Overview
The Dr. Ralph and Marian Falk Medical Research Trust was created by Marian Falk in 1979 to support biomedical research. Mrs. Falk sought to fund “medical research to improve treatments of the past and eventually find cures for diseases for which no definite cure is known.”
Bank of America, N.A., serves as Trustee for the Falk Medical Research Trust. Health Resources in Action is pleased to manage the grantmaking for both the Falk Catalyst and Transformational Programs on behalf of Bank of America.
Program Focus: The Catalyst Research Award Program provides up to $350,000 in seed funding over one to two years, to support high-risk, high-reward translational research that addresses critical scientific and therapeutic roadblocks and can be transferred to clinical practice in the near term. If successful, these projects will have high impact outcomes that open new avenues for treating, curing, and improving the lives of individuals suffering from disease.
Projects must be responsive to the following areas of research focus:
1. Identification of biological markers of disease activity and progression,
2. Identification of targets for therapeutic interventions, and
3. Development of therapeutic agents that will disrupt, arrest, or prevent the disease process.
The award supports planning and development of projects, teams, tools, techniques, and management necessary to lay the foundation and apply for a subsequent two to three year $1,000,000 Transformational Award.
Eligibility
Select research institutions are invited to nominate and submit up to two applications per grant cycle. Eligible institutions are located in the Midwestern United States with a few exceptions for historical reasons. See 2025 Application Guidelines for list of eligible institutions.
Want to be added to the Falk Awards distribution list?
HRiA manages a variety of biomedical research grant programs. Sign up to receive more information about the Falk Catalyst Awards program as well as other funding opportunities.
