Graduate Student Award - $25,000 total (over 1 year)

• Eligible applicants: PhD graduate students who have advanced to candidacy (completed qualifying examinations), working under the supervision of an advisor conducting mitochondrial disease research
• Max award amount: Up to USD $25,000 total
• Duration: 1 year
• Allowable costs: Salary stipend only

The Selection Process

All applications will undergo rigorous peer review conducted by experts in mitochondrial biology, clinical care, and translational research. Review criteria include scientific merit, rigor, innovation, relevance to mitochondrial disease, and alignment with program priorities. 

Following peer review, UMDF and the Mito Foundation will consider overall portfolio balance, including disease focus, career stage, and strategic alignment, when making final funding decisions. 

All applicants will be notified of funding decisions and provided with a brief summary of feedback.

Timing of Awards

Applications Open: Monday, February 2, 2026, at 09:00 EST
Submission Deadline: Friday, February 27, 2026, at 17:00 EST
Award Announcement: June 2026 at the UMDF Mitochondrial Medicine Conference, Orlando, FL USA
Funding Start Date: As early as September 2026, pending grant award agreement execution

Important Program Information

• The Request for Proposals (RFP) for the 2026 Research Grant Program is now available for review by clicking here. Review the RFP carefully before beginning an application.
• A blank template for the application process is available for review by clicking here.
• Principal Investigators and Postdoctoral Fellows from the same lab should not submit the same project to multiple funding programs in this cycle. Duplicate submissions will not be considered for review.
• UMDF will be the contracting organization in this joint grant cycle and all awardees will be required to execute a UMDF Research Grant Agreement. Please be aware that UMDF policy prohibits the paying of indirect costs within grant awards.
• A blank UMDF Research Grant Agreement is available by clicking here. Interested parties should carefully review the award agreement prior to applying for a grant, especially the language pertaining to intellectual property. Contact grants@umdf.org with any questions.

Please direct all inquiries and questions to grants@umdf.org.