2025-2026 Emerging Research Grants Program

The Hearing Health Foundation (HHF) is currently accepting applications for the 2025–2026 Emerging Research Grants (ERG) Program. This grant aims to support innovative research in hearing and balance sciences. The program is open to early-stage and senior investigators conducting research in the United States at nonprofit educational, governmental, or other research institutions. Applicants must hold an Au.D., M.D., Ph.D., or equivalent degree and have an eligible faculty, postdoctoral fellow, or clinical/research fellow appointment. Current medical residents in otolaryngology are also eligible, but other medical residents and Ph.D. students are not.

The application process consists of two steps: a required Letter of Intent (LOI), which serves as an eligibility quiz, and the full grant application. The LOI must be submitted no later than Thursday, February 27, 2025, and the full application is due by Monday, March 3, 2025. Institutional approval from an authorized signatory is required before submission. Late applications or those without institutional approval will not be considered. The grant cycle officially begins on October 1, 2025, and applicants will be notified of the funding decisions in early August 2025.

Several research topics are eligible under this grant. Early-stage investigators may apply for the Elizabeth M. Keithley, Ph.D. Early Stage Investigator Awards, which fund research in various hearing and balance topics, including age-related hearing loss, hearing aids, tinnitus, Ménière’s disease, and vestibular disorders. In addition, both early-stage and senior investigators may apply for specific topic-based grants for conditions such as Central Auditory Processing Disorder, Pain Hyperacusis, Ménière’s disease, and tinnitus.

Grant applications are reviewed by a Scientific Review Committee, which consists of expert researchers and clinicians. Each application is assigned to two reviewers specializing in the relevant research area or methodology. Proposals are evaluated based on scientific merit, potential impact on advancing knowledge or clinical applications, institutional resources, the investigator’s qualifications, and innovation. Shortlisted applications undergo additional review by the Council of Scientific Trustees and the Research Committee of HHF’s Board of Directors before final funding decisions are made.

The funding amounts for the ERG Program vary, and multiple awards are expected to be distributed. The program does not specify an award ceiling or floor. The grants fund direct research costs, excluding indirect expenses, and are intended to advance scientific understanding of hearing and balance disorders. Restrictions include exclusions on sound therapy research, such as Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT), for hyperacusis-related grants.

For inquiries regarding the grant application, applicants can contact the Hearing Health Foundation at PO Box 1397, New York, NY 10018. The contact phone number is 212.257.6140 (TTY: 888.435.6104), and the email for general inquiries is info@hhf.org.