Grants & Scientific Programs Frequently Asked Questions

Who is eligible to apply for a grant?

Applicant eligibility criteria is outlined in each RFP’s proposal guidelines. Carefully review and adhere to these proposal guidelines. Deviations from these guidelines may result in the rejection of your proposal.

Do you fund researchers who are not based in the United States and/or research projects outside of the United States?

Yes! Morris Animal Foundation funds researchers and research projects around the world. The Foundation is committed to full compliance with U.S laws and regulations establishing trade and economic sanctions. The Foundation will not fund any proposal where individuals, activities, or financial transactions occur within Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, or the Crimea Region of the Ukraine. In addition, all individuals and entities involved in the proposal must not be sanctioned under U.S. trade and economic laws or regulations.  You can learn more about sanctioned countries, entities, and individuals at here..  

Are degrees other than PhD acceptable for Principal Investigator (PI) eligibility?

Yes, Morris Animal Foundation will accept other degrees in place of a PhD for PI eligibility. Thesis-based doctoral degrees that are considered PhD-equivalent, such as a DVSc, are accepted. A DVM may be acceptable if the applicant has a permanent position in a university, accredited zoo or conservation organization, or other non-academic equivalent. The PI should have a history of research publication as a CO-PI or CO-I. In your application, please provide a brief explanation of the equivalency of your degree.

Does my proposal topic meet eligibility criteria?

The Foundation is dedicated to funding hypothesis-driven and humane animal health research projects of high scientific merit and potential impact. Submitted proposals must advance the science of canine, feline, equid or wildlife health. Projects oriented toward human health or agricultural animal health do not fall within Morris Animal Foundation’s mission and are not accepted. Additional proposal eligibility criteria are outlined in each RFP’s proposal guidelines. Carefully review and adhere to these proposal guidelines. Deviations from these guidelines may result in the rejection of your proposal.

I want to apply to the Fellowship Training RFP. Am I eligible?

To apply, applicants must have a DVM or PhD prior to grant contracting (typically 3-4 months after the submission due date). The applicant must be a full-time graduate student or have a postdoctoral research appointment, dedicate at least 75% of their time to the funded research, be working with a mentor in the applicant’s field and must not have completed more than two years of the full-time postdoctoral research training on the proposed project.

Fellowship Training Grants provide salary support for training opportunities that will produce biomedical scientists (DVM and/or PhD) committed to a career in companion animal and/or wildlife health.  These grants are designed to assist new investigators in launching a successful research career. The proposed project may not be submitted under another Morris Animal Foundation grant mechanism.  

When can I apply for a grant?

Morris Animal Foundation continually evaluates our programs and looks for ways to increase the animal health impact of our grant funds. The Grant Proposal Deadlines table lists our open calls for proposals and is updated frequently. The Foundation is unable to review applications outside specific calls for proposals listed on our website.

What is the schedule for upcoming RFPs not listed here?

Subscribe to receive email notifications regarding upcoming RFPs on our Stay Connected page. Be sure to check the box next to “Upcoming Grant Opportunities”.

Can you describe the grant review process?

The grant review process varies depending on the grant type.  Please review each RFP’s proposal guidelines for details about the process. Proposals that adhere to the RFP guidelines undergo review by a Scientific Advisory Board representing broad and appropriate technical and animal health expertise. The Scientific Advisory Board reviews, scores, and ranks proposals. Subject to Research Oversight Committee and Board of Trustees approval, applicants are notified whether their proposal is selected as fundable. All proposals selected as fundable are reviewed by the Foundation’s Animal Welfare Advisory Board (AWAB), and reviewers may query the lead proposal author about aspects of the study protocol relating to animal care and use. On occasion, a proposal may be turned down at this stage. Proposals undergoing successful AWAB review move forward for contracting.

When will I be notified about the status of my proposal?

You will be notified as to the status of your proposal approximately three - four months after the proposal submission deadline.

Why did my proposal not advance to Scientific Advisory Board Review?

