respiratory or cardiovascular systems in North Dakota can receive up to US $7,500 to support their coursework phase. The Foundation for Physical Therapy Research offers these scholarships nationally, prioritizing acute care, cardiology and pulmonary, PT education, and pelvic health for future academic researchers.

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.