Funding
Find funding, fuel discovery
Explore a comprehensive overview of funding opportunities for neurodegenerative disease research, featuring both Swiss and international sources. The platform offers detailed information on project grants, fellowships, awards, and mobility grants, while highlighting active calls to help researchers, institutes, and startups in securing vital financial resources. Key funding partners driving progress in neurodegenerative disease research are also featured.
Ongoing Calls
Deadline February
Vontobel Award for Research on Age(ING)
Agency: (Center for Gerontology/UZH Healthy Longevity Center)
Category: Award
Focus: The award supports gerontological research in Switzerland originating from any field of science referring to age(ing), with a focus on encouraging knowledge transfer between research and practice. Additionally, the award supports the scientific evaluation of gerontological practice and aims to improve the understanding of aging throughout society.
Amount: CHF 30'000
Eligibility: Swiss junior researchers with a manuscript ready to be published or already published, who are employed, studying or living in Switzerland or are of Swiss nationality.
Deadline: 15.02.2026
Schweizer Wissenschaftspreis Marcel Benoist
Category: Award
Focus: Switzerland’s most prestigious research award, recognises outstanding life-science researchers whose work has been conducted predominantly in Switzerland and made significant contributions to science and society.
Amount: CHF 250'000
Eligibility: Eligible nominees must be currently active at a Swiss research institution and may be proposed by colleagues or institutional representatives (self-nominations are not permitted).
Deadline: 23.02.2026
Alzheimer's Association Clinician Scientist Fellowship (AACSF) Program
Category: Fellowship
Focus: Supports the training of clinician scientists and funds clinical and translational research to advance treatments and improve diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
Amount: $230,000 up to 3 years
Eligibility: Applicants are eligible for this program that are (1) within 15 years of receiving their M.D., D.O. or Ph.D. (or equivalent); (2) have active licensure for clinical practice; and (3) actively care for patients in a healthcare setting at the time of submission. Positions higher than Assistant Professor (or an equivalent position) will not be considered.
Deadline: 23.02.2026
Alzheimer’s Association Research Fellowship for All (AARFA) Program
Category: Fellowship
Focus: Supports post-graduate researchers (e.g., postdoctoral fellows) transitioning before securing their first independent faculty positions (e.g., Assistant Professor) and working across diverse research areas related to Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, including basic, translational, clinical, functional, and social-behavioral studies.
Amount: $200,000 over 2-3 years
Eligibility: Postdoctoral fellows or equivalent within 10 years of Ph.D., not in independent faculty role
Deadline: 23.02.2026
Alzheimer’s Association Research Grant for All (AARGA)
Category: Project funding
Focus: Supports early-career investigators to provide research support that allows them to develop preliminary or pilot data, test procedures, and develop hypotheses that will lay the groundwork for future, larger grant applications.
Amount: $200,000 over 2-3 years
Eligibility: Applicants must be within seven years of their first faculty appointment at the Assistant Professor (or equivalent) level.
Deadline: 23.02.2026
Deadline March
Robert Bing Prize
Category: Award
Focus: The Robert Bing Prize recognizes outstanding contributions by young researchers in advancing the recognition, treatment, or cure of diseases affecting the nervous system.
Amount: CHF 50’000 for 1 award, CHF 30’000 each for 2 awards
Eligibility: Researchers (up to 45 years old) in basic, translational or clinical neurosciences, Swiss nationals or working in Switzerland for a significant amount of time
Deadline: 09.03.2026
Brain Health
Category: Project funding
Focus: This call is focused on neurological, mental and sensory disorders. Proposals should address how biological, social and environmental factors impact the trajectory of brain health across the lifespan.
Eligibility: Multinational, interdisciplinary research consortia led by partners from countries participating in the European Partnership for Brain Health (EP BrainHealth). Swiss-based researchers are eligible to participate on equal terms and can receive funding via the SNSF if they meet SNSF project funding eligibility requirements.
