The American Pancreatic Association Foundation (APAF) is pleased to offer impactful grant opportunities for advancing pancreatology research valued at $100,000 each.
These grants primarily target basic and translational research in pancreatitis or pancreatic cancer.
Grant Categories:
One APAF & IAP Grant: Co-sponsored by the International Association of Pancreatology, fostering research among emerging international scientists located in institutions outside North America.
Three APAF Grants: Aimed at encouraging research among the next generation of scientists, prioritizing applications related to pancreatitis and the relationship between pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer, but also welcomes proposals related to all types of exocrine pancreatic disease. Open to applicants from both international and North American institutions.
Eligibility:
These award opportunities are available for investigators who are in the early stages of their careers. Included are senior post-doctoral researchers, instructors, research associates, and assistant professors, including clinical and research track faculty (MD, MD-PhD, PhD, or DVM).
To enhance the training experience, the support and participation of a senior mentor is required, and the applicant should have substantive new learning experiences and a mentoring/academic development committee.
For the 3 APAF grants, the applicant and mentor must be members of the APA (membership renew or application)
For the APAF/IAP grant, the applicant & the mentors must be members of the IAP.
Applications from individuals not holding U.S. citizenship or immigration, pursuing research in the United States institutions are welcome.
Funds may be used at APAF/IAP-approved sites outside of the United States. Applications by individuals from diverse groups that are underrepresented in medicine and biomedical research are encouraged.
Application Review Criteria:
Applications will be scored based on the experience and goals of the applicant, the quality of the research plan, the qualifications of the mentor, the training environment, and the relevance of the proposal to the scientific goals of the APA. The APA will prioritize applications related to pancreatitis and the relationship between pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer, but also welcomes proposals related to all types of exocrine pancreatic disease.
Timeline:
Submissions Close: June 26, 2026
Date of Grant notification: August 1, 2026
Application Checklist : Use 11 pt Arial font, single spaced text, and at least 0.5″ margins. Compile all documents into a single pdf file, and upload on the submission website.
Include the following documents.
Application Cover Page with the applicant’s and institution’s information and signatures.
Abstract (300 words or less)
Applicant’s personal statement (training, project and mentor selection, career goals)
Research plan organized along NIH format (Specific Aims, Background and Significance, Approach and Preliminary results: altogether 4pages in a combined PDF)
Plan for mentoring, new learning, academic development plan
Budget not exceeding $100,000.
Facilities & Environment
References Cited (1page)
Vertebrate Animals (if applicable, 1 page)
Protection of Human Subjects (if applicable, 1 page)
Investigator and Mentor’s NIH Biosketch (maximum 5 pages each)
Mentor’s support letter (1 page)
Note: Budget justification is not required. This award may not be used to support indirect (F&A) cost reimbursement or provide salary support for the mentor.
Award recipients will be recognized in conjunction with the **57th American Pancreatic Association Annual Meeting**, to be held on December 9–12, 2026, at the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach (Los Angeles, CA).
If your grant is selected, applicants must provide institutional authorization to execute contracts and receive funding. We strongly encourage eligible members to apply and help advance the future of pancreatology research.