THE MCKNIGHT ENDOWMENT FUND FOR NEUROSCIENCE
Guidelines for the
McKnight Scholar Awards
The McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience supports innovative research designed to bring science closer to
the day when diseases of the brain and behavior can be accurately diagnosed, prevented, and treated.
The Endowment Fund, an independent charitable organization established by The McKnight Foundation, carries out
one of the intentions of William L. McKnight (1887-1979), who created the Foundation. His personal interest in
memory and its diseases led him to set aside part of his legacy to bring hope to those suffering from brain injury or
disease and cognitive impairment. In 1986, after 10 years of supporting investigators at different levels of
neuroscience research, the Foundation made a permanent commitment to supporting fundamental research in
neuroscience by establishing The McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience.
The McKnight Scholar Award program gives promising young investigators in the early stages of an independent
research career the opportunity for scientific development on important problems in brain science. Traditionally,
successful candidates have held faculty positions for at least one year.
The intent of the program is to support the commitment by a young scientist to a career of distinguished research that
may exert a major influence on the study of the brain. Applicants for the McKnight Scholar Awards must demonstrate
interest in solving problems in relevant areas of neuroscience, including the translation of basic research to clinical
research. The McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience supports up to 18 investigators annually through the
Scholar Awards.
Up to six McKnight Scholars each will receive three years of support, beginning July 1, 2015.
Eligibility. Applicants must have:

An M.D. and/or Ph.D. degree and have completed formal postdoctoral training;

tenure-track status at a U.S.-based sponsoring institution, to which awards will be paid;

a record of meritorious research in areas pertinent to the interests of the Endowment Fund;

no more than four years of experience in an independent/tenure-track faculty position (exceptions may be
made to account for parental leave);

evidence of a commitment to a career in neuroscience; and

evidence that the sponsoring institution has received government approval for the applicant to work in the U.S.
Applicants may not:

Be employees of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute or scientists within the intramural program of the National
Institutes of Health;

apply in more than two rounds of competition;

apply for continued postdoctoral support;