All applicants should carefully review and adhere to each RFP’s proposal guidelines and template. The Foundation performs an internal guideline deviation review of all submitted proposals. Deviations from these guidelines may result in the rejection of your proposal. If your proposal was declined at this stage the declination email will state the specific guideline deviation(s) found in your submitted proposal. 

When is the Grant Agreement (contract) sent?

Following approval by the Animal Welfare Advisory Board (AWAB), we will send the Grant Agreement to your Office of Sponsored Programs or Finance Office.

Who signs the grant agreement?

The authorized official at an institution is determined by the institution and sometimes referred to as an authorized signer. In some instances, it is the Financial Officer or another administration officer within your Institution’s Office of Sponsored Programs/Finance Office. Morris Animal Foundation requires an authorized official at the institution who is not the PI to sign the form. We recommend connecting with your Office of Sponsored Programs/Finance Office well ahead of application submission.

What is the timeline (start and end date) for my grant?

During contracting, you will work with your Office of Sponsored Programs/Finance Office to select a start date for your project. Additional information and timeline requirements will be shared at the time of contracting.

Once contracted, you can view the project start and end date by logging in to Fluxx and clicking on the grant record, then Budget and Timeline section.

How can I check on the status of a grant payment?

A payment schedule can be viewed by logging in to Fluxx and clicking into the “Payments” tab.

If a Principal Investigator would like for a Financial Officer to be given access to their active grant, report schedule, and payment schedule, please have your Financial Officer register for an account in Fluxx and email [email protected] to let us know you would like them to be added to your grant. 

Does Morris Animal Foundation need an invoice for standard grant payments?

It is not necessary to send invoices. Morris Animal Foundation grants have a set grant disbursement schedule as outlined in detail in the Grant Agreement. The payment schedule for an active grant can be found by logging into Fluxx

If a Principal Investigator would like for a Financial Officer to be given access to their active grant, report schedule, and payment schedule, please have your Financial Officer register for an account in Fluxx and email [email protected] to let us know you would like them to be added to your grant. 

How can I check on the status of a grant report?

To view upcoming, currently due or past due reports, log into Fluxx and click into the “Upcoming Reports” tab.

If a Principal Investigator would like for an Authorized User or Financial Officer to be given access to their active grant, report schedule, and payment schedule, please have them register for an account in Fluxx and email [email protected] to let us know you would like them to be added to your grant.

Is there a grant report template?

Report templates can be found on the report records in Fluxx. At this time, only the Principal Investigator of the grant has access to this information in Fluxx.

How do I request a change to my project/grant?

If you need to make a change to your project, please fill out a Request for Study Change Form. If it has been approximately six months since we have received a progress report, also include a progress report with your study change request.

We understand that sometimes you may need additional time to complete your project, may experience challenges, or may need to make changes to the project protocol or personnel. In all cases, we ask that you be proactive in your communications. We require all changes to be reviewed and approved by Morris Animal Foundation before they are implemented.

Who signs the Request for Study Change Form?

The authorized official at an institution is determined by the institution and sometimes referred to as an authorized signer. In some instances, it is the Financial Officer or another administration officer within your institution’s Office of Sponsored Programs/Finance Office. Morris Animal Foundation requires an authorized official at the institution who is not the Principal Investigator to sign the form. We recommend connecting with your Office of Sponsored Programs/Finance Office when submitting a Request for Study Change Form.

Do I need to add my publication and/or presentation into Fluxx each time I upload my progress report?

If you have already uploaded a copy of an accepted publication or presentation into Fluxx at the time of submitting a previous progress report, you do not need to reupload. Please only upload new publications or presentations at the time of submitting a progress report as we want to prevent duplicates in Fluxx.

I can’t find the answer to my question about a specific grant. Can you help?

Please review the grant’s proposal guidelines thoroughly. Most questions are answered there. If you still cannot find the answer to your question, reach out to the grants team at [email protected].