Pilot Studies

The Pilot Study Program provides timely funding for innovative ideas to speed up discovery and further the Foundation’s mission of advancing animal health and welfare. Preliminary data are not required to successfully compete for a pilot-study grant. Guidelines are as follows:

• Budget cannot exceed $10,800 ($10,000 plus 8 percent for indirect costs)
• Duration of the study cannot exceed one year.
• All investigators are eligible to apply. An investigator can serve as principal investigator (PI) on only one Foundation pilot study per year.
• The PI on a pilot study does not need to have full-time faculty status at his or her institution.
• Residents are eligible to apply for this award.
• Pilot-study proposals are evaluated on the basis of scientific merit, relevance to the Foundation’s mission and innovativeness of the idea or approach.

Deadlines for Pilot Studies are as follows:

• Large Companion Animal (Horses and Llamas/Alpacas): Proposals on topics relevant to large companion animal health and welfare are due by 11:59 p.m. EST on July 18, 2012. Funding decisions will be made in mid-October 2012 with grant awards starting as early as December 1, 2012.
• Small Companion Animal (Dogs and Cats): Proposals on topics relevant to companion animal health and welfare were due on March 21, 2012. Funding decisions will be made in June 2012, and grant awards will start as early as August 1, 2012. 
• The next call for Wildlife Proposals will be in mid-August 2012 with proposals due in mid-November 2012. 

Click here for large companion animal health and welfare online application instructions