Applications are open for the 2026 IBRO Seeding Neuroscience Grants, a funding call aimed at helping scientists and organizations take the first practical steps toward forming sustainable neuroscience societies, sub-societies, regional chapters and thematic networks in Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America. The application window runs from 1 September 2026 to 30 September 2026, with submissions required through the IBRO Grants Portal.
Key facts
- The grant is designed for early-stage institution-building, not standalone scientific conferences.
- Eligible initiatives are in Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America.
- The 2026 application window runs from 1 September 2026 to 30 September 2026.
- Applicants must submit through the official IBRO Grants Portal.
- IBRO says proposals should show a concrete path toward a formal society, chapter or network.
What does this mean for students and early-career neuroscientists?
The programme matters most for graduate students, postdoctoral researchers and early-career neuroscientists where a formal professional community does not yet exist. IBRO says the grants can support the planning work needed to create sustainable groups that offer mentoring, networking, training and leadership opportunities.
For applicants, the practical requirement is not simply to propose a meeting. The proposal must show how funded activities will lead to an actual organization, such as a national society, regional chapter or thematic network. That could include governance planning, membership models, leadership arrangements or a workshop that produces a concrete establishment plan.
- Who can benefit: emerging neuroscience societies, groups of scientists and scientific organizations.
- Where it applies: Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America.
- What to do: submit through the IBRO Grants Portal before 30 September 2026.
What is IBRO funding here?
IBRO’s Seeding Neuroscience Grants are meant to help scientists move from informal collaboration to a formal structure with governance, membership and a sustainable plan. The call explicitly points to needs such as a professional society, a regional chapter or a network focused on a particular neuroscience discipline.
The programme is broader than a traditional national society. IBRO also allows thematic networks, with examples including computational neuroscience and glial research. The common requirement is that the proposal fills a real gap and has a credible route to becoming a functioning body.
Who is eligible to apply?
IBRO says applications may come from emerging neuroscience societies, groups of scientists planning to form a society or network, and scientific organizations that are working toward a formal neuroscience structure. The call is especially suited to places with limited neuroscience infrastructure, limited scientific exchange or little formal organization.
Where a national neuroscience society already exists, the bar is higher. In those cases, IBRO says applicants should be seeking to establish something distinct, such as a sub-society, regional chapter or specialized thematic body that clearly adds value rather than duplicating what already exists.
What kinds of activities can the grant support?
The funding is intended for inaugural and organizational work that helps create a sustainable neuroscience body. That can include governance planning, strategic workshops, organizational development, leadership and membership discussions, and work on constitutions or bylaws.
IBRO also points to community-building steps such as mapping researchers, linking institutions and establishing working groups. The point is to produce a structure that lasts beyond the initial activity, not merely to stage an event.
Can the grant fund a conference?
No. IBRO says the Seeding Neuroscience Grants do not support standalone conferences or scientific meetings where the sole purpose is event organization. A symposium or workshop can be part of a proposal, but only if it is tied to a concrete plan to establish a society, chapter or network.
That distinction is central to the call. IBRO is funding institution-building, not general event delivery. Proposals are expected to show what organizational outcome will follow from the funded activity.
Frequently asked questions
When is the deadline for applications?
The deadline is 30 September 2026. IBRO says the application period opens on 1 September 2026 and closes at the end of the month, with submissions made through the IBRO Grants Portal.
Which regions can apply?
The 2026 call is open to eligible initiatives in Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America. IBRO does not provide a country-by-country list in the supplied material, so eligibility depends on the programme’s regional structure and the applicant’s location.
