Scientific Innovations Award

About this program

The Brain Research Foundation (BRF) offers the annual Scientific Innovations Award, providing $150,000 over two years to support creative, cutting‑edge neuroscience research in well‑established laboratories under distinguished investigators, especially projects that are high‑risk/high‑reward and may be too speculative for traditional funders. Applicants must be principal investigators at the associate or full professor level working in neuroscience, and applications are limited to institutions that have been invited directly by BRF via e‑mail. The 2027 SIA opens April 1, 2027, and funded investigations have historically led to high‑impact findings, major subsequent grant applications, and notable publications.