The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation’s Career Development Awards are mentored funding opportunities designed to support individuals with the potential to become independent investigators in the field of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) research. These awards are intended for early-career professionals seeking to transition into independent research roles and require applicants to work under the guidance of a senior mentor. The Foundation emphasizes the development of original, basic research in the area of IBD and supports the inclusion of a clear and detailed career development plan in each proposal.

Eligible applicants must hold an MD and/or PhD (or equivalent degree). MD candidates must have five years of post-degree experience, with at least two years of IBD-relevant research. PhD holders must have at least two years of post-doctoral research experience specific to IBD. Generally, applicants should not be more than ten years past their doctoral degree. Applications are open to individuals employed by institutions engaged in health care and research within the United States, including public and private non-profit institutions and government entities. Applicants must possess legal work status, though U.S. citizenship is not a requirement. The Foundation notes that flexibility will be provided for those whose career timelines were impacted by events such as childbirth, caregiving, personal health, or the COVID-19 pandemic, which can be addressed in the cover letter.

All proposed research must be directly related to Crohn’s disease and/or ulcerative colitis. Only one application is permitted per applicant per submission period, and applicants may not submit a Career Development Award application concurrently with a Senior Research or Training Award. A joint award opportunity is also available in partnership with NASPGHAN: the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation/NASPGHAN IBD Young Investigator Award, which supports research specifically related to pediatric IBD. This opportunity requires applicants to note the pediatric focus in their Career Development or Research Fellowship Award submissions.

Awardees are expected to commit at least 65% of their professional time to the proposed project. Funding includes up to $60,000 annually for salary (aligned with institutional pay), with a maximum of $15,000 for fringe benefits. An additional $27,500 per year is allocated for non-salary expenses such as tuition, statistical support, professional development, and travel. These funds cannot be used to supplement the awardee’s salary. The total possible annual award is $102,500, with a duration ranging from one to three years, contingent upon annual progress.

Additionally, Career Development Award recipients may gain access to the IBD Plexus platform—a centralized resource established by the Foundation that offers biosamples and research-ready datasets to accelerate IBD research. While access is provided at no cost, the CDA funds may be used to defray the costs of converting biosamples into molecular data through designated reference laboratories. Awardees are required to return raw data derived from the use of Plexus samples to the platform.

Applications are managed through the Proposal Central system. The portal for the Spring/Summer 2025 cycle opens on October 23, 2024. Letters of Intent are due by December 5, 2024, at 11:59 pm EST. Full proposals are due by February 13, 2025, at 11:59 pm EST. The review period occurs from April to May 2025, with funding decisions announced in October. The Fall/Winter 2024 cycle has been cancelled, with updates to be announced. For inquiries related to the Career Development Awards, applicants may contact N'Dea Johnson at training_awards@crohnscolitisfoundation.org, and post-award questions may be directed to postaward@crohnscolitisfoundation.org.