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Burroughs Wellcome Fund

Annual Giving
$40.0M
Grant Range
$3K - $10.0M
Decision Time
4mo
Success Rate
10.7%

Burroughs Wellcome Fund

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: Over $40 million
  • Success Rate: 10.7% (highly competitive)
  • Decision Time: 3-6 months (varies by program)
  • Grant Range: $2,500 - $10,000,000
  • Geographic Focus: United States and Canada (STEM programs limited to North Carolina)

Contact Details

Address: 21 T.W. Alexander Drive, Durham, NC 27713-2847
Phone: 919-991-5100
Website: https://www.bwfund.org
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. EST

Program Officer Contact: Potential applicants are encouraged to contact program officers directly about their planned proposals or competitiveness for awards. For example, Victoria McGovern can be reached at 919-991-5112 or vmcgovern@bwfund.org.

Overview

The Burroughs Wellcome Fund (BWF) is an independent private foundation dedicated to advancing the biomedical sciences through research support and educational activities. Headquartered in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina since 1970, BWF grants more than $40 million annually to research focusing on infectious disease, biomedical science, and other health-related fields. Under the leadership of President and CEO Dr. Louis J. Muglia (appointed January 2020), BWF emphasizes flexibility, adaptability, and strategic investment in critical areas. Current strategic priorities include climate change and human health, promoting diversity and equity in science, and improving science communication by better integrating science and the arts. Dr. Muglia has been elected to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences (2023) and emphasizes BWF's role as "an intellectual innovation catalyst" that can "be flexible, adaptable, nimble and prioritize based on acute needs."

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Career Development Awards:

  • Career Awards for Medical Scientists (CAMS): $700,000 over five years for physician-scientists establishing independent research careers. Highly competitive program supporting researchers bridging clinical practice and biomedical science. Applications due January/February.

  • Career Awards at the Scientific Interface (CASI): $560,000 over five years for researchers working at the intersection of biology and physical, computational, or mathematical sciences. Distributed as approximately $100,000/year postdoc years (1-2 years), then $120,000/year faculty years (years 3-5). Postdoctoral stipends increased to $80,000-$85,000 with up to $5,000/year for caregiving expenses. Applications due January/February.

Infectious Disease:

  • Investigators in the Pathogenesis of Infectious Disease (PATH): $505,000 over five years for assistant professors using multidisciplinary approaches to study human infectious diseases. Designed to enable higher-risk research projects. Applications typically due July.

Reproductive Science:

  • Next Gen Pregnancy Initiative: $500,000 over four years ($125,000/year) to stimulate creative approaches to healthy and adverse pregnancy outcomes using basic and translational science methods. Up to seven grants awarded per cycle. Applications due December.

Climate Change and Human Health:

  • Climate Change and Human Health Seed Grants: $2,500 - $50,000 for small, early-stage projects. $1 million total dedicated from Fall 2023 to Summer 2026. Rolling basis through July 2026.

  • Climate + Health Excellence (CHEX) Centers: Up to $10,000,000 institutional awards to bridge gaps between fields addressing climate change's impact on human health. Three grants awarded over two cycles. Letter of Intent deadline: August 7, 2025. Supports institutions already moving toward centers of excellence in climate and health.

Diversity Programs:

  • Postdoctoral Diversity Enrichment Program: $60,000 over three years for underrepresented minority postdoctoral fellows pursuing academic faculty positions. 30 awards annually (including five through Charles H. Revson Foundation partnership for NYC metro area). Applications due January.

Science Education (North Carolina Only):

  • Student STEM Enrichment Program (SSEP): Up to $60,000/year for three years (maximum $180,000) for creative, hands-on STEM activities for K-12 North Carolina students. Since 1996, BWF has awarded 299 grants totaling $45.1 million to 139 organizations reaching over 43,000 students. Applications typically due June.

