The Alzheimer's Association International Research Grant Program lies at the heart of our commitment to advance Alzheimer's research. Since awarding our first grants in 1982, the Association has grown into the largest private, nonprofit funder of Alzheimer's research. The Association currently has more than $360 million invested in over 1,000 active projects in 53 countries, spanning six continents.

Our program

The Alzheimer's Association International Research Grant Program funds investigations that advance our understanding of Alzheimer's disease, help identify new treatment strategies, provide information to improve care for people with dementia, and further our knowledge of brain health and disease prevention. Our awards support investigators at every professional stage and always include categories specifically designed to help talented young scientists establish careers in Alzheimer's research. Our entire grant portfolio is structured to meet the needs of the field and to nurture fresh ideas. Learn more about the types of grants we fund. 

The Association works to identify and fund a wide range of the most promising projects, from basic discovery science to studies addressing social and behavioral aspects of Alzheimer's - and related dementias. The studies we've invested have enabled significant advances across the research spectrum in such areas as diagnosis, genetics, treatments, prevention, early detection and enhancing quality of life.

For people living with Alzheimer's, every discovery offers new hope. Our grants program is a vital source of support for the worldwide scientific effort to build our knowledge base and conquer this complex disease.

Recently funded Alzheimer's research areas

Our grants program has funded some of the most important research threads in Alzheimer's science. These areas move the field forward by contributing to knowledge about Alzheimer's, refining research questions, and yielding clues to causes and treatments.

Guiding principles of our grants program

The driving force behind the Alzheimer's Association International Research Grant Program is our desire to improve quality of life for people affected by Alzheimer's. Key goals include:

  • Achieving new insights into discovery science of Alzheimer's and related dementias
  • Using these insights to identify and advance novel approaches to risk assessment, diagnosis, treatment and prevention
  • Improving care and support for those living with the disease
  • Furthering our understanding of brain health and prevention

We seek to:

  • Foster a diverse, inclusive scientific community that meets the needs of researchers at every career stage, with an emphasis on engaging and supporting early career investigators and those new to Alzheimer's and related dementia research.
  • Design a nimble program offering grant programs that evolve to reflect a rapidly accelerating field.
  • Ensure the quality of our funded research through rigorous peer review, supported by the Association's Medical and Scientific Advisory Group.
  • Support all scientifically legitimate avenues of investigation to nurture a robust pipeline of fresh ideas.

Example award letter and conditions of award

Each awarded grant is issued an award letter and conditions of award. Links to examples of our standard award letter and conditions and our Part the Cloud (PTC) award letter and conditions are below. The Association reviews and updates all its policies periodically, including changes to these documents. Programs made in partnership with other organizations may have different award letters and conditions. Please contact grantsapp@alz.org for examples of these. Additionally, some organizations may have previously negotiated modifications to these examples and awardees from these institutions will receive the unique versions for their institution. 
 
Example Standard Award Letter and Conditions*
Example PTC Award Letter and Conditions*

*Note: These are examples. Actual award letter and conditions may differ based on program and institution. The Association reserves the right to update the language within these documents. 
 

Conflict of Interest Policy

The Alzheimer's Association requires all reviewers, committee members and other volunteers in the review process to disclose all potential conflicts of interest and maintain confidentiality of review materials. Everyone participating in grant reviews will need to acknowledge adherence to the Grant Program Policy on Conflicts of Interest prior to being granted access to review materials. Employees of the Alzheimer's Association participating in grant review adhere to a similar internal policy on conflicts of interest and confidentiality. View our Grant Program Policy on Conflicts of Interest.