Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Alberta Diabetes Foundation (ADF)

The Alberta Diabetes Foundation (ADF) is a non-profit charitable organization dedicated to financing world-class diabetes research and related programs in Alberta. Originating from the breakthrough Edmonton Protocol in islet cell transplantation, ADF has evolved into a key funder supporting both type 1 and type 2 diabetes research, prevention, treatment and quality-of-life initiatives. The foundation channels donor contributions into strategic grants that accelerate discoveries, translate findings into clinical practice and build long-term research capacity.

ADF structures its funding strategy around three core pillars. The first focuses on advancing the cure and supporting prevention, treatment and living well with diabetes. Under this pillar, the foundation funds prevention-focused initiatives, islet and stem cell research, education and outreach, and support for current Defeating Diabetes researchers. The second pillar is diversity and community empowerment, where ADF finances community outreach, projects improving outcomes in underrepresented and rural communities, and research that increases accessibility and understanding of diabetes care. The third pillar is the future of research excellence, supporting graduate studentships and PhD candidates, recruitment and retention of leading researchers, research travel and presentation costs, as well as tools and infrastructure such as specialized equipment.

ADF emphasizes a flexible funding approach designed to fill gaps often left by traditional granting agencies. This includes backing early-stage or high-potential projects that may be too novel or risky for conventional funders. Concrete supports have included grants for multiple innovative research projects, purchase of advanced equipment like 3D optical body scanners and electrospinning machines, scholarships, named scholar awards and several graduate studentships each year. The foundation also invests in collaborative research initiatives such as the Defeating Diabetes campaign and supports national and international networks coordinated through the Alberta Diabetes Institute.

The primary beneficiaries of ADF’s funding are academic and clinical researchers, graduate students and trainees working in diabetes science, as well as communities affected by diabetes across Alberta. Through its grants and partnerships, ADF helps drive clinical trials, translational research, pediatric and adolescent care studies, and innovations in transplantation, beta cell regeneration and stem cell therapies. Annual reports and impact pages highlight a sustained trajectory of funding since the early 2000s, with yearly allocations growing to the million-dollar level, demonstrating increasing capacity to support high-impact research and care initiatives.

The foundation’s roots lie in the Alberta Foundation for Diabetes Research, which supported early islet transplantation work. In 2002, following the global recognition of the Edmonton Protocol, it committed $10 million toward a dedicated diabetes research facility at the University of Alberta and rebranded as the Alberta Diabetes Foundation. ADF subsequently helped establish the Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Research Innovation and the Alberta Diabetes Institute, securing a permanent home for cutting-edge diabetes research. Since then, ADF has continued to rapidly fund projects, mentor new generations of scientists through its support, and honour leaders in the field through initiatives such as the Dr. Raymond Rajotte Lifetime Achievement Award.

ADF is governed by a volunteer board of directors and a professional leadership team responsible for stewarding donor funds and aligning investments with the foundation’s mission. Public-facing documents such as annual reports and detailed impact summaries provide transparency around funded projects and yearly grant totals. This governance structure, combined with its history of partnership with major research institutions like the University of Alberta, positions ADF as a credible and influential funding body in the diabetes research ecosystem.