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The 2010 application deadline has passed and information for the 2011 grant cycle will be posted in July 2010.

The Rotary clubs in the states of Georgia and the two Carolinas as well as a number of individual clubs throughout the United States, with the assistance from the American Federation of Aging Research, established in 1996 a new funding program called The CART Fund. The fund has already distributed a total amount of approximately $2,800,000 through grants to twelve University Research Centers listed below.

The goal of the fund is to encourage exploratory and developmental AD research projects within the United States by providing support for the early and conceptual plans of those projects that may not yet be supported by extensive preliminary data but have the potential to substantially advance biomedical research. This proposal should be distinct from those projects designed to increase knowledge in a well established area unless it is intended to extend previous discoveries toward new directions or applications.

The Rotary CART Fund is inviting interested applicants from within the United States only to submit a LETTER-of-INTENT that includes sufficient detail to communicate the importance of your study as well as information on its feasibility.

Applications may encompass a project period of up to two years with a combined budget for direct cost up to $250,000. No indirect costs are allowed. Full time faculty (or equivalent status) at U.S. based public and private institutions, such as universities, colleges, hospitals and laboratories, are eligible. This is for NEW projects only. Applications will be deemed ineligible from for-profit and organizations outside of the U.S., as well as those already supported by regular or program grants. Up to two $250,000 awards will be made in 2010.

Dr. John Trojanowski will chair a scientific review group that will triage the letters-of-intent and select a maximum of fifteen deemed to have the highest merit. Those selected will be invited to submit a subsequent standard grant application from which the final recommendation will be made by the review group. The final selection will be made by the CART Fund selection committee.

Please submit a letter-of-intent as a PDF file. The letter should include the following:

  • Contact information
  • A statement (2 page limit) containing: the hypothesis of the project; the specific aims; a description of the experimental design, methods and model systems;
  • A statement giving future directions this research could lead to including a reference to the health relationship of the project
  • A biographical statement of the principal investigator (2 page limit.)

    Deadline for the letter of intent is December 1, 2009. Notifications of the finalists (maximum of 15) will be mailed by January 11, 2010. Investigators whose proposals are accepted for further consideration will be sent a full application form which must be completed and returned by February 17, 2010.

    Submit e-mail questions and letters-of-intent to Dr. James B. Puryear, Chairman, CART Grants Program: jimpuryear@comcast.net

    Previous Institutions Receiving CART Grants:

    1999
    Emory University
    Allan I. Levey, M.D. Ph.D.

    2001
    Case Western Reserve University
    Karl Herrup, Ph.D.

    2002
    Johns Hopkins University
    Philip C. Wong, Ph.D.

    2003
    University of Pennsylvania
    John Q. Trojanowski, M.D. Ph.D.

    2004
    University of Connecticut Health Science Center
    Robert Reenan, Ph.D.

    2005
    University of California, Los Angeles
    Gary Small, M.D.

    2006
    University of Texas Medical Branch
    Claudio Soto, Ph.D.

    2007
    Mayo Clinic Jacksonville
    Todd E. Golde, M.D., Ph.D.

    2008
    The Cleveland Clinic
    Sanjay W. Pimplikar, Ph.D.

    and

    The University of Alabama-Birmingham Medical Center
    J. David Sweatt, Ph.D.


    2009
    Mayo Clinic Jacksonville
    Malcolm A. Leissring, Ph.D

    and

    University of Kentucky
    Harry LeVine,III, Ph.D.

    CART Schedule for Grant Application Processing for 2009-2010:

  • December 1, 2009 - Deadline for applicants to submit letters of intent via email
  • January 11, 2010 - Mail out date of notification of finalists selected for further review
  • February 17, 2010 - Deadline for finalists to submit full applictions (postmark - priority mail)
  • March 22, 1010 - Date of notification (mail out) to finalists    

    Back to the List of Grants and Applications


  • American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR) | 55 West 39th Street, 16th Floor | New York, NY 10018
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    E-mail: or info@afar.org