The Obesity Society’s (TOS) grants program demonstrates our commitment to promote, reward, and encourage research in the field of obesity.

The deadline to submit a Letter of Intent has closed for this year.  We will begin accepting new grant applications spring 2026.

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Applicants may apply for multiple grants.

A description of each grant and the instructions on how to apply are below.

If you have any questions, please email [email protected].

VIEW PAST GRANTEES

Early Career Research Grant

The grant is offered by The Obesity Society as a member service to foster and stimulate new research ideas in any area of investigation related to obesity. The grant targets early-career investigators and post-doctoral fellows by funding proposals that demonstrate a high likelihood of resulting in new and innovative approaches in obesity research. Early-career investigators are defined as individuals who have received a PhD/DSc, DVM, MD or DO at the time of application. Investigators must also currently have a full-time, entry-level position (e.g., post-doctoral fellow, instructor, and up to Assistant Professor) at an established academic/research institution. Applicants may request up to $25,000. No indirect cost will be paid from this grant. Applicants invited to submit a full proposal will be notified approximately one month later. All applicants must be TOS members in good standing. This is a one-year grant and funding will begin the next calendar year.

Early Career Research Grant Eligibility Criteria:

The following applies to the Principal Investigator:

  • Member of The Obesity Society (domestic and international)
  • Early-career investigator or post-doctoral research fellow:
    • PhD/DSc, DVM, MD or DO at the time of application
    • Post-doctoral fellows, junior faculty, and up to Assistant Professors who have not yet received an NIH K-award, equivalent career-development award, or R-level research project grant
  • Assistant Professors do not require a mentor
  • Applications from post-doctoral research fellows must have a mentor
  • Potential to generate future funding

PhD/DSc, DVM or MD/DO degree must be obtained by date of application submission. Applicants may not be a post-doctoral fellow for more than five years.

GRANT TERMS AND CONDITIONS

How to Apply

Phase 1

  • Submit a Letter of Intent Cover Page
  • Submit a 1-page Letter of Intent – (describe the scientific project, statement of specific aims, hypotheses, and how the study is new and innovative)
    • 1-page on institutional letterhead
    • 1/2 inch margins
    • 11-point font size
  • Submit an NIH-style biosketch for the principal investigator. If the principal investigator is a post-doctoral fellow, the biosketch of the mentor should also be included
  • The LOI and biosketch(es) must be collated and submitted as a single pdf

Phase 2

Applicants selected by The Obesity Society’s Science Development Committee will be notified and requested to submit a full proposal package. Required documents include:

  • Original LOI and Biosketch(es), from the LOI submission
  • 3-page proposal (references not included)
    • Brief introduction to the proposed study and rationale for investigation (How will this work benefit the field?)
    • Statement of specific aims and hypotheses
    • Material and methods, feasibility
    • Anticipated results, limitations, alternatives
    • Future plans (How will the findings of this project be leveraged for future work? What are the next steps, next grants?)
  • Timeline
  • Budget Form (1-page) with justification (1-page limit)
  • Allowable Expenses
    • Salary for technical staff, supplies, core use, subject recruitment, patient care costs, and other research-related expenses.
    • Equipment/capital expenses up to $5,000.
    • Travel up to $2,000 (ObesityWeek® encouraged).
    • If principal investigator requires salary support, a maximum of one month summer salary or 8% effort support is allowable.
  • Mentor Letter of Support (1-page, for post-doctoral fellows and instructors)

Criteria for Evaluating Applications

  • Significance – impact, innovation
  • Investigator – potential in academic research, diversity/inclusion
  • Research Plan – study design, methods, feasibility, alternatives/limitations
  • Future Plans – (How will the findings of this project be leveraged for future work?  What are the next steps, next grants?)