Research Award Policies

All CDF Research Award applicants must abide by the following policies to remain eligible for a CDF Research Award.

Number of Award Applicants per Institution

There is no limit to the number of applicants per institution.

Number of Submissions per Applicant

Applicants are limited to one submission per award per year.

Application Resubmission

Applicants not initially selected for funding may resubmit the same proposal at a future date, provided award eligibility criteria are still met. Resubmissions should note the year and the name of the award that the proposal was first considered for, and clearly note any areas where the original proposal has been revised.

Minimum Percent Effort

Some CDF Research Awards require a minimum percentage of effort to be dedicated to the proposed project. If applicable, the minimum percent effort will be outlined in the specific research award requirements. 

All research award recipients must abide by the following policies to retain and/or modify a CDF Research Award.

Progress and Financial Reports

CDF Research Award recipients are required to submit reporting documentation. Requirements are outlined in all award contracts.  

The CDF Progress Report Form provides descriptions and guidelines for submitting the required information, including research project developments, publications, current funding information, other honors, and a personal statement. 

The financial report must be completed by the institution’s accounting and/or grants management office and must indicate how the funds were utilized. Acceptable formats include a standard institutional budget, expenditure form, or a written table indicating amounts expended in general categories and the award amount remaining. 

Acknowledgment of CDF Support

We anticipate and encourage awardees to present all or portions of CDF-funded research at conferences and via manuscript submission to journals. Publications, abstracts and/or presentations arising from work funded by a CDF Research Award must acknowledge support of the Celiac Disease Foundation.

Guidelines for Acknowledging CDF Support

• The statement “Funded by the Celiac Disease Foundation’s {insert full award name and year as listed on the contract}” should be used for visual displays and text communications.
• As a courtesy to CDF, please send a notification to [email protected] regarding any abstracts, publications, or other works resulting from Research Award funding.

Grant Equipment

CDF Research Award recipients are encouraged to reserve the right to retain laboratory supplies and equipment purchased with CDF Research Award funds in the event of transfer to a new institution. However, it is the prerogative of the original institution to determine whether equipment purchased with CDF Research Award funds will remain at the original institution.

Forfeiture

A forfeiture may be requested if an award recipient receives extramural funding and is unable to devote the required research effort to the CDF Research Award. A forfeiture may also be requested if a transfer request has been denied or for personal reasons.

Guidelines for Forfeiting an Award

The following information must be provided to forfeit a CDF Research Award:

• A brief letter that reports the status of the research project and the reason the award cannot be completed must be emailed to [email protected].
• A forfeiture letter will be sent to the awardee within 15 working days. Forfeitures may result in the return of all unexpended or unobligated grant funds.
• Within 60 days following the awardee’s receipt of the Celiac Disease Foundation’s forfeiture letter, the awardee shall provide a financial report from the institution’s grants office detailing all expenditures to date and all remaining funds, and a final scientific progress report. Combine the reports into one PDF file and submit to [email protected].
• If applicable, a check for all unexpended and unobligated funds should be sent to the Celiac Disease Foundation within 60 days of the termination of the award.

Budget Revisions

A revision may be made when the awardee is no longer able to meet the research aims under the approved budget. Reallocations can be requested for any related expenditure of the proposed project, including salary support, equipment and supplies.

Minor budget revisions that move funds totaling less than 25 percent of the annual award payment across categories will be reviewed and approved by CDF staff. Major budget revisions, such as a change in percent effort dedicated to the research funded by the Research Award or reallocation of 25 percent or more of the annual award payment, must be reviewed and approved by the chair of the CDF Research Committee. In addition, all changes to the budget must be acknowledged and highlighted in the annual financial progress report (see Progress and Financial Reports).

Revisions may not include costs restricted in the award agreement (e.g., indirect costs, mentor salary or travel costs).

Guidelines for Requesting a Budget Revision

The following must be provided for a determination:

• A letter of request submitted by the awardee on institutional letterhead, documenting the full name and year of the award, and the rationale for the proposed revisions emailed to [email protected].
• A copy of the original budget.
• An adjusted budget that reflects and highlights the requested alterations.
• A determination letter will be sent within 15 working days.
• If approved, the revised budget will be added as an addendum to the award contract.

