Rita Allen Scholars

Pitt Nomination Limit: 1
Website: https://ritaallen.org/scholars/
Sponsor: Rita Allen Foundation
Pitt Internal Deadline: July 30, 2026
Sponsor Deadline: LOI due September 3, 2026; full application due October 14, 2026
Award Amount: Up to $110,000/year for up to five years (total up to $550,000)
Pitt Select Funder: Yes. Interested groups should contact PAE-CFR for more information.

About the Program

Since 1976, the Rita Allen Foundation has funded early-career biomedical researchers pursuing high-risk, high-reward work. The Scholars program supports basic research in cancer, immunology, and neuroscience, and has produced Scholars who went on to win the Nobel Prize, the National Medal of Science, and the Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences.

Funding Information

Scholars receive up to $110,000 per year for up to five years. Funds must be used entirely for direct project expenses, including up to 50% for the Scholar's own compensation. No grant funds may be used for overhead or other indirect/administrative expenses. Awards are made to the institution, not the individual.

Eligibility

• Must be nominated by a selected institution
• Candidate must have completed training and show distinguished achievement or extraordinary promise in cancer, immunology, or neuroscience research
• It is preferable that candidates be in the first three years of their tenure track (the
  Scientific Advisory Committee takes this into consideration in their rating of applicants). Post-docs and Associate Professors ARE NOT eligible
• Candidates must have received committed startup funds and lab space from their respective
  institutions
• Concurrent-award restriction: Scholars MAY NOT hold a first-year award from the Beckman Young Investigator, Pew Biomedical Scholars, Searle Scholars, or Vallee Scholars programs (a second-year overlap is allowed)
• Re-nominating a candidate from a previous year is discouraged

What the Sponsor Will Not Fund

• Overhead or other indirect/administrative expenses — explicitly excluded from grant funds
• Candidates without an approved institutional LOI on file
• Concurrent first-year awards from Beckman, Pew, Searle, or Vallee (see eligibility)

Internal Selection Process

Pitt must nominate faculty for this opportunity. If you are interested in being considered as a nominee, please see the limited submission guidelines before submitting a pre-application to InfoReady. 

Interested investigators should submit the following materials via InfoReady by: July 30, 2026

1. An abbreviated biosketch (five pages max)
2. Pre-application (two pages max), to include:
   • Research narrative: A description of the proposed project. Should be written for a non-specialist scientific reviewer. Should describe: (1) What are you trying to do? Articulate your objectives without jargon. (2) What are your aims and approach? (3) What is new in your approach and why do you think it will be successful? (4) What are the risks of this research and what will the impact be?
   • Differentiation from other funded work: A statement on how this research relates or diverges from your existing research.
   • Current and pending support: A brief statement listing current and pending funding.

Internal applicants will be peer-reviewed on the following criteria:

1. Alignment with the solicitation — Does the proposal fall within cancer, immunology, or neuroscience, and reflect the program's focus on bold, early-career research?
2. Approach and design — Are the aims well-conceived and feasible, with an appropriate methodology and adequate proof of concept?
3. Significance and risk — Does the work address an important question, and does it reflect the kind of bold, higher-risk direction this award is meant to enable?
4. Clarity of the proposal — Does the narrative clearly convey the question, approach, and expected outcomes to both expert and non-expert reviewers?
5. PI qualifications — Does the candidate's CV and record demonstrate the distinguished achievement or extraordinary promise, and early-career standing, this program requires?

Key Dates