The Challenges of Research Funding

From Eddie Pelto, Director of Development

Just a few weeks ago, the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation’s grants review committee – comprising scientists and patient advocates – took on the task of deciding which of the 200 research grant applications we received would be approved for funding. PDF had the resources to fund only 10 worthy projects.

Researchers working on innovative, viable projects continually face the challenge of limited available funding. And funders, such as government agencies and foundations like PDF, have to make difficult choices based on available resources.

How can PDF meet the challenge to find sufficient funds to support the most promising research in tough economic times?

One of the ways we can do this is with a different kind of challenge, one that helps everyone.  If you have recently visited PDF’s website, you know that during the month of April, Parkinson’s Awareness Month, we are raising funds to meet the Light of Day Foundation $100,000 Challenge.

Challenge grants are funds given to a non-profit organization upon completion of certain requirements, such as raising funds. The challenge refers to the results that must be achieved before money is released.

In PDF’s case, the Light of Day Foundation asks that we raise $100,000 from our supporters and if we do, they will match all donations we receive by Tuesday, April 30!

And the best part is that with a challenge like this, everybody wins.  You are not only doubling the impact of your gift to Parkinson’s research, you are helping to double the impact of the grant maker’s gift too!

We may not be able to fund all of the applications we receive. But every bit helps us in funding more promising research until we overcome the ultimate challenge: ending Parkinson’s.

Take a look at what Bob Benjamin, Founder of the Light of Day Foundation has to say about the challenge:

Notes from a Day Spent Listening to Scientists Judging PDF Research Applications

Last Friday, March 16, was the occasion for reviewing applications for PDF’s International Research Grants program and Research Fellowships programs. Before us were some 30 proposals from some of the best young (and not-so-young) scientific investigators in the world.

As I sat there in the meeting as an observer, listening to the members of our scientific review committee as they made their comments and pronounced their judgments, I found myself scribbling notes on what seemed to be the principles on which they were basing their decisions. What they were saying, it seemed to me, said a lot about how we go about choosing the projects we will fund. Here are some of the ideas I picked up:

Relevance to Parkinson’s Disease. Every proposal that we fund – without exception -- must show promise in its potential to advance our understanding of PD, or charting the path to its cure.

New Ideas, New Investigators. To maximize the leverage of the program, successful applications will be one of two kinds. One is the innovative pilot project that shows promise for leading to a larger-scale endeavor that will be eligible for funding from the NIH (drawing on PDF’s “leverage” function). The other is the Parkinson’s-related application from an exemplary scientist whose past contributions have been largely in areas other than Parkinson’s – and who could be inspired by means of the PDF grant to turn his or her attention to PD.

Demonstrating Results. The renewal of an earlier award to the same scientist depends on the investigator’s ability to show “significant progress” since the first grant – that is, you don’t get a second grant if you can’t show that you used the first grant well.

Establishing Credibility. To make it through the grant review process, good ideas aren’t enough; the applicant needs to be able to demonstrate – both in his/her personal accomplishments and in the reputation of the lab in which the work will be done – a stellar track record in producing innovative and useful science.

Including Advocates in the Research Process. The meeting included three members of Parkinson’s Advocates in Research (PAIR), a PDF program in which lay leaders in the PD community are prepared to take on a variety of roles advocating for clinical research. An example of their contribution came early in the day, when one of these advocates raised a question about the validity of animal models in Parkinson’s research, which generated a spirited exchange among the scientist members of the committee.

I hope you are as impressed as I am with this little vignette of PDF’s research culture!

I conclude with a quotation from a memo on the mission of the program from Dr. James Beck, who is our Director of Research Programs at PDF and staffs the grants review committee. In thanking the scientists in the room, he said, in effect: “The two groups that will benefit most from your decisions today are not even here. One is the world of talented young scientists whose work will be made possible through your efforts. The other is the community of almost one million in the U.S. who live with Parkinson’s. In behalf of these two communities, PDF thanks you!”