be tenured already; or

hold another McKnight award.
Stipend and Expense Allowance. Scholars will receive $75,000 annually in 2015, 2016, and 2017, subject to an
annual review of research progress. The sponsoring institution is responsible for fiscal management. The award does
not provide institutional overhead or indirect costs.
Filing of Scholar Award Application. Please email one PDF of the completed application to neuro@mcknight.org
(references will be submitted separately). If you do not receive confirmation of receipt within a week of submission,
please call Eileen Maler at 612-333-4220.
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Applications are considered complete only when they include all of the following (please ensure that all parts of
the application are in the order outlined below):
1. Completed face sheet.
2. Bibliography, including a list of all professional publications. Please list abstracts separately, but include
accepted manuscripts.
3. Description of the proposed research program: applicants should propose experiments based on their best
work. The proposal should be introduced with an abstract of 200 words or less, followed by a detailed
statement of plans for the three-year research program. The applicant does not have to submit a proposal
based on a totally new line of research, but the project should not be identical to projects supported by other
funders. The proposal (narrative and figures) should not exceed six numbered, single-spaced pages and be in
12-point font with one-inch margins. References should not be included in the 6-page limit.
4. Proposed budget: the applicant should indicate how he or she proposes to use the McKnight Scholar Award
funds ($225,000 paid in equal installments in July 2015, 2016, 2017), such as which portion might be used for
salary, equipment, supplies, animal procurement, etc. Please limit the line item “other” expenses to 15% of
the $75,000 annual budget and include budgets for each year (not a cumulative budget). The budget must be
in column/dollar amount formats; no narrative budgets will be accepted. Funds cannot be used for overhead
or indirect costs.
5. Statement from responsible financial officer at sponsoring institution (1-page - form attached).
6. Supporting information from applicant’s chairperson at sponsoring institution (2-pages - form attached).
If the proposed research involves human or animal subjects, the sponsoring institution should attest that
such experimentation has passed review by the appropriate institutional committees.
7. Copies of five recent reprints.
Email ONE PDF of entire application (except references) by January 7, 2015 to: neuro@mcknight.org; if you do
not receive confirmation of submission within one week, please contact Eileen Maler at 612-333-4220. Applications
and references must arrive no later than 12:00 midnight on Wednesday, January 7, 2015 (applicant’s time zone
- includes all day Wednesday). Incomplete or late applications will not be considered. To avoid error and omission
due to hasty preparation, it is crucial that the applications be prepared and letters of reference be requested well before
the deadline.
Applications will not be considered complete without references:
Four references from former teachers, supervisors, or senior colleagues are required. All letters of recommendation
from those listed as references on the face sheet of the application are confidential and are not to be submitted by the
applicant with the application form. All letters of recommendation are due Wednesday, January 7, 2015. Please
forward these instructions to your four references:
The McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience awards Scholar Awards to young applicants with an M.D. and/or
Ph.D. degree who have completed formal postdoctoral training and who are seeking to embark on an independent
research career in the neurosciences. We would appreciate your candid comments on the applicant’s training and
research accomplishments and on the applicant’s potential as an independent investigator in the neurosciences. There is
no specific format for the letter. Please email a PDF of your reference letter by January 7, 2015 to
neuro@mcknight.org. Please indicate clearly who you are recommending and include your name and institution.
Your comments will be helpful to the McKnight Scholar Awards Review Committee and will be held in strict confidence.
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Procedures for Review of Applications and Notification of Awards. Applications are evaluated in accordance with
the objectives of The McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience. The McKnight Scholar Awards Selection
Committee will review the applications and select a limited number of applicants to be interviewed. Applicants
selected will be notified by Friday, March 27, 2015. The interviews are scheduled for Friday, April 24, 2015 in
New York City or San Francisco. The committee will make its final selection from those interviewed, subject to
approval by the Board of Directors of the Endowment Fund, and awards will be announced by May 15, 2015.
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1. Face Sheet
THE MCKNIGHT ENDOWMENT FUND FOR NEUROSCIENCE
APPLICATION FOR THE MCKNIGHT SCHOLAR AWARDS
Please print or type and fill in all fields; can go beyond form pages
Name
(last)
(M.D. and/or Ph.D.)
(first)
(middle initial)
Date of Birth
Title of Project
Academic Institution, Department, Academic
Position
U.S. mail address
Contact Information
(email address)
(telephone number)
(fax number)
How did you hear about the McKnight Award?  Email Announcement SFN Meeting  Colleague 
Other ___________________________________________________________________________________
EDUCATION AND RESEARCH EXPERIENCE (starting with your undergraduate education, please account
for all years of your education and research training up until the present)
Institution
Advisor or Sponsor
(where applicable)
Degree or Position
(where applicable)
Inclusive Dates
___________________________________________________________________________________________
HONORS AND AWARDS
FUNDING (list all sources of support, including any institutional commitment to your research)
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Present
Pending or to be Submitted
REFERENCES (from four of your former teachers, supervisors, or senior colleagues who know you well)
Name
Title
Address
1.
2.
3.
4.
Signature of Applicant
(date)
2. Insert Bibliography
3. Insert Proposal
4. Insert Budget
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5. Statement of Responsible Officer of Sponsoring Institution
Applicant’s Name
(last)
(first)
(middle initial)
Sponsoring Institution
Responsible Financial Officer
(typewritten or printed)
Email of Responsible
Financial Officer
(typewritten or printed)
Title
Department:
U.S. mail address:
Signature
(date)
The statement from the responsible financial officer should indicate approval of applicant’s proposed use of
McKnight Scholar Award support and agreement by the sponsoring institution to administer the award.
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6. Supporting Information From Chairperson At Sponsoring Institution
Applicant’s Name
(last)
(first)
(middle initial)
Sponsoring Institution
Department
Address:
Name and Title of Chairperson:
Nam
Title
Signature
(date)
PLEASE USE AS MUCH SPACE AS YOU NEED
1.
Does the applicant’s proposed experimentation involve human and/or animal subjects?
2.
If the answer to question 1 is “yes,” has the proposed experimentation been submitted to and passed the review
of the appropriate institutional committee(s)?
3.
What is the title and nature of the applicant’s appointment at your institution?
4.
When did/does the applicant’s appointment begin?
5.
How many years has the applicant been in this appointment, and what happens next?
6.
Please confirm that this is a tenure-track position and indicate when the applicant will be considered for tenure.
7.
Who pays the applicant’s salary? (If there is more than one source, be specific.)
8.
What are the applicant’s teaching responsibilities?
9.
What sort of startup money and other institutional support has been provided to the applicant?
10. What sort of space and facilities have you provided to the applicant?
11. Is there anything we should know about your institution’s commitment to this applicant, or the applicant’s
research environment?
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