- Guidelines
To be considered for funding, proposals must meet the following criteria:
- Are focused on pediatric cancer
- Will lead to less toxic, more targeted treatments
- Are clearly communicated in lay terms (accessible to our Board and donor community)
- Demonstrate strong potential to progress toward a clinical trial in 1-3 years
We welcome new, ongoing, and updated peer-reviewed research. However, we do not accept in-progress or ongoing clinical trials. Any author or researcher conflict of interest must be disclosed at the time of submission. All submissions are treated as CONFIDENTIAL and are accessible only to members of SebastianStrong’s Board of Directors and Scientific Advisory Board until the time of award. We are happy to execute NDAs upon request.
The Discovery Science Award typically provides up to $500,000 in funding for groundbreaking research that aligns with our mission. In select cases, proposals demonstrating exceptional potential for impact and scalability may be considered for higher levels of support. The maximum award amount is inclusive of indirect/overhead costs, which may not exceed 15% of the total award. Our Scientific Advisory Board, composed of leading pediatric oncologists and researchers, conducts a two-stage review process.
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
A maximum of two (2) LOIs may be submitted from the same institution, organization, or researcher during each award cycle. Applicants must confirm compliance with any applicable internal selection process. Submitting institutions or organizations must be based in the United States.
Since this is a limited funding opportunity, we are running an internal competition. Interested applicants should submit a one page Letter of Intent and biosketch through this website no later than Friday, 10/30/2026. A committee will decide who will be allowed to move forward with an LOI to the sponsor.