ABMRF/The Foundation for Alcohol Research is pleased to continue to provide alcohol research grants for South African researchers in  2012. The Foundation invites applications for its alcohol research grant awards from public or private, nonprofit institutions in South Africa. Annual grant awards do not exceed US$50,000, and funds may be requested for a period of up to two years. The electronic application is available for submission at the Foundation’s website. Deadline for receipt of online applications is February 1, 2012.

The Foundation is a nonprofit, independent research organization that provides support for scientific studies on the use and prevention of misuse of alcohol. The aim of the grant program is to energize the field by helping researchers begin their careers and position them to attract greater funding from other sources with the record of accomplishment resulting from a Foundation grant.

The Principal Investigator for the research project must be in an independent faculty or research position. The Foundation does not support training of pre- and post-doctoral fellows, graduate students and medical students, interns, and residents. It does not fund thesis or dissertation research.  

The Foundation accepts applications for grants to conduct research on important aspects of alcohol consumption and its effects. Overall, the following areas align most closely to the mission of the Foundation and, therefore, are of greater interest:
          - Factors influencing transitions in drinking patterns and behavior,
          - Effects of moderate use of alcohol on health and well-being,
          - Mechanisms underlying the behavioral and biomedical effects of alcohol,
          - Biobehavioral/interdisciplinary research on the etiology of alcohol misuse.

The Foundation does not encourage applications on treatment of the complications of advanced alcoholism. However, research involving treatment intended to elucidate the pathogenesis of alcohol-related problems will be considered. Non-research activities such as education projects, public awareness efforts, and referral services are not eligible for support.

ABMRF funding priorities include the following:
          - Highest priority is given to young investigators, new to the field or trained in the field,

                  to start a new line of independent research.
          - The next priority is given to investigators outside alcohol research bringing an

                  innovative idea to the field.
          - Lowest priority is given to established investigators in the alcohol research field

                  unless the application offers an extraordinary new idea.

Please contact the Foundation’s Grants Program Administrator at (410)821-7066 or by email at grantinfo@abmrf.org with questions about the South African grant program.