Terms of the Brain Tumor Awards Program

Notification to Candidates
Candidates will be notified by email upon receipt of their applications by the Goldhirsh Foundation. The Goldhirsh Foundation will notify by email those investigators invited to submit a full application. It is the investigator's responsibility to confirm receipt of all emails from the Goldhirsh Foundation. Final notification to grant recipients will be by email on or by June 1, 2008.

Award Terms
Terms of the Award: The Goldhirsh Foundation Brain Tumor Research Awards are made to not-for-profit academic, medical or research institutions on behalf of the award recipients in the United States, Canada and Israel. The institutions are responsible for maintaining adequate supporting records and receipts of expenditures. Prior approval by the Goldhirsh Foundation is required when, within an award year, changes to the budget for purchases of equipment exceed $20,000 USD.

Use of Funds: The Goldhirsh Foundation Brain Tumor Research Awards may be used to support a portion of the recipient’s salary and fringe benefits, salaries of postdoctoral fellows or technicians and fringe benefits, laboratory and data processing supplies, and other direct expenses including equipment. The award should support the salaries in proportion to the percent effort required for the research project. Funds may not be used for new construction, the renovation of existing facilities, general fundraising projects, endowments, or the publication of scientific data. Funds may be used for travel to one scientific meeting annually with costs not to exceed $1,500 USD. Awards will be issued in U.S. Dollars (USD).

The Goldhirsh Foundation will allow up to 10% of the award to support institutional overhead. Therefore, institutions may receive up to $9,091 USD from the $100,000 USD one-year awards and up to $18,182 USD each year for the three-year $600,000 USD award.

Payment Schedule: The $600,000 USD and $100,000 USD awards will be made for a three-year and one-year period, respectively. Award payments will be made once every three months starting on July 1, 2008. The Foundation does not maintain any projects on a permanent basis.

Three-year Award Recipients’ Second and Third year Funding: Second and third year funding are not automatic for the three-year award and are contingent upon the timely submission of an annual progress report (see Progress Report section below) that meets satisfactory approval by the Scientific Advisory Committee. The Goldhirsh Foundation reserves the right to hold any subsequent award payments if the Progress and Fiscal Reports are not received by the deadline. For the three-year awards, any funds remaining at the end of Year 1 of the award period may be carried over to Year 2 and, subsequently, to Year 3 when requested in writing and incorporated into the Year 2 and Year 3 budgets.

Unused Funds and Reversion: A no-cost extension for nine months will be granted upon written notification to the Goldhirsh Foundation along with the submission of a revised progress and budget report detailing how the remaining funds will be spent. This communication should include an explanation for the extension, a statement of the unexpended balance, and a timetable illustrating its anticipated disbursement over the specified period of time. Any portion of the award not expended at the conclusion of the project period must be returned to the Goldhirsh Foundation within sixty (60) days.

Institutional Assurances: Award recipients should follow their institutions’ patent, copyright, and intellectual property policies regarding discoveries that result from research conducted under these awards. Recipients are expected to adhere to all national and state (or province) regulations regarding the use of animals, radioactive or hazardous materials, and recombinant DNA in their research projects. It is the responsibility of the award recipient’s Institution to make sure that all approvals have been secured prior to releasing any award funds. The Goldhirsh Foundation expects that the appropriate national and state (or province) guidelines with regard to scientific misconduct are in place and enforced at all institutions with which the Goldhirsh Foundation recipient is affiliated.

Financial Responsibilities of Award Recipient Institution: The institution will keep systematic records of all expenditures relating to this award. Vouchers consisting of bills, invoices, canceled checks, receipts, etc. will be retained by the institution for five (5) years after the close of the award period and will be available for inspection by representatives of The Goldhirsh Foundation at any time during this period. The Foundation may, at its own expense, examine, audit, or have audited the records of the Institution insofar as they relate to activities supported by this award.

Should any of these events occur, The Goldhirsh Foundation may demand repayment of all unexpended portions of the award; moreover, all unpaid installments may be cancelled. The Institution is also required to give written notice if there is a change in the Institution’s status as noted below.

• A determination, preliminary or otherwise, is made by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service or equivalent tax collection and enforcement agency within Canada or Israel that the grant does not constitute a qualifying distribution. 
• The Institution fails to perform any of its duties, in the judgment of The Goldhirsh Foundation or its Scientific Advisory Committee, required by the terms of this contract.
• The Institution becomes a private foundation or ceases to be exempt from income taxes under Internal Revenue Service Code or equivalent tax collection and enforcement agency within Canada or Israel.
• There is a material change in the purpose, character, or method of operation of the Institution such as to jeopardize its tax status.

Transfer of Award: The Goldhirsh Foundation awards are made to the institution where the named Principal Investigator is conducting research. In the event that the Principal Investigator leaves that institution, the award is not transferable without prior approval of The Goldhirsh Foundation. If the project is terminated for any reason, any unused funds must be returned to The Goldhirsh Foundation within sixty (60) days of termination of research activity.

Change of Status: It is the responsibility of the Principal Investigator as well as the applicant institution to notify The Goldhirsh Foundation of any change in the academic status of the Investigator within 30 days prior to such change. The Foundation will then determine whether or not to allow the award to continue.

Progress and Final Reports: Award recipient will furnish, each year of the award, both Research Progress and Fiscal Reports to The Goldhirsh Foundation on or before April 1st and Final Research and Fiscal Reports within sixty (60) days following completion of the award period. As part of the Progress Report, the investigator is requested to summarize specific tasks that have been completed and relate these tasks to the proposed timeline that was submitted with the full application. It is the responsibility of the recipient to email the Fiscal Report Form to their Fiscal Officer and ensure that the Goldhirsh Foundation receives the completed Fiscal Report. With the Final Report, the recipient is also expected to send copies of any original publications directly resulting from the award.

Both Progress and Final Reports will contain a narrative, non-technical account of what was accomplished by the expenditure of funds including a description of progress toward achieving the goals of the project, a detailed financial accounting of expenditures by the recipient institution, and copies of any original publications directly resulting from the award. A scientific project summary of no more than 350 words is also required. The scientific project summary will be posted on the Goldhirsh Foundation website if funded.

Scientific Poster Session and Events: Award recipients will be expected to present a summary of their research project at the Goldhirsh Foundation Annual Boston Scientific Meeting in May 2009. All travel expenses are reimbursed by the Foundation.

Publications: Award recipients are expected to share scientific findings in a timely manner through scientific publications and/or presentations. The Principal Investigator is encouraged to announce receipt of this award and accord suitable recognition and acknowledgment of the award to The Goldhirsh Foundation. The Goldhirsh Foundation will not retain any rights to published results or patents that result from the research.