July 17, 2024
Re: Request for IWMF RESEARCH GRANT PROGRAM PROPOSALS
In recent years we have witnessed substantial progress in basic biomedical research and subsequent clinical management of Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia (WM). In order to achieve the Vision Statement of the International Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia Foundation (IWMF), to “support and educate everyone affected by Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia (WM) to improve patient outcomes while advancing the search for a cure,” the IWMF is pleased to offer research grants in five categories:
| I. | IWMF-LLS STRATEGIC RESEARCH ROADMAP INITIATIVE |
| II. | ROBERT A. KYLE CAREER DEVELOPMENT AWARD |
| III. | IWMF RESEARCH SEED MONEY INITIATIVE |
| IV. | IWMF-LLS ENHANCED RESEARCH ROADMAP INITIATIVE |
| V. | IWMF-LLS COMPANION INITIATIVE |
IWMF-LLS STRATEGIC RESEARCH ROADMAP INITIATIVE
The IWMF partnered with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) in 2015 to create a Strategic Research Roadmap Initiative for WM. As part of that Initiative, we have since issued a Request for Proposals yearly and are currently funding six projects selected as a result of those RFPs.
This Request for Proposals continues our commitment to search for a cure and identifies the five focus areas in basic biomedical research where we are seeking research project proposals. The IWMF has supported many important WM research initiatives in the past and is well positioned to provide sustained funding to meritorious research proposals in the future. The grant awards under the RFP are for a maximum of $200,000 per year for two years ($400,000 total) plus up to an additional 20% for indirect costs. Multi-institutional proposals are welcome. Please click here for the application.
The IWMF partnered with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) in 2015 to create a Strategic Research Roadmap Initiative for WM. As part of that Initiative, we have since issued a Request for Proposals yearly and are currently funding eight projects selected as a result of those RFPs.
This Request for Proposals continues our commitment to search for a cure and identifies the five focus areas in basic biomedical research where we are seeking research project proposals. This year the IWMF has added companion projects to the initiative for basic science projects within a clinical trial. The IWMF has supported many important WM research initiatives in the past and is well positioned to provide sustained funding to meritorious research proposals in the future. The grant awards under the RFP are for a maximum of $200,000 per year for two years ($400,000 total) plus up to an additional 20% for indirect costs. Multi-institutional proposals are welcome. Please click here for Applicationhttps://iwmf.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/2025-IWMF-RFP-Application.pdf.
ROBERT A. KYLE CAREER DEVELOPMENT AWARD
The International Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia Foundation recognizes that it is vital to provide funding to support the career development of next-generation researchers for WM. The IWMF is therefore requesting proposals for the Robert A. Kyle Career Development Award Program, which recognizes the 50+ years of impactful contributions by Dr. Robert Kyle to the field of plasma cell disorders and WM.
Under the terms of the Request for Proposals for the Robert A. Kyle Career Development Award, the IWMF will confer a research grant to a young investigator in the amount of up to $75,000 each year for a two year project, plus up to an additional 5% for indirect costs. A young investigator is defined as a junior faculty member (instructor or assistant professor) and/or postdoctoral fellow who has a focus in basic research in the field of B cell or plasma cell malignancies for at least two (2) years. His or her program must have a teaching curriculum and mentoring with well-established investigators with a track record in the B cell malignancy or plasma cell malignancy field. Please click here for Application.
IWMF-LLS RESEARCH SEED MONEY INITIATIVE
In order to achieve its vision of “A World Without WM,” the International Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia Foundation recognizes that it is vital to offer a way for investigators to develop pilot projects to give them a better idea of feasibility and directionality of their future WM research.
The IWMF is therefore proud to have announced the establishment of the IWMF Research Seed Money Initiative for Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia in 2021. The grant awards under the IWMF Research Seed Money Initiative are intended to give investigators around the world the chance to define objectives and test pilot hypotheses in preparation for larger grant applications through the IWMF/LLS Strategic Research Roadmap Initiative.
Under the terms of the Request for Proposals for the Research Seed Money Initiative, the IWMF will confer a research grant to an MD, PhD, or equivalent degree. The grant awards under the RFP are for a maximum of $75,000 for a one year project, plus up to an additional 20% for indirect costs. Please click here for Application.
IWMF ENHANCED RESEARCH ROADMAP INITIATIVE
This initiative is basically the same as the IWMF-LLS Strategic Research RoadMap Initiative with a twist. This proposal will be funded at an aggregate of up to $1.5 million (including indirect costs) and can be up to 2 to 4 years duration. Please click here for the application. You can find the RFP here.
IWMF-LLS COMPANION INITIATIVE
A companion project is when a basic science project is used as an adjunct in a clinical trial. It must use at least one of the five pillars, as mentioned above. The IWMF encourages proposals that are clinic-facing, including collaborative or correlative projects linked to clinical trials. Please click here for the RFP.
Under the Companion Initiative, the IWMF-LLS will award 1-2 new research proposals each year, depending on funding availability. Each project shall be one (1) or two (2) years in length, at a total cost of up to $100,000 per project plus up to an additional 20% for indirect costs. Please click here for the application.
RFP PROCESS AND DEADLINES
Should you have any further questions about the 2025 IWMF Research Grant Program RFP process, please do not hesitate to email IWMF Finance Manager, Robin Tucker, at the following email address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Also, feel free to share the RFP document with any of your colleagues who may also be interested in the IWMF-LLS Strategic Research Roadmap Initiative for WM, the Robert A. Kyle Career Development Award, the IWMF Research Seed Money Initiative, the IWMF-LLS Companion Initiative, and the IWMF-LLS Enhanced Research Roadmap Initiative. Our deadline to receive project proposals is February 26, 2025 (with no exception). We ask you to review the RFP proposal appropriate to your research situation, and we look forward to hearing from you.
We will entertain multiple proposals from each researcher and from multi-facility researchers.
Sincerely,
Tom Hoffmann, MD, FACS, AACP
Vice-Chair, Research, IWMF