Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Thrasher Research Fund

Thrasher Research Fund is a philanthropic research fund dedicated to improving child health globally through competitive grantmaking. Established in 1977 through a gift from E.W. “Al” Thrasher, the fund provides grants for clinical, hypothesis-driven research that promises meaningful advances in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of childhood diseases. The fund is disease-agnostic within pediatrics and supports work that has broad applicability and a relatively short path to improving clinical care.

Thrasher operates several structured grant programs, notably the E.W. “Al” Thrasher Awards for established investigators and the Early Career Awards for residents, fellows, post‑doctoral researchers and new faculty. These programs are open to institutions in the United States and internationally, with no citizenship restrictions, and emphasize projects that directly affect child health outcomes.

The E.W. “Al” Thrasher Awards support larger clinical projects, typically up to three years in duration. Budgets are based on project need, with indirect costs capped at 7% of direct costs. Recent median awards are in the range of USD 350,000–420,000, and individual grants are generally below USD 600,000. These awards prioritize innovative, hypothesis‑driven clinical research with clear potential to change pediatric practice and relatively low barriers to implementation.

The Early Career Awards provide smaller starter grants to help new investigators establish a research trajectory in child health. These grants offer up to USD 25,000 in direct costs (plus limited indirect costs), over project durations of up to two years. The program particularly values strong mentoring relationships and applicants who show high potential to become independent investigators and leaders in pediatric research.

Thrasher Research Fund supports clinicians and scientists working in pediatrics, including physicians in training, post‑doctoral fellows and junior faculty. The portfolio covers a wide spectrum of topics such as infectious diseases (HIV, malaria, tuberculosis, helminth infections), neonatal and critical care, nutrition and micronutrient deficiencies, cancer, genetic and rare diseases, and innovative diagnostics and therapies. Projects frequently involve multi‑country collaborations and emphasize capacity building through local co‑investigators in countries where research is conducted.

For both main programs, Thrasher uses a two‑step process: submission of a concise Concept Paper followed, upon invitation, by a full proposal. Concept Papers are screened by fund staff for alignment with current priorities. Invited full proposals undergo external peer review, and final funding decisions are taken by advisory and executive committees that meet on regular spring and fall cycles. Selection criteria include scientific rigor, novelty, distance to clinical applicability, burden and severity of the pediatric health problem, potential impact, and, for Early Career Awards, the strengths of the applicant and mentor.

Budget guidelines restrict major equipment purchases and exclude general operating expenses, construction, scholarships and support of other funding organizations. Co‑funding with other sources is allowed when the Thrasher‑funded portion is clearly defined. Templates for concept papers, full proposals, budgets, and sample award letters are provided on the website, and Research Managers are available to advise prospective applicants on fit and competitiveness.

The fund publishes searchable listings of current and historical grants and issues periodic biennial reports describing its global portfolio. Since inception, it has awarded over USD 100 million to more than 1,000 projects in over 70 countries, underscoring its significant role in advancing pediatric clinical research worldwide.