The International Brain Research Organization (IBRO) and the Dana Foundation are offering Brain Awareness Week grants of up to USD 1,250 for outreach and awareness events held during 2027. Applications are open until 15 October 2026.
Brain Awareness Week is the global campaign to build public enthusiasm and support for brain science. Activities can include outreach to local schools, setting up advocacy groups, and events aimed at policymakers and the media. For researchers, it is a chance to show a community why neuroscience matters, reaching people of all ages and backgrounds, and a useful first step into public engagement.
The grants are aimed particularly at regions where resources, support and public understanding of the brain are limited. IBRO especially welcomes interdisciplinary projects that connect neuroscience with society and open up conversations about the ethical, legal and societal implications of brain research, not only its benefits.
Who can apply?
- Events can take place anywhere outside Europe. This call covers Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the US and Canada.
- Events must be held in 2027. They do not have to fall during the official Brain Awareness Week, but they must align with and promote the global campaign.
Organising an event in the UK or elsewhere in Europe? This call is not for you. Apply instead through the dedicated FENS/Dana Brain Awareness Week Grants.
What the grant covers
The maximum award is USD 1,250. Overheads and speaker salaries or honoraria are not eligible costs.
Activities should reflect the diversity and inclusion values set out in the ALBA Network guidelines for organising a diverse conference and its inclusive forms for gender and sexual diversity, and should follow IBRO’s visibility guidelines. The Dana Foundation also has resources to help plan your outreach.
What to include in your application
- Hosting organisation: its mission, objectives and member distribution (national or regional).
- Event description: dates, venue, any history of past events, the brain awareness needs of the local community, and the target audience.
- Funded activity and budget: exactly what the grant would pay for, with a full budget.
- Visibility: how IBRO and the Dana Foundation will be promoted before and during the event.
- CVs of the main organisers.
- Supporting documents such as a provisional programme or speaker list.
- Diversity and inclusion: how you will ensure gender and geographical diversity among participants and speakers.
- Terms and conditions: acceptance of the terms on data sharing, economic sanctions and publicity.
How applications are judged
Reviewers look at the organiser’s background and its relevance to the activity, how well the event fits the aims of Brain Awareness Week, its likely impact in the region, and whether the budget and logistics are eligible and feasible.
Payment and reporting
Grants are paid 80:20. Eighty per cent arrives two months before the event, and the remaining 20% follows once the report is submitted through the IBRO Grants Portal, which must be done within three months of the event ending.
How to apply
Apply through the IBRO Grants Portal. First-time users will need to create an account. For questions about the scheme, contact the IBRO programmes team.
Visit funding web page
(https://ibro.org/grant/brain-awareness-week-grants/)
