Open Proposal Program – Accepting Applications

The Neurofibromatosis Therapeutic Acceleration Program (NTAP) is pleased to announce updates to the Open Proposal Grant Program—designed to accelerate the development of effective therapies for NF1-associated peripheral nerve sheath tumors, including cutaneous (cNF), plexiform (pNF), and atypical neurofibromas (aNF/ANNUBP).

New Funding Cycle Timeline

The program now offers two competitive funding cycles annually:

Cycle I: LOI due March 31 → Full application April 30 → Decisions by July 20 → Project start by December 1

Cycle II: LOI due July 31 → Full application August 31 → Decisions by November 20 → Project start by April 1.

This structured timeline supports rapid and predictable review and funding of high-impact, translational research proposals aligned with NTAP’s mission.

Funding Approach  

NTAP has allocated funds for Open Proposal awards that may be distributed across multiple small projects, mid-sized awards, or a single larger initiative.  

Projects are supported through a milestone- and deliverable-based model, ensuring accountability and progress toward clinical translation. Indirect costs are capped at 10% of direct costs, and investigator salaries are supported in line with NIH salary cap guidelines.

Addressing Key Gaps

The updated program emphasizes high-impact, translational research addressing key gaps, including:

• Therapeutic target identification and validation for NF1 associated cNF, pNF, and aNF/ANNUBP
• Prevention of tumor development and malignant progression
• cNF, pNF and aNF/ANNUBP mechanisms and pathogenesis studies
• IND-enabling and early translational drug development for therapies targeting cNF, pNF and aNF/ANNUBP
• Early detection and diagnostic technologies
• AI-driven biomarker discovery (imaging, genomic, and circulating data)
• Population science and real-world outcomes related to cNF, pNF and aNF/ANNUBP
• Symptom management, including pain or neurologic symptoms 

NTAP prioritizes proposals that move beyond basic discovery to demonstrate a clear path toward clinical application, particularly those leveraging novel biology, next-generation therapies, and well rationalized combination strategies.

Apply

Investigators worldwide are encouraged to apply with bold, collaborative ideas that can accelerate therapeutic breakthroughs for NF1 patients. The Proposal Central Portal is open for the July 31 Letters of Intent.  Please review the guidelines for the details about what is required for the LOI and how they will be assessed. 

The Open Proposal Program remains a cornerstone of NTAP’s mission to turn scientific discovery into meaningful clinical impact, and we are grateful for the opportunity to partner with great scientists through this mechanism to achieve this goal. 

Open Proposal Program Details