The application cycle for the fifth annual a2 Pilot Awards will proceed as follows:
1. Round 1 applications will be accepted until 5 p.m. ET on Jan. 15, 2025.
2. Those who are invited to submit a Round 2 application will receive notification by Feb. 19, 2025. Applicants who are not invited to complete a Round 2 application will also receive direct notification.
3. Invited Round 2 applications will be accepted until 5 p.m. ET on March 31, 2025.
4. AITCs will select finalists and notify all Round 2 applicants of results in mid-May 2025. With AITC guidance, finalists will then complete and submit formal grant application packets for NIA review.
5. NIA formal award notification is expected in summer 2025.
6. Projects are expected to begin in fall 2025.
In accordance with NIH guidelines, permission is not granted in advance for submission of a late application and late applications are accepted only in extenuating circumstances. Applicants who wish to submit a late application with appropriate justification within 1 week of the stated application deadline should contact support@a2collective.ai when they are ready to submit the application to request temporary access to the application portal to complete and submit the late application. Submission of the entire application and a cover letter explaining the reasons for the delay must be completed by no later than 1 week following the original deadline. Acceptance of late submissions is not guaranteed, but will be determined on an individual basis with reference to the reasons provided.
Applicants who wish to submit a late application should reference the PDF preview of the relevant application form provided in the Resources section of the a2 Pilot Awards website to ensure all application responses and required documents for upload are compiled in advance of requesting temporary access to the application portal to complete and submit the late application.
Prospective applicants can view PDFs of the Round 1 and Round 2 applications in our Applicant Resources section. To begin a Round 1 application submission, please click the Apply button here. Round 1 applications for the fifth annual a2 Pilot Awards will be accepted from Dec. 2, 2024, to Jan. 15, 2025. Round 2 applications will be accepted (from invited applicants only) from Feb. 19, 2025, to March 31, 2025. Applications must be submitted by 5 p.m. ET on the stated deadline.
Yes. Applicants must indicate their preferred AITC as part of their application submission and are strongly encouraged to research the AITCs and their resources to help determine the best fit. Typically, only the AITC to which a given application is submitted will consider that application for potential funding. In select cases, an AITC may release a meritorious application it does not wish to advance for review and potential funding consideration by other AITCs.
Although not required, applicants are encouraged to reach out to their AITC of choice to discuss their project and AITC resources of interest in order to assess feasibility and application readiness. AITCs can also provide support related to questions about previous a2 Pilot Awards applications, budgetary information for the use of AITC resources, and potential collaborations. Reaching out to the AITC as early as possible in the application process is strongly recommended.
Prospective applicants can reach JH AITC at jhu-aitc@jh.edu, MassAITC at massaitc@umass.edu, and PennAITech at pennaitech@nursing.upenn.edu. Contacting AITCs through these designated channels, rather than reaching out to AITC investigators directly, is strongly recommended to ensure timely review of inquiries.
Round 2 applicants who are interested in leveraging AITC research facilities or services in their projects should arrange those relationships during the application process by contacting the AITC and allocating funds in the project budget.
Yes. An applicant can propose multiple unique pilot projects by submitting a separate application for each project, whether to one or multiple AITCs. Simultaneous submission of overlapping (i.e., substantively similar) pilot projects in a single competition cycle, whether to one AITC or to multiple AITCs, is not permitted. Violation of this policy will result in disqualification of one or more of the applications.
Yes. The Round 2 application can expand on or modify the material presented in the Round 1 application, including in response to AITC feedback on the Round 1 application. Applicants are encouraged to discuss any significant changes to project scope, budget, or key collaborators with the AITC during the Round 2 application process.
For questions about the application or any resources provided on this website, please contact support@a2collective.ai. For questions about individual AITC resources, a specific project’s fit with AITC emphases, or a prior a2 Pilot Awards application, please contact the AITC of interest directly.
Prospective applicants can reach JH AITC at jhu-aitc@jh.edu, MassAITC at massaitc@umass.edu, and PennAITech at pennaitech@nursing.upenn.edu. Contacting AITCs through these designated channels, rather than reaching out to AITC investigators directly, is strongly recommended to ensure timely review of inquiries.
