Spinal Cord Injury and Traumatic Brain Injury Research Grant Program
The State of Minnesota established the Spinal Cord Injury and Traumatic Brain Injury Grant Program effective July 1, 2015. The Office of Higher Education administers the Spinal Cord Injury and Traumatic Brain Injury Research Grant Program through Minnesota Statute 136A.901 which provides funding for research into new and innovative treatments and rehabilitative efforts for the functional improvement of people with spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries.
Who is Eligible to Apply?
Eligible grant applicants are institutions/organizations located within Minnesota and fall into one or more of the following categories:
- Public/state controlled institution of higher education
- Private institution of higher education
- Nonprofit with 501(c)(3) IRS status (other than institution of higher education)
- Nonprofit without 501(c)(3) IRS status (other than institution of higher education)
- Small business
- For-profit organization (other than small business)
Eligible principal investigators must have the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research. This program is not for postdoctoral fellowships or residents (non-board eligible/board certified physicians); postdoctoral fellows and residents will not be considered as principal investigators. Post-doctorates, residents, or other individuals are eligible to be listed as key personnel or consultants.
What are Eligible Services and How Much Money Can a Grantee Receive?
Research topics may include, but are not limited to, pharmaceutical, medical device, brain stimulus, and rehabilitative approaches and techniques. The overall objective of this program is to foster and encourage innovative research for treatment and rehabilitative techniques for spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries
Three funding options are available:
Tier 1: Pilot Project Grant
- Max Request: $125,000.
- Project Time: 2 years + 1 year no-cost extension.
- Project Details: Reflects early investment as the researcher prepares to seek a larger grant award from a federal program or nonprofit organization. Preliminary data is not required but encouraged.
Tier 2: Standard Research Grant
- Max Request: $250,000.
- Project Time: 2 years + 1 year no-cost extension.
- Project Details: Primarily for research with strong supporting/preliminary data. If the budget is justifiable, the Standard Research Grant may also fund pilot projects. Applicants are encouraged to attach papers; in-press, pre-published drafts, and accepted papers may be cited or submitted separately as an appendix.
Tier 3: Clinical/Translational Research Grant
- Max request: $500,000.
- Project Time: 3 years + 2 year no-cost extension.
- Project Details: Projects must have concurrent application for, or funding from federal or industry sources. Preliminary data must be published or in press in a scientific journal and cited or submitted separately as an appendix.
2025 Request for Proposals
The Spinal Cord Injury and Traumatic Brain Injury Annual Research Grant will open late February 2025.
Who do I Contact with Questions?
For SCI-TBI questions, please contact the Minnesota Office of Higher Education at GWI.OHE@state.mn.us.
Frequently Asked Questions:
A: Yes, you may apply for parts of your project that were cut in prior years due to a lack of funding. In your proposal, please explain how this aspect of your project connects with its larger aims/goals, and how it improves the overall quality of the project. Also keep in mind any feedback that you may have received on this portion of your project during the initial review.
A: The Letter of Intent is required for submitting a proposal.
A: No, once the RFP is released, we cannot give feedback on project ideas. However, we can help you determine if you project is eligible for funding based on the guiding statute language.
A: Yes, we encourage collaboration between institutions both inside and outside the state of Minnesota. We strongly suggest that applicants establish formal partnerships in advance of proposal submission.
A: Yes, subcontracts are permitted. You may include subcontracts in the “Consultant Cost” line. Please include the name of the institution that you are subcontracting with on that line as well.
A: The total allowable indirect cost is 8% of the total request, including indirect costs for consultants/subcontracts.
A: You are only required to submit documents on behalf of the primary institution, or the institution that is acting as the fiscal agent for the project.
Researchers are permitted to apply even if they are not considered faculty, residents, or post-docs. This is has been consistent throughout the grant program's brief history. While not required, it may strengthen a proposal if they were to submit as a co-PI with faculty oversight.
There is no proposal scoring criteria that corresponds to needing/requesting a contract extension for current projects. The reviewers evaluate proposals based on the actual proposed project submitted with the background/context provided in the by the applicant.
Grant Recipients - Fiscal Year 2024
Spinal Cord Injury Research
- Mayo Clinic: Use of genetically modified mesenchymal stromal cells or extracellular vesicles to deliver IL-10 following SCI to modulate local and systemic inflammation
- Minneapolis VA Healthcare System: Optimizing Epidural Spinal Cord Stimulation Care: A Comprehensive Approach Integrating PulseShare Utility, Mobile App Development, and Creating an Instructional Guide for Patients and Healthcare Professionals
- University of Minnesota: Reduction of oxidative stress by ROSASINA and promote neurological recovery in the Spinal cord injury (SCI)
- University of Minnesota: Neuromodulation for Recovery through ECAP Mapping and Personalized Stimulation
- University of Minnesota: Sustained delivery of therapeutic mRNAs for glial scar degradation and axonal regeneration
- University of Minnesota: Viral-based reprogramming platform for a SCI therapeutic approach of neurorestoration
- Mayo Clinic: Investigating the Effect of Purmorphamine on Endogenous Neural Stem Cell by Activating the Sonic Hedgehog Pathway to Promote Regeneration in Rats with Spinal Cord Injury
- University of Minnesota: Generating Exogenic Spinal Neurons in Homeobox Gene Knockouts for Repair in Spinal Cord Injury
Traumatic Brain Injury Research
- Minneapolis VA Healthcare System: Predicting the consequences of chronic effects of neurotrauma in pediatric patients using image processing, machine learning, and MRI
- University of Minnesota: Development of a Brain Organoid-Derived Exosome Product for the Treatment of Traumatic Brain Injury
- Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute: Reading after Traumatic Brain Injury: Development of a Guiding Model for Assessment and Treatment
- University of Minnesota: Mechanically-induced glymphatic dysfunction as a mechanistic link for TBI and neurodegenerative disease
- HealthPartners Institute: Personalized Accelerated Theta Burst Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
- University of Minnesota: Reprogramming for Neurorestorative Therapy after Traumatic Brain Injury
- University of Minnesota: Integrating Acute Phase Stem Cell Therapy and Chronic Phase Neurostimulation for PTSD Following Repetitive Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
- University of Minnesota: Exploring Neuroinflammation and Neural Circuitry Reorganization Associated with Exacerbation of Addiction Behavior in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
- University of Minnesota: Mitochondrial Transplantation for Repair in Traumatic Brain Injury
- University of Minnesota: Closed head TBI in humanized mice: Histopathology, behavior, cortical neural dynamics, and novel therapeutics
- University of Minnesota: Trigeminal nerve stimulation to enhance brain clearance after TBI
Reports
Download reports to the Minnesota Legislature on the institutions receiving grants and their purpose.
