MGFA Nursing Research Fellowship 2027 - Up to $5,000
The Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America Nursing Research Fellowship is the MGFA award aimed at nurses and nursing students who want to study myasthenia gravis or closely related neuromuscular junction disorders. Long-standing MGFA and Nurses Advisory Board materials describe a stipend of up to $5,000, review by a fellowship committee, and an October 15 submission deadline to the national office. Your proposed question has to connect to MG or related conditions, and you must follow institutional rules on human subjects, animal care where applicable, and inclusion of minorities in study populations. MGFA now routes most grants through Proposal Central, and the public grant-funding page highlights registry, pilot, and postdoctoral programs for 2026. Treat the nursing fellowship as an annual opportunity that may reopen on the same October calendar, and email the research team at myasthenia.org if you do not see a nursing-specific call posted yet.
What is the MGFA Nursing Research Fellowship?
The Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America Nursing Research Fellowship sits in a narrow lane: money for nurses who want to ask clinical questions about myasthenia gravis, not a general nursing scholarship and not a postdoctoral lab grant. MGFA has funded MG science for decades, and the nursing fellowship grew out of its Nurses Advisory Board focus on how RNs and nursing students can improve care for people living with MG and related neuromuscular junction disorders.
If you have seen the number $5,000 in directory listings, that comes from published MGFA nursing fellowship descriptions that cap the stipend there and set an October 15 deadline for mailed or submitted applications. The work itself has to connect to MG or closely related conditions, and reviewers expect you to handle human subjects rules, institutional sponsorship, and a realistic budget like any small research grant.
MGFA's public grant page in 2026 puts more spotlight on registry analytics, high-impact pilot projects, and postdoctoral awards through Proposal Central. The nursing fellowship may not always appear in that same menu even when the foundation still accepts nursing proposals on the historic October calendar. Before you print four copies of anything, read the live grant-funding page and email the research contacts listed there so you know whether the nursing cycle is open this year.
For nurses already hunting smaller research awards, the SNRS Sigma research grant guide covers another $5,000 pilot path with dual society membership, and the Feeding Hope clinical research grant guide shows how disease foundations structure competitive RFAs. MGFA remains the right home when your question starts with MG patients on a nursing unit or in outpatient neurology follow-up.
Eligibility
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✓Professional nurse or nursing studentPublished MGFA nursing fellowship descriptions require applicants to be registered nurses or students in an accredited nursing program at the time of application.
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✓Research tied to MG or related conditionsThe study question must address myasthenia gravis or related neuromuscular conditions that matter to MG patients, not a generic nursing topic with no MG link.
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✓Human subjects and ethics complianceIf the project involves people, you need IRB or ethics committee approval or a credible plan to obtain it, plus any required human subjects assurance numbers on the application.
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✓Institutional sponsorshipApplications are submitted with your sponsoring school or clinical institution, and that site must agree to administer the award if you are selected.
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✓No double funding without disclosureYou must report other funding sources for the same work on the budget form. MGFA expects transparency about overlapping support.
Benefits
- Stipend Up to $5,000
- Research scope MG and related neuromuscular nursing questions
- Award type Competitive fellowship, not tuition remission
- Indirect costs Not described in legacy nursing materials
- Salary support Not covered
- Room and board Not covered
Document checklist
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✓Cover letter to MGFAA brief letter introducing you, your institution, and the nursing research question you propose for MG or related neuromuscular care.
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✓Completed MGFA nursing fellowship application formHistorical packets ask for four copies of the form plus the cover letter mailed or submitted as MGFA instructs for the active cycle. Download the current form from MGFA or request it from the research office.
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✓Project narrative and timelineState aims, methods, sample, start and finish dates, and how the work advances nursing knowledge for MG patients.
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✓Budget for up to $5,000Itemize direct research costs within the published cap. Attach a justification for each major line.
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✓IRB or ethics documentationIf human subjects are involved, include consent forms and IRB approval or a letter showing review is in progress. Exempt studies need a short explanation.
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✓CV and training recordList nursing degrees, clinical training, positions, honors, and prior research experience in chronological order as the form requests.
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✓Institutional endorsementYour sponsoring institution should confirm it can receive and manage the award and that you meet its internal research policies.
How to apply
Deadline and timeline
FAQ
What is the MGFA Nursing Research Fellowship?
It is a Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America award for nurses and nursing students who propose research on problems encountered by people with myasthenia gravis or related neuromuscular conditions. MGFA and reference directories describe a stipend of up to $5,000 and review by a fellowship committee rather than a tuition scholarship.
How much does the MGFA nursing fellowship pay?
Published descriptions cap the stipend at $5,000 for the proposed research project. That money supports direct research costs tied to the approved nursing study, not a full salary or degree tuition.
When is the MGFA Nursing Research Fellowship deadline?
Historical MGFA and Nurses Advisory Board materials use October 15 as the annual deadline, with the packet sent to the MGFA national office. Because MGFA now lists other 2026 grants on Proposal Central, check myasthenia.org or email the research team to confirm the nursing deadline before you submit.
Who can apply for the MGFA nursing research award?
Registered nurses and nursing students who can show a credible plan to study MG or related neuromuscular conditions. You need institutional sponsorship, ethics compliance for human subjects research, and a budget that fits the published cap.
Does MGFA still offer the nursing fellowship in 2026?
MGFA actively funds registry, pilot, postdoctoral, and clinician-scientist awards on its public grant page, while the nursing fellowship appears mainly in longstanding program descriptions. That does not mean the nursing award is gone forever, but you should verify the current cycle with MGFA rather than assuming an October 15 submission without a posted call.
Can nursing students apply if they are not RNs yet?
Reference materials describe both professional nurses and nursing students as eligible. If you are pre-licensure, explain your clinical training stage and how your faculty sponsor will oversee the project.
How is this different from the Jackie McSpadden Post-Doctoral Fellowship?
The McSpadden award targets postdoctoral investigators with MD or PhD training for translational MG research, often at much larger dollar amounts. The nursing fellowship is the MGFA path for nursing-led studies, historically capped around $5,000 for nurses and nursing students.
Where should I send my MGFA nursing application?
Legacy instructions direct four copies to the MGFA chief executive at the national office. Current MGFA grants may use Proposal Central instead. Follow the submission path in the active nursing announcement, or contact research staff at myasthenia.org for the correct portal or mailing address.
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