Current funding opportunities

Here are the most recent rare diseases funding opportunities identified by RARE.Qc:

• North American Spine Society (NASS) Research Grants 

  • This initiative supports research in spine-related basic, clinical, and translational domains. It encompasses fundamental studies on disease mechanisms, clinical evaluations of treatments and outcomes, and the translation of lab discoveries to human trials, focusing on spinal cord diseases and injuries.
  • Amount: Range between $20,000-$40,000 per year.
  • Next deadline : Letter of proposal deadline : February 9, 2026

• CIHR Operating Grant : Advancing 2S/LGBTQI+ Health Through Research

  • The overall purpose of this funding opportunity is to advance, strengthen, and enhance inter-disciplinary, high-impact, and community-engaged health research that addresses the health priorities of 2S/LGBTQI+ individuals and communities in Canada.
  • Amount : 700,000 CAD for 4 years
  • Next deadline : LOI Deadline: February 11, 2026

• ERDERA 2026 Joint Transnational call
  • • “Resolving unsolved cases in rare genetic and non‑genetic diseases through variant validation and new technological approaches”. The call will welcome proposals focused on providing diagnostic clarity in unsolved rare genetic and non‑genetic diseases.
    • Next deadline: Pre-proposal deadline: February 12, 2026

• Brain Canada Foundation and Heart & Stroke Personnel Awards for Indigenous Scholars

  • Heart and/or brain health research encompasses research addressing conditions, including neurological, that affect the cardiovascular and/or cerebrovascular health of people living in Canada. This could include research focused on prevention, treatment, and/or recovery related to heart conditions, stroke, vascular cognitive impairment, and mental health in relation to these conditions.
  • Amount : Master’s Personnel Awards : up to $54,000 CAD, Doctoral Personnel Awards: up to $120,000 CAD
  • Next deadline : Application deadline : February 12, 2026

• Brain Canada Foundation and Heart & Stroke Personnel Awards for Black Scholars

  • Heart and/or brain health research encompasses research addressing conditions, including neurological, that affect the cardiovascular and/or cerebrovascular health of people living in Canada. This could include research focused on prevention, treatment, and/or recovery related to heart conditions, stroke, vascular cognitive impairment, and mental health in relation to these conditions.
  • Amount : Master’s Personnel Awards : up to $54,000 CAD, Doctoral Personnel Awards: up to $120,000 CAD
  • Next deadline : Application deadline : February 12, 2026

• Prix Alnylam Pharmaceuticals 2026 « ARN interférent & maladies rares »

  • Le prix récompensera un projet de recherche innovant dans le domaine des maladies rares et
    portant sur l’un des thèmes suivants :
    • Recherche translationnelle développant une approche d’ARN interférence et utilisant
    un modèle animal ou cellulaire,
    • Vectorisation innovante d’ARN interférents ciblant un organe ou un tissu.
  • Amount : 20 000 €
  • Next deadline: Application deadline : February 12, 2026 

• E-Rare-7 Joint Transnational Call

  • This initiative supports collaborative research on the natural history of rare diseases, aiming to improve diagnosis and treatment. Projects should focus on single or grouped rare diseases, fostering interdisciplinary teams across Canada and Europe to enhance patient outcomes.
  • Amount : The total amount available for this funding opportunity is CAD 1,800,000, enough to fund approximately 4 grants from all Canadian funding sources. This amount may increase if additional funding partners participate. The maximum amount per grant is CAD 150,000 per year for up to 3 years, for a total of CAD 450,000 per grant.
  • Next deadline : Anticipated preliminary proposal deadline : February 15, 2026

• Lupus Research Alliance 2026 Translational Bridge Award

  • Provide funding to bridge the gap between post-discovery and pre-commercial development and to accelerate the pace at which promising research discoveries are translated into clinical evaluation and transitioned into viable products that directly impact patients. All projects should advance potential commercial entities or clinical products with clear and direct relevance to people with lupus and the potential to improve diagnosis or the standard of care for the disease, or to usher in a cure. These can include a range of technologies, therapies, interventions, and diagnostics.
  • Amount : Up to $450,000 for up to 2 years
  • Next deadline : Application Deadline: February 17, 2026

