Certainly! Here is a comprehensive, up-to-date overview of funding agencies and opportunities for Crohn’s disease research and drug development, with sources provided for each statement.
1. Summary:
Crohn’s disease research and drug development are supported by a range of governmental, nonprofit, and philanthropic organizations worldwide. The most active and significant funders include the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation (USA), the Helmsley Charitable Trust, Crohn’s and Colitis Canada, Crohn’s & Colitis UK, Propel A Cure, and major governmental agencies such as the US National Institutes of Health (NIH). There are also venture philanthropy initiatives and industry partnerships, such as IBD Ventures, that specifically target translational and product development projects. Below, you’ll find a detailed breakdown of the main agencies, current funding opportunities, and open calls as of May 2025.
2. Funding Agencies:
Nonprofit & Philanthropic Organizations
- Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation (USA): The leading nonprofit in the US dedicated to funding research, education, and patient support for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. They have invested over $500 million in research since inception and run multiple grant and fellowship programs.
https://www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org/research/grants-fellowships - Helmsley Charitable Trust: The largest private philanthropy focused on Crohn’s disease, funding research and technology to improve care and treatment globally.
https://helmsleytrust.org/our-focus-areas/crohns-disease/ - Crohn’s and Colitis Canada: One of the world’s largest non-governmental funders of IBD research, supporting innovative projects and clinical trials in Canada and internationally.
https://crohnsandcolitis.ca/Research/apply-for-funding - Crohn’s & Colitis UK: The UK’s leading charity for Crohn’s and colitis, funding research, patient support, and advocacy.
https://crohnsandcolitis.org.uk/our-work/research-and-evidence/resources-for-researchers/looking-for-funding - Propel A Cure: A volunteer nonprofit raising funds for innovative research specifically targeting the underlying causes of Crohn’s disease.
https://www.propelacure.org/researchprojects
Governmental Agencies
- National Institutes of Health (NIH, USA): The primary federal agency for medical research in the US, funding basic, translational, and clinical research on Crohn’s disease through multiple institutes (notably NIDDK).
https://www.nih.gov/ - US Food and Drug Administration (FDA): Provides guidance and some funding opportunities for clinical trials and drug development, especially for rare diseases.
https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/center-drug-evaluation-and-research-cder/funding-opportunities-rare-diseases-fda - Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR): The main federal agency for health research in Canada, supporting IBD research through open competitions and targeted calls.
https://cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/193.html - Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED): Funds medical research including IBD in Japan.
https://www.amed.go.jp/en/ - European Commission (Horizon Europe): The EU’s main funding program for research and innovation, including calls for IBD and Crohn’s disease research.
https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/home
3. Funding Opportunities:
Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation (USA)
- Senior Research Awards: For established researchers to generate preliminary data for Crohn’s disease and IBD research.
https://www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org/research/grants-fellowships - Clinical Research Investigator-Initiated Awards: For clinical researchers to address important clinical questions in Crohn’s disease.
https://www.scientifyresearch.org/grant/clinical-research-investigator-initiated-awards-crohns-colitis-worldwide/ - Research Fellowship Awards: For postdoctoral training in IBD research.
https://www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org/research/grants-fellowships/research-fellowship-awards - IBD Ventures: Venture philanthropy fund for product-oriented research and development, including drug development.
https://www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org/research/supporting-top-scientists/ibd-ventures - IBD Therapeutics Incubator: Funding for translational research to create new therapeutic product opportunities.
https://www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org/research/grants-fellowships/ibd-therapeutics-incubator-request-proposals
Crohn’s and Colitis Canada
- Grants-in-Aid of Research: For innovative IBD research projects.
https://crohnsandcolitis.ca/Research/apply-for-funding
Crohn’s & Colitis UK
- Targeted Call Research Awards 2025: Up to £150,000 for up to three years for Crohn’s disease research.
https://crohnsandcolitis.org.uk/our-work/research-and-evidence/resources-for-researchers/looking-for-funding/crohns-colitis-uk-grant-call-2025
NIH (USA)
- R01, R21, and other grant mechanisms: For basic, translational, and clinical research in Crohn’s disease.
https://www.nih.gov/ - Clinical Trials for Crohn’s Disease: NIH and NIDDK support clinical trials and ancillary studies.
https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/crohns-disease/clinical-trials
FDA (USA)
- Clinical Trials Addressing Unmet Needs of Rare Diseases: Funding for clinical trials in rare diseases, including Crohn’s disease.
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-FD-25-001.html
Helmsley Charitable Trust
- Research Grants: Directed toward understanding Crohn’s disease mechanisms, therapeutics, and patient care.
https://helmsleytrust.org/our-focus-areas/crohns-disease/
4. Open Calls (as of May 2025):
- Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation – Senior Research Awards: Accepting applications for established researchers in IBD.
https://www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org/research/grants-fellowships - Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation – IBD Therapeutics Incubator: Request for Proposals for translational research and drug development.
https://www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org/research/grants-fellowships/ibd-therapeutics-incubator-request-proposals - Crohn’s & Colitis UK – Targeted Call Research Awards 2025: Applications open for grants up to £150,000 for Crohn’s disease research.
https://crohnsandcolitis.org.uk/our-work/research-and-evidence/resources-for-researchers/looking-for-funding/crohns-colitis-uk-grant-call-2025 - FDA – Clinical Trials Addressing Unmet Needs of Rare Diseases (RFA-FD-25-001): Open for applications, including Crohn’s disease.
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-FD-25-001.html - Crohn’s and Colitis Canada – Grants-in-Aid of Research: Annual competition for innovative IBD research.
https://crohnsandcolitis.ca/Research/apply-for-funding
5. Additional Context:
- Industry Partnerships: Pharmaceutical companies (e.g., AbbVie, Johnson & Johnson) invest in Crohn’s disease drug development, often in partnership with nonprofits or through venture philanthropy (e.g., IBD Ventures).
- International Funding: Agencies such as AMED (Japan), Horizon Europe (EU), and CIHR (Canada) provide additional opportunities for international researchers.
- Patient Advocacy: Nonprofits often involve patients in setting research priorities and may offer smaller grants or seed funding for pilot projects.
- Application Process: Most major funders have annual or biannual calls for proposals, with detailed eligibility and application instructions on their websites.
6. References:
- Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation: https://www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org/research/grants-fellowships
- Helmsley Charitable Trust: https://helmsleytrust.org/our-focus-areas/crohns-disease/
- Crohn’s and Colitis Canada: https://crohnsandcolitis.ca/Research/apply-for-funding
- Crohn’s & Colitis UK: https://crohnsandcolitis.org.uk/our-work/research-and-evidence/resources-for-researchers/looking-for-funding
- Propel A Cure: https://www.propelacure.org/researchprojects
- NIH: https://www.nih.gov/
- FDA: https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/center-drug-evaluation-and-research-cder/funding-opportunities-rare-diseases-fda
- AMED (Japan): https://www.amed.go.jp/en/
- Horizon Europe: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/home
- Clinical Research Grant Crohn’s Disease: https://www.scientifyresearch.org/grant/clinical-research-investigator-initiated-awards-crohns-colitis-worldwide/
- FDA RFA-FD-25-001: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-FD-25-001.html
If you need more details on a specific funding program or agency, or want guidance on the application process, please specify!