Research Awards & Grants FAQ

Answers to frequently asked questions about our Awards & Grants Program.

What percent of applications are awarded funding?
About 15 percent of the applications submitted result in funding.

May I apply if my research will be performed outside of the U.S.?
The institution at which the research will be performed must be located in the U.S.

Can overhead and/or indirect expenses be allocated from American Lung Association grants?
No, overhead and indirect expenses are not allowed.

May I apply if I am not a U.S. citizen?
At the time of application, candidates must be U.S. citizens or foreign nationals holding one of the following visa immigration statuses: permanent resident (Green Card), exchange visitor (J-1), temporary worker in a specialty occupation (H-1B), Canadian or Mexican citizen engaging in professional activities (TN), Australians in Specialty Occupation (E-3) or temporary worker with extraordinary abilities in the sciences (O-1). At the time of application and throughout the award, an applicant must be employed by a U.S. institution.

My funding request does not fall under any of your programs. How do I submit it?
Typically, Lung Association does not make grants outside our funding mechanisms.

What is the timeframe between the LOI/application submission and funding notification?
The entire process takes between 6 and 8 months. The review process for letters of intent is about 6 weeks. The time between an application submission and notification is about 6 months.

May I apply for one or two years of funding?
All awards are subject to availability of funds at the Lung Association. Grants are subjected to annual review and may be granted for up to two years. The second year of support is based on demonstrating satisfactory progress.

May I apply for more than one of the Lung Association awards?
The Lung Association will accept only one application per candidate, per funding period. In choosing a category for your submission, please review the intent and eligibility criteria for each award as stated on the award guidelines.

May I apply for a second Lung Association award while holding a currently-funded Lung Association award?
Lung Association award recipients can hold only one Lung Association grant at a time.

May an institution/department/lab submit multiple applications?
We do not limit the number of applications by institution/department/lab.

May I re-apply for a research grant?
As long as you continue to meet the eligibility requirements, yes, you may resubmit an application up to two times.

May I hold grants from other organizations?
Lung Association funds shall not be used to duplicate any work supported by other funding agencies. It is the responsibility of the applicant/awardee to notify the Lung Association of any potential budgetary or scientific overlap. This includes the receipt of a new award during the period of the Lung Association award. An assessment of the degree of scientific overlap will be made on an individual basis. In cases of significant scientific overlap the applicant/awardee will have the option to choose between the Lung Association award and that of the other organization.

What are the terms and conditions of support?
View the terms and conditions.

What is the Lung Association's policy on intellectual property and patents?
Inventions and discoveries from research performed during the term of a Lung Association award will be subject to the current Lung Association patent policy, as well as to the patent policies of the institution where the work is performed.

How do I apply for a Lung Association grant?
The Lung Association uses the grant application system proposalCENTRAL.

How are Lung Association grants paid?
Grants are paid semi-annually, to the institution only. Lung Association awards are regarded as an educational benefit and do not require performance of services for the Lung Association. Deductions are not made for any purpose. As a result, Internal Revenue Service W2 Forms will not be sent. Award recipients must maintain personal income tax records for tax purposes.

Are staff members available to discuss projects prior to or after an application has been submitted?
We are a small staff and, in general, are unable to discuss individual projects prior to or after the submission of an application. We encourage investigators to use the resources available to them, including mentors, grant officers and peer-networks. Due to the high volume of proposals, we are also unable to provide customized feedback to applicants.

How many letters of reference/support will I need?
The Lung Association awards and grants program is highly competitive. Thus, we encourage applicants to involve their mentors, referees and grant officers early to develop the strongest application possible. Supporting documents vary by award type; please read the appropriate Award Description for specific application requirements.