Overview
CARRA’s peer-reviewed Intramural Grant Program offers various funding opportunities to support investigators at all career levels and advance research that furthers our mission. CARRA values collaborative research, including studies with an international reach and those that are high impact, innovative and may lead to additional funding.

over 143
grants awarded since 2016
5.3 million+
awarded
65
institutions funded
Funding Opportunities
2023 Award Applications are Due March 15, 2023.
Clinical and Translational Grants
CARRA-Arthritis Foundation Large Grant
This grant supports the development and publication of a clinical or translational project that will immediately impact research projects conducted by CARRA or result in a more significant collaborative grant that furthers CARRA’s mission. New or early investigators are encouraged to apply. A successful application may be for:
- an all-inclusive clinical or translational research project, or
- a pilot research project, that if successful, could lead to extramural funding.
Preference will be given to submissions that are collaborative and leverage current CARRA network resources or will further develop the CARRA network.
1 award available in 2023
$100,000 each
Project period length: 2 years
Applications Due: March 15, 2023
CARRA-Arthritis Foundation Small Grant
This opportunity funds projects in development. A project can be a pilot, continuation of ongoing research, or other projects that moves forward clinical or translational research that furthers the CARRA mission.
New or early investigators are encouraged to apply. Preference will be given to collaborative research, leveraging current CARRA network resources, and/or further developing the CARRA network.
Up to 2 awards available annually
$50,000 each
Project period length: 1 or 2 years
Applications Due: March 15, 2023
CARRA-Arthritis Foundation Transdisciplinary Research Grant
Not currently accepting applications.
CARRA-PReS Collaborative Research Award
The funding mechanism supports CARRA and PReS early career investigators’ collaborative research activities. Early career investigators are defined as faculty (not fellows) less than 10 years from completion of training. Funds may be used to convene meetings, generate preliminary data, and/or support collaborative pilot studies. The goal is to provide seed funds that allow CARRA and PreS investigators to successfully plan and apply for funds to support larger-scale joint research activities.
1 award available in 2023
€25,000 EUR or USD equivalent
Project period length: 1 year
Applications Due: March 15, 2023
For more information on this award, watch this recording (Passcode: d9D7*L3N) from the CARRA-PReS RFA Town Hall held on January 24, 2023.
Career Development Grants
CARRA-Arthritis Foundation Career Development Award
This mentored award supports an early career investigator (Fellow, Assistant Professor) who demonstrates a clear track record and commitment to developing an independent research career in pediatric rheumatology.
Up to 2 awards available annually
$375,000 each
Project period length: 3 years
Applications Due: March 15, 2023
CARRA-Arthritis Foundation Fellow Grant
This grant supports Fellows with a strong interest in pursuing careers in which they will devote a substantial amount of time to research.
This mechanism is exclusively available for CARRA members who are Fellows entering their third year and are seeking to fund a research project utilizing the CARRA network, the CARRA Registry, or data and/or samples from other CARRA studies.
This mechanism is intended to augment the Fellow’s research portfolio by supporting a project that extends, enhances, or is distinct from their primary scholarly project, as defined and required by the ABP for Board eligibility. The project must not be necessary to meet the ABP requirement for scholarly work product but may be supplemental, and CARRA expects that applicants and programs will honor this intent.
Up to 2 awards are available annually
$25,000 each
Project period length: 1 year
Applications Due: March 15, 2023
Focus Area Grants
Implementation Science Testing Grant
This grant supports a small testing project designed to improve the implementation of evidence-based practice in a clinical setting that provides care for patients with pediatric rheumatic diseases. It is intended to support evaluating one or more strategies across several (>=3) sites. Applicants must have already completed preliminary design work on the implementation strategy/strategies to be eligible to apply.
1 award available in 2023
$150,000 each
Applications Due: March 15, 2023
Health Equity Research Grant
CARRA was founded on principles of inclusivity and collaboration, and we continue to promote our mission and vision with these thoughts as our core values. This CARRA-Arthritis Foundation grant mechanism funds research that addresses topics along the health equity research spectrum. This includes but is but not limited to:
- Methods to improve the identification and measurement of root causes of health inequities in pediatric rheumatology;
- Strategies to increase the representation of minoritized groups in pediatric rheumatology research;
- Translational research that identifies how social determinants of health are embodied to affect disease onset, severity, and outcomes; and/or
- Interventions designed to reduce or eliminate health disparities and/or address health inequities in pediatric rheumatology.
- Up to 3 awards available annually
- $150,000 each
- Project period length: 2 years
Applications Due: March 15, 2023
Advancing Biospecimen Collection (ABC) Award
The ABC mechanism supports biosample collection within the CARRA network to advance CARRA’s translational research efforts. The goal is to collect biosamples from patients enrolled in the CARRA Registry, to be used by CARRA investigators for future hypothesis-based research.
Up to 4 awards available annually
Up to $50,000 each
Project period length: 2 years
Applications Due: March 15, 2023
Rolling Applications
Publication Support Grant
This award funds publication costs (not eligible for support from the investigator’s institution or other funding mechanisms) for CARRA-related manuscripts that have been accepted for publication.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Up to $3000
Data Analysis Support Grant
This award supports qualitative or quantitative data analyses on existing CARRA datasets from collaborative research projects. Funds may be requested to complete a fixed set of tasks that will result in the timely publication of results. The investigator should have the necessary data in hand at the time of the application submission.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Up to $10,000
Travel Support
CARRA Utrecht Travel Award
The purpose of this funding mechanism is to provide travel support to Early Investigators that attend the Utrecht Summer School research course, “Translational Medicine: Doing the Right Research Right”, which is traditionally offered in the Netherlands every July.
2 awards available in 2023
Maximum award is $2000 USD
Applications Due: March 15, 2023

“The impact of this grant (CARRA-Arthritis Foundation Career Development Award) on my career cannot be overstated. This award is an “infusion of life support” to my research career.”
– 2022 Awardee Tamar Rubinstein, MD, MS, Children’s Hospital at Montefiore.
“Engagement and Depression in Adolescents and Young Adults with Childhood-onset Lupus”
For questions about CARRA’s peer-reviewed, intramural grant program, please contact Marcia Smith, CARRA Grants Manager at [email protected].
Read more about findings from CARRA-supported awards.