Introduction

Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) is a US-based paediatric cancer charity founded in 2005. Its mission is to change the lives of children with cancer through funding impactful research, raising awareness, supporting families, and empowering everyone to help cure childhood cancer.

Call objectives and options

The ALSF Crazy 8 Initiative Award Program was launched in 2018 to support research into innovative and rigorous approaches that directly address the most intractable issues in paediatric cancer research today. The award is designed to coalesce cross-disciplinary cores of scientists working collaboratively in order to accelerate the pace of new cure discovery.

Investigations may involve the exploration of a novel scientific hypothesis or the development of new model systems, tools or technologies that have the potential for significant impact on the field of childhood cancer. Collaboration and resource sharing are a priority for this research programme. ALSF expects successful applications to propose multidisciplinary teams with a very clear plan for collaboration that would empower the study of big ideas that would not be easily addressable otherwise. Childhood cancer research applicants are encouraged to bring new, necessary expertise into the field.

The proposal should address a topic that is responsive to at least one of the following paediatric cancer research themes:

• Developmental Origins of Paediatric Cancers.
• Drugging Currently Undruggable Paediatric Cancer Drivers.
• Developing Novel Immunotherapies.
• Discovery and Development of Novel Paediatric Cancer Drug Targets.

It is also expected that successful applications will address one or more of the eight disciplines that formed the basis of the Crazy 8 Initiative:

• Embryonal brain cancers.
• High-grade gliomas.
• Fusion-positive sarcomas.
• Fusion-negative sarcomas.
• Leukemias.
• Neuroblastoma.

Budget

ALSF has committed $25 million to support the Crazy 8 Initiative. Approximately $18.5 million was allocated in the first round of funding in 2020. The 2021 RFA is issued as the second round of funding for this Initiative.

Depending on the type of project and the size of the team, the requested budget should be in the range of $3-5 million over four years.

ALSF will pay up to 10% in indirect costs.

Eligibility

Applicants must have an MD, PhD, or MD/PhD or equivalent and be appointed as faculty (or equivalent) at an academic institution. Furthermore, applicants must have a track record of publication and funding productivity that demonstrates that the project can be accomplished by the investigators.

Applicant institutions may be based in the United States or abroad, and applicants need not be United States citizens. Funds must be granted to non-profit institutions or organisations.

Application

Applications must be submitted using ALSF's online portal. The application process consists of two steps. A letter of intent (LOI) must be submitted and all eligibility criteria met to be considered for the full proposal stage.

The deadlines are:

• LOI: 26 April 2021.
• Full Proposal: 5 August 2021.

In case of interest, please contact lnorton(ELIMINAR)@fsjd.org