Priority Areas

  • Biomedical Sciences: Early-career support for basic and translational research
  • Infectious Disease: Pathogenesis research with multidisciplinary approaches
  • Climate Change and Human Health: Research, education, and public communication connecting climate impacts to human health (described by Dr. Muglia as "the greatest challenge of the 21st Century")
  • Diversity in Science: Building a more equitable and inclusive STEMM workforce
  • Interfaces in Science: Supporting researchers at intersections of biology with physical, computational, or mathematical sciences
  • Reproductive Sciences: Innovative approaches to pregnancy outcomes
  • Science Communication: Better partnering science and the arts to improve public understanding
  • Career Guidance: Supporting trainees' scientific and professional development

What They Don't Fund

  • Health services research
  • Large-scale clinical trials
  • Organizations outside the United States and Canada
  • Non-501(c)(3) organizations
  • Candidates holding concurrent BWF awards or similar early independence awards (NIH K99/R00, NIH DP5)
  • Already-established faculty for early-career programs
  • Candidates with substantial institutional startup packages for certain programs
  • Student STEM programs outside North Carolina

Governance and Leadership

President and CEO: Dr. Louis J. Muglia, MD, PhD (since January 2020). Dr. Muglia has been involved with BWF for over 20 years, first as a 1995 Career Award in the Biomedical Sciences recipient, then as an Advisory Committee member for Career Awards in the Medical Sciences.

Board Chair: Brenda Andrews, PhD, Charles H. Best Chair of Medical Research, University of Toronto

Board of Directors (comprising distinguished scientists and business leaders):

  • Deborah Blum – Knight Science Journalism Program Director, MIT
  • Blossom Damania, PhD – Boshamer Distinguished Professor of Microbiology & Immunology, UNC-Chapel Hill
  • Brian Druker, MD – Director, Knight Cancer Institute at Oregon Health & Science University
  • Kafui Dzirasa, MD, PhD – Chief Vision and Values Scientist, Duke University
  • Michael Giarla – Retired CEO, Amundi Smith Breeden LLC
  • Cynthia Larive, PhD – Chancellor, UC Santa Cruz
  • Wendell Lim, PhD – Professor and Chair, Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, UCSF
  • Harmit Malik, PhD – Professor and Associate Director, Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutch
  • Christine Seidman, MD – T.W. Smith Professor of Medicine & Genetics, Harvard Medical School

Executive Staff:

  • Ken Browndorf – Vice President, Finance and CFO
  • Alfred Mays – Chief Diversity Officer; Senior Program Officer
  • Victoria McGovern, PhD – Chief Strategy Officer; Gertrude B Elion Endowed Program Officer
  • Scott Schoedler – Senior Financial Advisor

Leadership Quotes:

  • Dr. Muglia: "How important organizations like the Burroughs Wellcome Fund are that can be flexible, adaptable, nimble and prioritize based on acute needs to invest funding in critical situations."
  • On science communication: "Given the current events, one of the things we feel most passionate about is a desire to improve science communication broadly...one mechanism I see to do that is to better integrate science in the arts."
  • On climate: "The greatest challenge of the 21st Century with devastating consequences if we do not act now."
  • On diversity: "The Burroughs Wellcome Fund is committed to building a more equitable and inclusive STEMM workforce."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Institutional Nomination Required: Most awards are made to degree-granting institutions in the United States and Canada on behalf of individual researchers, who must be nominated by their institution. All recipient organizations must be tax-exempt 501(c)(3) entities.

Electronic Submission Only: BWF requires that all applications be submitted electronically. Paper applications will not be accepted.

Two-Stage Process: Some competitions employ a two-stage process (preproposal/letter of intent followed by full proposal for invited applicants).

Program-Specific Portals: Each program has specific application portals, deadlines, and requirements. Webinars are offered covering application processes, eligibility, and award components.

Key Deadlines by Program:

  • Career Awards for Medical Scientists (CAMS): January/February
  • Career Awards at the Scientific Interface (CASI): January/February
  • Investigators in the Pathogenesis of Infectious Disease (PATH): July
  • Postdoctoral Diversity Enrichment Program: January 20
  • Next Gen Pregnancy Initiative: December 4
  • Student STEM Enrichment Program: June
  • Climate Change and Human Health Seed Grants: Rolling through July 2026
  • Climate + Health Excellence (CHEX) Centers: Letter of Intent due August 7, 2025

Application Requirements:

  • Strict page limits (typically five pages for research plans)
  • Letters of recommendation should be uploaded one week before deadline
  • Once submitted, applications cannot be changed
  • Deadlines are firm with no extensions

Decision Timeline

Review Process: 3-6 months typically from application deadline to notification, varying by program.

