Research Awards & Grants FAQ

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

What percent of applications are awarded funding?
Over the last 5 years, the American Lung Association has granted funding to about 20% of the submitted applications.

May I apply if my research will be performed outside of the U.S.?
The research institution must be owned and operated exclusively for scientific and education purposes, non- profit and located in the United States.

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?
In general, and 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.

Please review each grant mechanism for specific information.

My funding request does not fall under any of your programs. How do I submit it?
Typically, the 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 six and eight months. The review process for letters of intent is about six weeks. The time between an application submission and notification is about six 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 subject to annual review and may be granted for up to two or three years. The second and third 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 and LOI per candidate per funding period. In choosing a category for your submission, please review the intent and eligibility criteria for each award as stated in 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, or lab.

May I re-apply for the same grant mechanism if I was not previously awarded ?
A resubmission is considered an application previously reviewed and not funded in prior application cycles. An applicant who is unsuccessful in a competition may resubmit the same or similar application one additional time.

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 funding 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. (Please see the above-mentioned Terms and Conditions for additional information)

How do I apply for a Lung Association grant?
Applicants will apply through 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. Internal Revenue Service W-2 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 grant mechanism; please read the appropriate Award Description for specific application requirements.