Pilot Grant Program

To encourage and support early career investigators in research related to cardiovascular diseases (includuing stroke) and can be basic, clinical, translational, epidemiological, or public health-related.

• Early career investigators at UVM who are working with a UVM mentor or an external (non-UVM) mentor
• Early career investigators at external institutions who will be working with a mentor at UVM
• For the purpose of this funding, early career investigators are considered to be:
  • Undergraduate, Masters, and PhD students
  • 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th year medical students
  • Postdoctoral fellows
  • Residents and clinical fellows
  • Faculty and Staff within 5 years of their first appointment
• Resubmission guidelines: Applicants may submit one resubmission of an unfunded application in the next grant cycle, provided that reviewer critiques are addressed through appropriate modifications. Projects that have previously received funding are not eligible for resubmission. New applications submitted by prior awardees must propose aims that are clearly distinct from any previous submissions.

• Research must be related to cardiovascular diseases (including stroke)
• Research project must be able to be completed within 1 year
• Mentor must perform cardiovascular-related research
• Awards may be used to pursue training in an external (non-UVM) laboratory
• Awards may not be used to attend conferences
• Awards may not be used to supplement existing grants or awards to support previously funded research.

Criteria for Selection:
Applications will be reviewed by the ECAC and ad hoc reviewers. Applications will be scored based on NIH’s updated Simplified Review Framework which includes: Importance of Research, Rigor and Feasibility, and Expertise and Resources.  All three factors are considered in terms of the Overall Impact score. 

• Applications requesting any amount up to $10,000 will be considered
• Of the funded applications, one award will be appointed by the Board of Directors as the Martin M. LeWinter (MMLW) Early Career Investigator Award.  This honorary award represents a novel concept that has the potential to lead to a significant advance in fundamental knowledge about the nature of living systems and/or to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce illness and disability.
• Funded research projects must be able to be completed within 1 year

The complete application is due by 5:00 p.m. EST on January 15, 2027. 

Award notice will be distributed on April 30, 2027.

The application process consists of a research project application. 
Details and application instructions can be found on the application for funding.

Application for FundingPlease contact CVRI-VT@med.uvm.edu if you have any questions.