• Stem Cell Network 2026 Summer Studentships

  • Support excellent senior undergraduate students to undertake stem cells and regenerative medicine research between May and August 2026 at a Canadian academic institution. Undergraduate students who have completed their third year of undergraduate studies will be prioritized for this award. This support is intended to help recruit and retain highly promising undergraduate students into the field of stem cells and regenerative medicine.
  • Amount : SCN will provide $5,000 to supplement the cost of a summer studentship.
  • Next deadline: Application Deadline: February 26, 2026

• Mitacs and Stem Cell Network Industry-Based Internship Program 2026-2027

  • Support the brightest graduate students and postdoctoral fellows conducting research in regenerative medicine. These interns will share their time (eight months) between academic institutions and companies, to power life-saving therapies and technologies through regenerative medicine research for the benefit of all.
  • Amount: $30,000 CAD, for two four-month terms, fully funded by both Mitacs and Stem Cell Network.
  • Next deadline : Stage 1 Application Deadline: February 27, 2026

• 2026 CDKL5 Program of Excellence Pilot Grant Program

  • We are seeking grant applications that progress the discovery or development of treatments and/or cures for CDKL5 Deficiency Disorder. Because many gaps still remain in our understanding of the biology of CDKL5 and its role in neurological development and function, applications that address such gaps in basic science are welcome, provided that they are tethered to the development of a potential therapy.
  • Amount: One‐year grant for $150,000 USD
  • Next deadline : Letter of Intent Deadline: February 27, 2026, by 5 PM (EST).

• United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation (UMDF) Postdoctoral Fellowship (accelerators) Prize

  • This opportunity supports postdoctoral projects in mitochondrial disease research, emphasizing basic science, translational research, clinical studies, and clinical trial readiness. It aims to develop new models, diagnostics, and therapies, while fostering the next generation of scientists in this field.
  • Amount : $50,000 for up to two years
  • Next deadline : Anticipted application deadline : February 28, 2026

• Oxford-Harrington Rare Disease Scholar Award

  • The Oxford-Harrington Rare Disease Scholar Award advances promising discoveries from academic labs to move them into clinical practice. The award combines funding and expert therapeutics development support to help researchers in the UK, US, or Canada to accelerate preclinical projects towards treatments for patients.
  • Amount : USD$100,000 ($50,000 for year one and $50,000 for year two) for US- and Canada-based awardees
  • Next deadline : Application deadline : March 9, 2026

• Million Dollar Bike Ride Pilot Grant Program

  • Open to international applicants. This program supports research on a wide range of rare diseases, including neurodegenerative, genetic, and metabolic disorders. It aims to advance understanding and treatment of conditions such as Ataxia-Telangiectasia, CADASIL, Choroideremia, and Mucopolysaccharidosis, among others.
  • Amount: Number of awards and dollar amounts vary per disease based on fundraising totals by each disease team.
  • Next deadline : Anticipated application deadline : March 21, 2026

• European Respiratory Society (ERS)/ERN-lung joint fellowship

  • This programme supports qualified clinicians/healthcare professionals who work in respiratory medical practice, with a specific interest in rare respiratory disease, to receive clinical training at a European institution outside of their home country.
  • Amount: Clinical training fellowships include a living stipend, a child allowance and a travel grant. Clinical training fellowships’ duration is between 1 and 6 months maximum.
  • Next deadline: Anticipated application deadline : April 1, 2026

• The Myositis Association Research Grant Program

  • Provides financial support to qualified investigators and clinicians for basic, translational, and clinical research across the spectrum of myositis diseases and specialties with the goal of advancing our understanding of the underlying causes and pathophysiology, means of prevention, early detection, accurate diagnosis, effective treatments, and methods for curing myositis and related diseases and complications.
  • Amount : Up to $107,500 USD
  • Next deadline : Anticipated Letter of Intent deadline : April 14, 2026

