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Mt. Hope Family Center

FASD Center for Innovation Pilot Grant Program

FASD Center for Innovation Pilot Grant Program (max $25,000)

The purpose of this pilot grant program is to engage researchers across UR and inspire cutting-edge research to improve the quality of life of people with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). FASD affects an estimated 1.1 to 5% of the general population, with rates even higher in special populations and systems of care. Yet, most people with FASD go undiagnosed and few, if any, FASD-informed services are available in the community.

People with FASD and their families have important questions for researchers. They need answers to inform decision-making about their health and quality of life. Some examples are:

  • How do we increase FASD awareness and services in education, health, legal, disability, child welfare, and other sectors?
  • Is aging accelerated in people with FASD? What is the impact of prenatal alcohol exposure on development and the course of chronic health conditions?
  • What are the effects of long-term exposure to chronic stress, higher neurological workload, and chronic health conditions in those with prenatal exposures?
  • Are there biomarkers that might support diagnosis when alcohol-exposure history is unavailable or that might assist in predicting treatment response?
  • What medications or treatments might help with symptom management?
  • How do we reduce the pervasive stigma surrounding prenatal alcohol exposure and FASD?
  • What strategies help implementation of interventions in clinical and community settings?
  • How to best engage individuals with FASD and their families in research and policy?

 

Do you have relevant expertise to help answer these or other important questions? Researchers with skills in other disabilities, mental health, other developmental exposures, trauma and adversity, chronic health conditions, aging, and many other areas may benefit from the opportunity to consider prenatal alcohol exposure in their research!  We hope you consider applying for this pilot program, even if you are new to the area of prenatal alcohol exposure or FASD.

Don’t let FASD knowledge be a barrier – we have a summer bootcamp to help address knowledge gaps and workshop ideas. Read below for details.

Read more about the FASD Center for Innovation.

 

KEY INFORMATION

  • Maximum funding amount: $25,000
  • Eligible: At least one faculty member at the University of Rochester
  • Don’t know much about FASD? – we have a bootcamp on Tuesday July 29th for that!
  • Interest Survey (recommend completion by July 1st)
  • Applications Due: September 15th, 2025 at 5pm
  • Questions? Contact us: christie_petrenko@urmc.rochester.edu

 

Eligibility

One of the members of the applying team must have a primary faculty appointment at the University of Rochester. This team member will be the contact PI for the project. Community-engaged research methods and transdisciplinary collaborations are encouraged.

Funding Amount

This grant will provide up to $25,000 for a pilot project to be completed between October 2025 and December 2026. Data from this project are expected to help provide preliminary data for a subsequent grant application.

Important Dates

Interest Survey: recommend response by July 1st, 2025

FASD Summer Bootcamp: July 29th, 2025

Applications Due: September 15th, 2025 by 5pm Eastern

Notification Date: October 15th, 2025

Anticipated Start Date: October 22nd, 2025

Award Period Ends: December 31st, 2026

Contact

Christie Petrenko, Ph.D.
christie_petrenko@urmc.rochester.edu


Summer Bootcamp

FASD awareness is low in our society and few people learn about this common developmental disability in their education or professional training. We are hosting an FASD Summer Bootcamp to reduce the impact of this knowledge barrier and support local researchers in workshopping their ideas prior to the pilot grant program application deadline.

The format of the summer bootcamp will include a mix of didactic and small breakout group sessions with the FASD Center for Innovation leadership team. Content coverage and composition of breakout groups will be tailored based on responses to the Interest Survey.  We encourage you to complete this survey by July 1st to aid our planning.

The 2025 FASD Summer Bootcamp will be held on Tuesday July 29th from 9am to 4pm. Additional details on location and parking will be provided as the date approaches. Please complete the Interest Survey to receive further details.

Apply

Application materials should be submitted in a single pdf file to Christie Petrenko at christie_petrenko@urmc.rochester.edu by 5pm Eastern on September 15th, 2025.

Please submit the following:

  • Cover letter with title, investigators, and description that indicates how the pilot program would extend research objectives and lead to competitive extramural grant application.
  • Lay abstract (300 words): this will be used to convey information to the public and should be easily understandable to the non-scientist.
  • Research description (limited to 4-6 pages) including specific aims, background and significance, research design and methods.
  • Budget, detailed with justification
  • Biosketches of all co-investigators and key personnel

 

We recommend reviewing the FASD United Language and Stigma Guide prior to preparing your application.

Review criteria will include but are not limited to:

  • The relevance of the project to the aims and values of the FASD Center for Innovation.
  • The significance and innovation of the proposed project.
  • The likelihood of subsequent successful application for extramural support.