Peer Review: Each program utilizes an Advisory Committee consisting of external peer reviewers to assess applications.

Quarterly Reviews: Some programs (like Climate Change and Human Health Seed Grants) conduct quarterly reviews with decisions announced shortly after.

Notification: BWF notifies applicants of decisions and provides information about award start dates.

Success Rates

BWF has a competitive award rate of 10.7% based on Career Awards in the Biomedical Sciences (CABS) program data (217 awards from approximately 2,000 applications totaling $107 million). This indicates roughly 1 in 10 applicants receive awards, making BWF programs highly competitive.

BWF specifically aims to take on less developed and/or riskier projects than would be competitive for an NIH R01, demonstrating flexibility in supporting innovative but higher-risk research.

Reapplication Policy

Candidates whose preproposals were not selected may reapply in the next award cycle, provided they still meet eligibility requirements. For Climate Change and Human Health Seed Grants, proposals may be sent back for revision, declined, or held over for future review after quarterly reviews. BWF may suggest that separate groups submitting similar proposals work together to develop a single proposal.

Application Success Factors

Contact Program Officers Early: BWF strongly encourages potential applicants to contact program officers directly about planned proposals and competitiveness for awards before applying. This personalized guidance can significantly strengthen applications.

Institutional Commitment is Critical: "The statement of the institution's investment in and commitment to the applicant's scientific, academic, and personal development is a critical part of a successful application for this career development award." Strong institutional support letters are essential.

Focus on Innovation and Risk: BWF explicitly states it is "very flexible, specifically aiming to take on less developed and/or riskier projects than would be competitive for an R01." Don't shy away from ambitious, innovative research plans.

Strict Adherence to Guidelines:

  • Meet firm deadlines (no extensions granted)
  • Respect page limits strictly
  • Upload letters of recommendation one week early
  • Remember applications cannot be changed after submission

Multi-disciplinary Approaches: Programs like PATH emphasize "multidisciplinary approaches" to research problems. Demonstrate how your work bridges disciplines.

Higher-Risk Research Welcomed: Programs like PATH are designed to "give recipients the freedom and flexibility to pursue new avenues of inquiry, stimulating higher-risk research projects." Don't over-promise certainty.

Career Stage Alignment: Carefully verify eligibility requirements for career stage. BWF focuses on specific transition points (postdoc to faculty, early faculty years). Having substantial startup packages or being too established can disqualify applications.

Recent Funded Projects (2024-2025 examples):

  • 13 physician-scientists received 2025 CAMS awards for research at the intersection of clinical practice and biomedical science
  • 30 postdoctoral fellows received 2024 PDEP awards for diversity enrichment
  • 11 North Carolina organizations received 2024 SSEP awards totaling $1.8 million
  • Multiple PATH awards for infectious disease pathogenesis research
  • CASI awards for researchers bridging biology with physical/computational sciences

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Contact program officers before applying – BWF actively encourages this and provides personalized feedback on competitiveness
  • Emphasize institutional commitment – Strong, detailed institutional support statements are critical for career development awards
  • Don't avoid risk – BWF explicitly seeks innovative, higher-risk projects that might not be competitive for NIH R01s; this is a strength, not a weakness
  • Verify career stage carefully – BWF targets specific transition points; being too early or too established can disqualify you
  • Plan ahead for firm deadlines – No extensions granted; upload letters of recommendation a week early; applications cannot be changed after submission
  • With 10.7% success rate, competition is intense – Make every word count within strict page limits
  • Alignment with strategic priorities matters – Current emphasis on climate and health, diversity, science communication, and interdisciplinary work
  • For NC-based organizations – Student STEM Enrichment Program provides substantial multi-year funding for K-12 programs

References

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