• Merosin-deficient congenital muscular dystrophy

  • Application open to foreign organizations. The aim of this call is to support any innovative research (basic or translational) aimed at the development of therapeutic strategies. All biomedical disciplines are eligible. This call should contribute to attract teams or researchers working on this disease, but also on other diseases where results could be transferred on LAMA2 CMD.
  • Amount : Up to 25 000 €, for a maximum duration of 24 months.
  • Next deadline : Anticipated application deadline : May 13, 2026 

• Joint research call with CMT-France – “Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease”

  • Application open to foreign organizations. This call aims to support innovative, fundamental, translational or clinical research programs on CMT.
  • Amount : Up to 25 000 €, for a maximum duration of 24 months
  • Next deadline : Anticipated application deadline : May 22, 2026

• KDA Research Grants

  • The Kennedy’s Disease Association is pleased to announce its SBMA research grants. Through these programs, we seek to further understand the pathological mechanisms of and possible treatments for Kennedy’s disease.
  • Amount: Grants up to $100,000 are available for one or two years.
  • Next deadline: Anticipated application deadline : June 2, 2026

• Histiocytosis Association Request For Research Proposals

  • Proposals for scientific research are accepted for studies into the causes, mechanisms, and improved means of treatment for histiocytic disorders. Proposals are evaluated on the basis of science, feasibility, and relevance including patient-centeredness.
  • Amount : Up to $50,000USD Research grants are awarded for one (1) year projects up to the amount announced.
  • Next deadline: Anticipated application deadline : June 9, 2026

• CIHR REDI Early Career Transition Award 2025

  • The REDI Award is designed to support trainees who are aiming to launch an independent research career in Canada, and would benefit from 1-3 years of structured, mentored development to support that transition.
  • Next deadline : Application Deadline : June 16, 2026

• CIHR : Knowledge Synthesis Grants: Allied Health and Genetics

  • The goal of this funding opportunity is to synthesize the current knowledge base about practices in the allied health space regarding the delivery of genetic and genomic results to patients and the community and to provide implementation guidance to support best practices as related to the delivery of these results in this evolving healthcare context.
  • Amount : The maximum amount per grant is $100,000 per year for up to 2 years, for a total of $200,000 per grant.
  • Next deadline: Anticipated Registration deadline : August 6, 2026

• Uplifting Athletes Young Investigator Draft Grants

  • Open to applicants in Canada. The goal of the Young Investigator Draft is to provide funding that will support the pursuit of new FDA-approved treatments and potential cures for the rare disease community. These seed grants are intended to support early-career investigators, who are still being mentored, and patient advocacy organizations that have an emphasis in supporting research within their disease state.
  • Amount : The grant will be for a minimum of $20,000 USD ($10,000 USD from UAI and a matching $10,000 USD from the nominating advocacy organization).
  • Next deadline: Anticipated application deadline : August 11, 2026

• European Partnership on Rare Diseases (ERDERA) (Phase 2) – Horizon Europe ‘Health’

  • This topic aims at supporting activities that are enabling or contributing to one or several expected impacts of destination “Tackling diseases and reducing disease burden”:The EU strengthens its role as a global leader in rare disease research and innovation by aligning research policies, integrating data infrastructures, and fostering cross-border FAIR data use to improve knowledge generation and translation. This coordinated ecosystem enables more effective collaboration among researchers, funders, patients, and public–private actors, accelerating the development of cost-effective diagnostics and treatments. As a result, people living with rare diseases—especially underrepresented groups—gain more timely, equitable access to high-quality, innovative healthcare across Europe and beyond.
  • Amount : EUR 91.3 million committed in annual instalments over the two years
  • Next deadline : Deadline date : 15 September 2026, 17:00 (CEST)