[Richard McFarland]

In addition to the MPS division, the Simons Foundation has seen an increase in applications submitted across all divisions. Specific to HRA, applications submitted to the Autism & Neuroscience division’s Annual RFAs for its Fellows to Faculty and Undergraduate Research Fellowship RFAs increased 50-70% over the previous RFA cycle. Note, in the last year, the eligibility criteria for the programs became less restrictive, which may account for a portion of the increase in applications.

The Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI) did not release a Pilot Award RFA in 2025, so we do not have data on Investigator-level applications to share, except to note that applications submitted to targeted RFAs have also increased. However, targeted RFAs cannot necessarily be compared year over year, as they are specific to certain areas of research.

Regards,

Richard T. McFarland

Vice President, Grants Management

Simons Foundation

[Richard McFarland]

Hi Kristin,

 

At the Simons Foundation the following staff members review and sign off on progress and financial reports, which result in the release of payments during the following period on a multi year award. The Simons Foundation also withholds payments on grants with $200,000 or more of unspent funds at the end of an award period on a multi year award, until the unspent balance of funds carried over to the next period is less than $100,000 as reported to the foundation via a Funds Expended deliverable. Finance and Compliance are not involved in the review of deliverables or the approval of payments. For context, in 2024 we had 3,340 active gifts and grants, 3,513 deliverables tied to payments, and 3,165 payments.

• Progress Reports – 2 layers

• 1st Tier Review

• Grants Administrator – review for completeness

2nd Tier Review

• Scientific Program Manager – review and sign off on progress

Financial Statements – 2 to 3 layers

• 1st Tier Review

• Grants Administrator

2nd Tier Review or review and sign off

• Grants Manager – less than $500K
• Senior Grants Managers – less than $1M

3rd Tier Review and sign off

• Director of Grants – $500K or more
• VP of Grants – $1M or more

Funds Expended Deliverables – 3 layers

• 1st Tier Review

• Grants Payment Assistant

2nd Tier Review and payment update

• Grants Payment Manager

3rd Tier Review and payment approval

• VP of Grants

Regards,

RICHARD T. MCFARLAND  He/Him 

Vice President, Grants Management

Simons Foundation 

 

212.524.1604 direct

646.654.0066 main

[email protected]

160 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010 

simonsfoundation.org 

 

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