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A World Without Headache™

National Headache Foundation Research

2024-2025 Call for Research Proposals

The National Headache Foundation supports research in the field of headache and pain as part of our mission, which also includes offering education and information to people living with migraine disease and headache disorders.

The NHF has provided more than $2 million in 215 research grants to physicians and scientists working in the field of headache medicine. These research studies have resulted in more than $10 million of subsequent funding from the National Institutes of Health.

Research Proposals

RFPs for the current research cycle are now closed.  If you would like to be notified when the new cycle is announced, please leave an email with your contact information at: [email protected]

Once the next RFP cycle is announced, for your planning purposes: 

Experienced researchers and research organizations will be encouraged to  apply for an award by describing a worthy project in 12 type-written pages or less, including a description of the project, methods, statistical plan, key personnel to be involved, and a proposed budget detailing how the funds will be used to complete said project in a timely fashion. Brief letters of support from collaborators and biosketches of key personnel will be accepted as supplemental documents to the proposal and will not count towards the 12-page limit. The actual number and amounts of awards granted will all be at the discretion of the research committee whose decisions are final.

Note:  Include with proposal should also be details about the contracting process with your organization and/or institution, and the expected turnaround timeline for execution of contract from notification of award grant announcement.

Preference will be given to proposals for projects which:

  • Preference will be given to proposals for projects which:

    • Can be completed in one to two years or less.
    • Propose research which is patient-centric and includes patient input into design.
    • Emphasizes and leads to results which could have real world application for headache sufferers in the near-term.
    • Have potential or plans for supplemental, matching, sustainable, or in-kind funding sources.
    • Provide answers or solutions to real-world problems dealing with access to care, implementation of innovations in headache management, or develop new ways of understanding the plight of those who suffer from severe headache disorders.
    • Involve development or utilization of novel measures of patient reported outcomes, especially for interventions and endpoints important to patients.

Decision regarding the award will be made by the NHF Research Committee after review of all proposals by its members.  The awards will be determined by majority vote of the committee members and the decision will be final. Should the proposals received not meet approval of the committee, the funding will be carried over to the next funding cycle.

Inquiries, questions, or comments should be submitted by email to the Research Committee Chair, Dr Timothy R Smith @ [email protected]. Otherwise proposals received in complete form as described above by 5:00pm (CST) on the final day of each cycle will be considered for awards as long as funding remains available.

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