Award Hiatus

A hiatus up to 12 months may be requested for family leave, medical leave, or if the award recipient has an unusual or unexpected situation in which the recipient temporarily cannot work on the research funded by the CDF Research Award.

Guidelines for Requesting a Hiatus

• A brief letter that reports the status of the research project and explains the reason that a hiatus is necessary. The letter must include the start and end date of the hiatus.
• A financial report from the institution’s grants office detailing all the expenditures to date and all remaining funds.
• The requested information, combined into one PDF file, must be emailed to [email protected].
• If the hiatus is approved, a notification letter will be sent to the awardee within 15 working days. The award recipient and an authorized official from the recipient’s institution will be asked to sign and return a statement of acknowledgement.
• CDF reserves the right to decline the request.

Transfers

Should an award recipient change institutions during their award term, CDF must be notified as soon as possible. The award recipient may request an institutional transfer of award funds. An award recipient moving from an institution within the U.S., Canada or Mexico to outside of North America may request an award transfer; however, if the recipient fails to meet any other CDF Research Award eligibility criteria with the institutional transfer, he or she may be asked to forfeit the award (see Forfeiture).

Guidelines for Requesting a Transfer

The following information must be provided to process an institutional transfer:

• A research facilities statement listing the office, laboratory, support staff and clinical facilities of the new institution.
• A letter from the new division chief or department head confirming support of the CDF-funded project and the availability of adequate facilities.
• A letter of confirmation from the mentor/sponsor (if applicable) that appropriate space, equipment and other resources will be available and that he/she is prepared to devote the necessary time and effort to the project.
• An abstract describing any changes to the research project, technical approach and anticipated results, if different from the abstract submitted with the original application.
• The requested information, combined into one PDF file, must be emailed to [email protected].
• A determination letter will be sent within 15 working days.
  • If the transfer is not approved, the awardee must forfeit the award; detailed in the section labeled Forfeiture.
  • If the transfer is approved, the awardee must provide award payment information for the new institution for award payments.
• If the transfer is approved, the first institution must provide CDF with a final financial report detailing grant expenditures to date and return any remaining funds to CDF. CDF will disburse the remaining funds to the new institution.
• The new institution must provide a financial report at the end of the grant period, detailing grant expenditures during the time of fund stewardship.

No-Cost Extension

A no-cost extension provides the award recipient an extended award term, typically 12 months, in which to complete their research project. A no-cost extension may be requested when an award recipient does not anticipate their CDF-funded research can be completed in the grant period, or the awardee does not anticipate expending their award funding during the allotted grant period.

Terms and Conditions for Determining a No-Cost Extension:

• Requests up to $5,000 or 20 percent of the grant value will be reviewed and determined by CDF staff.
• Requests exceeding $5,000 or 20 percent of the grant value, or citing highly unusual circumstances will be forwarded to the CDF Research Committee Chair for review and determination.
• If the no-cost extension is approved, scientific and financial progress reports are due at the end of the extension period. Any unexpended funds, including interest earned, must be returned to the Celiac Disease Foundation within 60 days of the extended award term end date.
• An award recipient moving from an institution within the U.S., Canada or Mexico to outside North America may still request a no-cost extension. However, CDF reserves the right to decline the request.

Guidelines for Requesting a No-Cost Extension:

The following must be provided and will be reviewed for a determination:

• A letter of request submitted by the awardee on institutional letterhead, documenting the full name and year of the award, and the rationale for the no-cost extension.
  • If requested to expend unused funds, the letter must indicate the reason residual funds remain.
  • If requested to extend grant period to complete research aims, the letter must indicate why the project will not be completed by the original grant end date.
• A scientific and financial report, combined into one PDF document and submitted via email to [email protected]. The financial report should indicate expended funds to date. The scientific progress report should provide a brief overview of research accomplishments to date and a brief explanation of how the project will be completed by the extension date.
• A determination letter will be sent within 15 working days. A final financial and research progress report must be sent to CDF no later than 60 days after the end of the extension period.