Amen, James.

Grant Review at PDF

Today is a big day for many at PDF — it is our annual grant review. Of course, those most affected by what goes on in the big conference room will not be there. There are two groups who depend on tomorrow's outcome: the scientists who have given us their best ideas for our scientific advisors to judge and the people who live every day with Parkinson's and are counting on these great ideas to make a difference in their disease and their lives. I am confident that the team of scientists helping — members of our scientific advisory board and other experts from around the country — will select only the best science today.

All in all, nearly 25 reviewers have pitched in their time to help whittle down the 200 letters of intent to 63 full grant proposals to, now, only the top 20 or so grants. Because of time, it is these top 20 applications that will actually get discussed.

And for the second time, PDF is doing what no other PD organization in America is doing—making certain those people living with PD have a literal seat at the table and participate in the decision making process. These people, PDF's Research Advocates, part of the Parkinson's Advocates in Research program, insure what we will fund is not just the best for science's sake but for the sake of people too. Something in which we, as an organization, take great pride and you as a community should too.

Tomorrow would be difficult to organize without the obvious help of my colleagues at PDF. But equally important is the help from everyone who will not be joining me in the room — you, the Parkinson’s Community. Your generous support of allows us to do what we do every day: support research and ideas that will improve the lives and futures of people touched by Parkinson’s. Our research program would simply not be without you. Thank you.

A Tale of Two Research Strategies

From James Beck, Ph.D., Director of Research Programs

I hope you saw the news item PDF posted last week in which we announced $1.2 million in funding from two of PDF’s investigator-initiated grants programs for 13 Parkinson's research projects.

I want to share with you the approaches behind these two programs – both because they are philosophies of which I am particularly proud and more importantly, because we at PDF think these philosophies may also yield “the next great idea” for PD.

First among these approaches is PDF's goal to fund grassroots research, which we do through our International Research Grants Program, or IRGP. Here, PDF puts out a call for proposals that are rooted in the creativity of individual scientists — folks who are experts in their field with first-hand knowledge of the science of PD. The creativity of these scientists is brought to bear to tackle a set of problems on the path to a cure. Each scientist formulates his/her ideas into testable hypotheses and the merits of those ideas are then judged by an independent panel of PD researchers convened by PDF. PDF then extends support - up to the limit of available resources made possible by our donors - to the best ideas in our effort to affect a cure and help those living with the disease.

This approach to finding and funding the best science is certainly not new, though in the business world it is akin to the very popular method of “crowdsourcing” ideas...where new ideas are not generated by an organization, but by a community. In the world of PD, this approach of supporting ideas from individuals has led to the biggest advances in managing PD – levodopa and DBS.

Thus, PDF aims – by leveraging its initial research investment into supporting great ideas generated by the “crowd” of scientists – to help bring about the next big thing in PD.

Another related approach to research employed by PDF is to invest in talented young researchers. As the first not-for-profit organization created to focus on PD, PDF has an established commitment to fighting PD. Because the battle has yet to be won, we absolutely must invest in the future to ensure PD’s defeat. So, through our Fellowship Program, we are working to make certain that the best and brightest young talent joins and continues the fight. In this program, PDF funds young investigators to support them at a critical juncture in their scientific training – whether it be basic science or clinical research.

Since PDF’s grants are awarded exclusively on scientific merit, it is amazing to see how many young investigators were able to generate ideas that successfully competed in this year’s grant competition. Less than half (66) of the 150 total scientists who applied were young scientists fresh from their doctorates…yet, of the eight grants awarded this year, six went to support the Fellows in this category. This is quite an achievement. It provides great promise for the future of Parkinson’s research.

For more information on projects we’re funding, browse this year’s abstracts. We look forward to reporting on the results of this research and the impact we hope it makes upon science and our understanding and treatment of PD. Stay tuned.