USA Scholarships
Alpha-1 Clinical Research Training Grant 2027
The Advanced Degree and Clinical Research Training Grant in Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency supports respiratory care professionals who combine graduate study with patient-centered AATD research. When active, the Alpha-1 Foundation, AARC, and ARCF jointly committed up to $30,000 over two years for a single award, paid at $15,000 per year pending satisfactory progress. Applicants historically submitted through ProposalCENTRAL for review by a panel drawn from all three partners. CareerOneStop and ARCF listings still surface this grant name even though the public pages now emphasize other respiratory research funds and Alpha-1''s in-cycle postdoctoral, clinical pilot, and research awards. Treat February as the traditional full-application window only after you confirm an open announcement on alpha1.org or arcfoundation.org.
What is the Alpha-1 Advanced Degree Clinical Research Training Grant?
Respiratory therapists sit on the front lines of alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency care, yet few funding lines explicitly pay for their graduate training and clinical research at the same time. The Advanced Degree and Clinical Research Training Grant in Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency filled that gap when the Alpha-1 Foundation, the American Association for Respiratory Care, and the American Respiratory Care Foundation pooled resources for a single nationwide awardee.
The published objective was straightforward: give an RT who is already in a master''s or doctoral program enough support to finish the degree while producing translational work that improves AATD diagnosis, treatment, or patient outcomes. Dollars were modest compared with multi-hundred-thousand-dollar NIH projects, but $15,000 per year for two years could cover research supplies, protected time, or tuition gaps that otherwise stall clinician-scientist careers.
Federal scholarship databases still surface the grant under arcfoundation.org keywords even though the partners have rotated their public grant menus toward other respiratory research prizes and Alpha-1 Foundation''s own in-cycle competitions. That means your first step is always verification. Download the current instructions on alpha1.org, confirm ProposalCENTRAL is accepting this specific opportunity, and only then build a proposal around your graduate program timeline.
If the training grant stays closed, the same research questions may fit Alpha-1 Foundation clinical pilot or postdoctoral RFAs, or ARCF vision grants when respiratory therapists document clinical and economic impact. The training grant remains worth understanding because it shows how the AATD community wants RT leaders trained: credentialed clinicians who can translate bench insights into bedside protocols and who stay active in AARC leadership after the award ends.
Eligibility
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✓Respiratory therapist in an advanced degree programHistorical guidelines targeted credentialed respiratory therapists enrolled in an accredited master's or doctoral program that supports clinical or translational research on alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency.
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✓AATD-focused research planProposals had to address clinical or translational questions relevant to AATD diagnosis, management, or outcomes. Basic science-only projects without a clear clinical link were outside the training grant's purpose.
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✓AARC and respiratory care community tiesBecause AARC and ARCF co-funded the award, applicants typically held active AARC membership and demonstrated commitment to advancing respiratory care through research leadership.
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✓Institutional support for graduate researchYour graduate program and clinical site needed to endorse protected time for coursework, patient-oriented research, and reporting required by the funding partners.
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✓U.S. eligibility and complianceApplicants worked at U.S. institutions able to accept grant funds and meet Alpha-1 Foundation administrative requirements, including signed release forms for public announcements when funded.
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✓Single award competitionOnly one training grant was funded per cycle when the programme ran, so the review bar emphasized scientific merit and career development impact for the respiratory therapy profession.
Benefits
- Total award $30,000 over two years
- Annual payment $15,000 per year
- Number of grants One award per cycle (historical)
- Career development Graduate degree + AATD research
- Tuition and fees Not a full tuition scholarship
- International travel Not covered unless in approved budget
Document checklist
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✓ProposalCENTRAL online applicationWhen the funding opportunity is open, complete every field in the Alpha-1 Foundation grant portal on ProposalCENTRAL (GMID varies by cycle). Incomplete files are not reviewed.
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✓Research and training proposalDescribe AATD-related aims, methods, mentorship, and how the graduate degree integrates with your clinical research timeline. Follow page limits in the active instructions PDF.
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✓Curriculum vitae or biosketchList RT credentials, graduate enrollment, prior publications, presentations, and any prior AATD or lung-disease research experience.
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✓Letters of supportProvide mentor and institutional letters confirming laboratory or clinical access, supervision, and agreement to Alpha-1 Foundation reporting rules.
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✓Progress reporting commitmentsFunded trainees submit annual and final progress reports. Budget justifications should align with the $15,000 per year cap in historical cycles.
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✓Signed institutional release formsAfter selection, the applicant institution completes release paperwork so the partners may announce the award on their websites.
How to apply
Deadline and timeline
FAQ
What is the Alpha-1 advanced degree clinical research training grant?
It is a jointly funded training grant that helped respiratory therapists pay for graduate study while conducting clinical or translational research on alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency. The Alpha-1 Foundation, AARC, and ARCF historically shared up to $30,000 over two years for one recipient.
How much is the Alpha-1 clinical research training grant?
Published cycles committed $30,000 total, paid as $15,000 per year for two years. Subsequent funding after year one depended on satisfactory progress reports.
Who is eligible for the Alpha-1 training grant?
The award targeted respiratory therapists pursuing master's-level or higher degrees who proposed AATD-focused clinical or translational research with strong institutional mentorship. Exact citizenship rules appear in the active instructions when the programme reopens.
Where do you apply for the Alpha-1 clinical research training grant?
Applications historically went through ProposalCENTRAL on the Alpha-1 Foundation grant site. Start at alpha1.org/grant-opportunities for the current GMID and instructions.
When is the Alpha-1 training grant deadline?
The 2015-2016 cycle listed a full application due date of February 19 with a November launch. Future cycles may shift dates, so download the current PDF before you plan backward from February.
Is the Alpha-1 training grant the same as Alpha-1 postdoctoral fellowships?
No. Alpha-1 Foundation postdoctoral grants support PhD-level fellows in mentor labs with different funding caps and LOI deadlines. The training grant specifically paired RT graduate education with AATD clinical research.
Does ARCF still list this Alpha-1 grant?
CareerOneStop and older ARCF materials reference the Advanced Degree and Clinical Research Training Grant in Alpha-1. ARCF's live site now highlights other respiratory research awards, so verify status on alpha1.org before applying.
Can respiratory therapists apply to other Alpha-1 Foundation grants?
Yes. Alpha-1 Foundation runs clinical pilot, research, postdoctoral, and career development competitions on its own calendar. Read each RFA to see whether RT-led projects qualify.
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