A recent broadcast on NPR’s Morning Edition helped underscore the pressing need for AFAR’s grant opportunities by highlighting how steep competition for federal grants has impacted researcher scientists.
NPR reported that federal funding for biomedical research has declined by more than 20% over the past decade. This means there are far more scientists competing for grants than there is money to support them. The crunch is especially tight for new investigators who have yet to build esteem in their fields and for scientists hoping to pursue new, unexplored avenues with their research projects.
Several of AFAR’s grant programs support early career scientists advancing age-related research. By providing funding to scientists at all stages of their careers, AFAR enables investigators to build their research portfolios, gather the pilot data necessary to secure further funding for projects, build their reputations, and network, exchange, and learn from their peers and leaders in the field of aging research. Since 1981, AFAR has awarded approximately $160 million to more than 3,000 talented scientists as part of our broad-based series of grant programs.
Learn more about AFAR’s menu of funding opportunities here.
