IBRO Parenthood Grants

Pregnancy, parental leave, and adoption leave often coincide with a busy time in researchers’ lives. The challenges researchers may face in maintaining continuity in their research can sometimes result in a perceived reduction in competitiveness in terms of producing results, publishing papers and obtaining grants. By supporting early career researchers, the grant seeks to empower them to navigate the balance between personal situations and their successful scientific endeavors.

The IBRO Parenthood Grant aims to counter any disadvantage by providing funds that can be used to cover research-related expenses such as reagents, facility costs, outsourcing experiments or data acquisition, transportation of non-commercial samples or reagents. In addition, funds can be used for travel and child-care expenses to attend a conference, or for grant writing or consultation services.

• Applicants should be early career principal investigators (maximum 7 years in this role).
  • Any extended breaks from research (e.g. previous maternity or adoption leave) are accepted and should be justified in the application.
• Applicants must have at least one published, peer-reviewed paper in at least the capacity of the corresponding author.
• Applicants or their partner must either
  • be pregnant (at least 4 months),
  • have given birth in the last four months before the grant application deadline, or
  • be close to adoption, assuming the role of the primary caregiver.

Please note that the IBRO Parenthood Grants program accepts applications twice per year. The next round of applications will open on July 1, 2026.

• The proposed projects should be completed in a maximum of one year from the proposed project start date.
• The required grant report should be submitted no later than 3 months following the conclusion of the proposed project.

Funds will be transferred according to an 80:20 format. This means that 80% of the grant will be awarded two months prior to the start date of the project, whereas the remaining 20% will be processed upon completion of the project and submission of the required grant report. The funds can be transferred to an account in grantee’s name, that of their institution or of someone else directly involved with the grant, i.e. their departmental Chair. Depending on the situation, exceptions could be made.

Maximum Grant Amounts

The maximum grant amount an applicant can request varies based on the region where they reside and is determined by the corresponding IBRO Regional Committee. Please note the specific amounts below:

Africa: 3000 USD
Asia-Pacific : 2000 USD
Latin America region: 2500 USD
Pan Europe: 4000 USD
US/Canada: 3000 USD

Application Form

The application form asks for the following information:

• Applicant Details: A brief description of the applicant’s academic background and current research focus
• Grants Received: A list of grants that you have received, including IBRO grants
• Research Proposal: A detailed description of the research project for which you request IBRO support
• Motivation and Impact Statement: A comprehensive explanation of your motivation in applying for this program and the impact of the requested funds to your research project and laboratory
• Budget Request: A detailed budget breakdown, specifying the proposed items to be funded by IBRO
• Curriculum Vitae (CV): A copy of the applicant’s CV
• Confirmation of independent Principal Investigator status: Signed and dated letter your institution of affiliation confirming your PI role
• Confirmation of pregnancy, birth, or adoption: Official letter confirming your pregnancy, birth, or adoption
• Terms and conditions: Agreeing with terms and conditions as stipulated in the IBRO Privacy Policy and payment guidelines

Evaluation Criteria

The submitted applications will be assessed based on the following evaluation criteria:

• Eligibility Criteria: All eligibility criteria stated in this call for applications are met
• Scientific Credentials: Strong academic and publication record, relevant work experience, and demonstrated progress-to-date
• Quality of Research Proposal: The proposed research reflects a high standard of work in a significant research area, with clear aims, objectives, and a structured plan
• Justification by Applicant: Clear justification of the impact this award will have on their scientific progress
• Support Request: Sufficiently detailed request and clear plan of how the funds will be spent

• Create an applicant account here.
• Refer to the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for any inquiries.
• For technical issues with the site, submit a customer support request form.

Please submit your application using the link which appears in the “key information” box at the top of the page, accessible during the application period.

Please note you will be redirected to the IBRO Grants Portal

For any queries, please contact the IBRO programs team.