For nearly 40 years, the Intermountain Research and Medical Foundation (IRMF) has been providing funding for medical research starter grants. The original organizers of the Foundation envisioned using seed funding to generate preliminary data that would lead to expanded research opportunities from external funding sources.

Since 1977, the Foundation has awarded $12,266,348 in medical research grants. During that same period, researchers have received over $35 million in external funding related to Foundation-funded projects.

In addition to contributing to the body of medical knowledge through publications and presentations, Foundation-funded research improves patient care, reduces medical expense and saves lives. A few recent examples of this impact include:

An early award-winning study of lower back pain treatment led researchers to develop a larger multi-site national study that recently received $14 million in external funding support;

A study related to treatment of cardiovascular patients at risk for developing diabetes resulted in international media coverage of a “less is more” approach that will affect the care of millions of patients and save tens of millions of dollars in future healthcare expense;

A protocol for using placental blood for testing, instead of blood taken directly from a premature infant, was developed in the NICU, leading to safer procedures for treating sick newborns.

“Funding from the Intermountain Research and Medical Foundation has made it possible for our group, and many other groups, to undertake important, lifesaving medical research that we otherwise could never have done,” Dr. Brent Muhlestein, chair of the Foundation’s research review committee said. “The Foundation is an integral part of our success.”

Applying for a Foundation grant starts with a two-page letter of intent. The letter is reviewed to make certain the request matches funding guidelines. The researcher is then invited to submit a full grant application. The application is peer-reviewed and receives a score based on its scientific rigor. Favorably scored projects are submitted to the Foundation’s Board of Trustees for final funding recommendation.

There are four funding cycles per year. Application information is emailed quarterly to everyone working within Intermountain’s Central Region. Information can also be obtained by contacting Becky Lloyd at Becky.Lloyd@imail.org or 801.442.3338.