Deadline: 10.03.2026
Young Investigator Grants
Category: Project funding
Focus: The program supports talented young group leaders in the medical sciences, with the aim of advancing their independent research careers. It covers all areas of medical research, from basic science to clinically-applied research.
Amount: Up to CHF 400,000 total for a maximum duration of 3 years
Eligibility: Applicants must be independent early-career group leaders at a Swiss university, research institute, or hospital, within approximately the first six years of independence.
Deadline: 10.03.2026
Deadline April
Project Funding (SNSF)
Category: Project Funding
Focus: Supports independent research projects in Switzerland, offering substantial funding for one to four years. It enables researchers to explore both disciplinary and interdisciplinary topics, whether individually or through collaborative efforts.
Amount: Up to CHF 250,000 per year per applicant. Maximum CHF 1 million annually for the entire project.
Eligibility: Researchers (4 years after PhD) working at Swiss universities or other eligible institutions.
Deadline: 01.04.2026
Deadline Mai
SNSF Starting Grant
Category: Fellowship
Focus: The SNSF Starting Grants provide researchers with the opportunity to lead and manage their own projects and research teams in Switzerland. This funding is open to researchers across all disciplines and topics.
Amount: Up to CHF 1 million up to 5 years
Eligibility: Researchers with 2 to 8 years of post-PhD experience or 5 to 12 years after medical degree, who have not yet led independent research in Switzerland
Deadline: 05.05.2026
Swiss National MD-PhD Fellowships Program
Category: Fellowship
Focus: The National MD-PhD Grants Program, coordinated by the Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences (SAMS) with support from private foundations, aims to equip medical doctors interested in research with the skills necessary for a career as clinician-scientists. The program offers grants to particularly talented young physicians to complete doctoral research training in natural sciences, public health sciences, clinical research, or biomedical ethics at a Swiss university associated with the national MD-PhD program.
Amount: 2-3 years of funding, based on SNSF salary scales for PhD candidates
Eligibility: Physicians (with a MD) in Switzerland pursuing a MD-PhD at a Swiss university associated with the national program.
Deadline: 15.05.2026
Deadline July
Age-Stiftung Förderantrag
Category: Project Funding (German speaking part of Switzerland)
Focus: Supports diverse project initiatives that benefit older people and enable the implementation of sustainable solutions, with particular emphasis on approaches that address people in vulnerable life situations or fragile phases.
Amount: Varies
Eligibility: Applied research, institutions, communities, projects
Deadline: 21.07.2026
Deadline August
Postdoc.mobility (SNSF)
Category: Mobility grant
Focus: The Postdoc.Mobility program is designed to support researchers who have completed their doctoral studies and are looking to advance their careers by pursuing research abroad.
Amount: The amount of the fellowship depends on the cost of living in the country of residence.
Eligibility: Early career researchers (before 3 years after PhD)
Deadline: 04.08.2026
Deadline September
Drug Development RFP
Category: Project funding
Focus: Supports non-clinical studies and early-phase clinical trials that test promising pharmacological interventions and devices for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
Amount: Up to 5'000'000$
Eligibility: Universities, start ups, companies, nonprofit organisation
Deadline: 14.09.2026
Neuroimaging and CSF Biomarker Program
Prevention
Category: Project funding
Focus: Supports studies on cognitive symptoms linked to health conditions, comparative effectiveness research, and epidemiological investigations examining how drug use or choice influences the risk of dementia or cognitive decline.
Amount: Up to 5'000'000$
Eligibility: Universities, start ups, companies, nonprofit organisation
Deadline: 14.09.2026
Swiss funding agencies
Vontobel Stiftung
supports researchers by funding social, scientific and dialogue-enhancing projects that focus on social welfare, nature and science, medical research and cultural initiatives. The foundation aims to support early-career researchers working at established research institutions. Funding covers salaries for PhD candidates and postdoctoral researchers, as well as justified material and laboratory costs. Projects initiated by other foundations are not supported.