The Portes Foundation solicits proposals on an annual basis for research projects in health promotion, and disease prevention. It is expected that a single proposal will be selected to receive an award of up to $50,000 for distribution in December of the current year. Please share the “Portes Foundation Call for Proposals” with colleagues who may be interested.

Grants are awarded for one-year projects. We invite proposals that explore research or implementation ideas important in health promotion and disease prevention. These projects may be investigative in etiologic factors, preventive measures, primary and secondary prevention screening, and education. Projects in patient education or health professions education will also be considered. All projects must include a complete and thorough evaluation component.

All proposals will be peer reviewed by a scientific committee of The Portes Foundation. The first phase of this process is a Letter of Intent, which should not exceed three pages. It should concisely describe the purpose and rationale of the study, its expected outcome, as well as the basic methods that will be used for evaluating the success of the project.

The principal investigator must be an MD, DO, PhD, or other doctoral level health sciences professional; have an appointment at a medical school, health science school, affiliated hospital, or health-related organization; and must have the endorsement of the dean or the principal research officer at their institution. The project must have the approval of the appropriate institutional review board and, where relevant, the human subjects review board.

No indirect costs will be allowed. Travel costs may be requested up to $1,000 and reasonable publication and page charges may be covered. Portes grants cannot be used toward capital equipment. Additional budget guidelines will be available during the application period.

While there are no restrictions on publication, the Portes Foundation asks that any publications resulting in whole or in part from a Portes Foundation grant include an acknowledgement of support or partial support. 

After an initial review of letters of intent, select projects will be asked to submit a full proposal that will be due by October 1, 2026. After the final review of full proposals is completed, awardees will be identified, and funding made available by December 2026. Please note that acceptance of the LOI only means that The Portes Foundation considers the concept within their mission and is now interested in evaluating a complete proposal.

Submitting a Letter of Intent (LOI)

Those interested in applying for an award must respond to the announcement by submitting a letter of intent (LOI) to The Portes Foundation at submissions@portesfoundation.org. This letter should not exceed three pages and should succinctly describe the purpose, rationale, objectives, and expected outcomes.

Letters of Intent are due on July 6, 2026.

Important: A confirmation email will be sent to you within three (3) business days upon receipt of your letter. If you do not receive a confirmation, please contact the Portes Foundation at info@portesfoundation.org.

Sign up for updates

To receive notification of the annual call for proposals, please provide your name and email address in our “Sign up for Updates” form below. Do not include your proposal in this form. The information you provide on this form will be used only to distribute announcements from The Portes Foundation. It will not be given or sold to any other organization.