Egg Nutrition Center

ENC Research Grants

The Egg Nutrition Center prides itself in being able to annually support research that advances the understanding of the nutritional value of eggs and egg-related nutrients and the role of eggs in a healthy diet. Our research grants are administered through a competitive process that engages the expertise of external scientists to evaluate grant proposals. All projects must adhere to strict research integrity principles (see below) and abide by the core values of objectivity, accountability and transparency.

2019 Request for Proposals (Principal Investigator and Young Investigator)

ENC’s 2019 Request for Proposals is now closed. To stay up to date on future requests for proposals please subscribe to our Nutrition Research Update newsletter at the bottom of this page.

Principal Investigator Grant

ENC’s Principal Investigator research grant program is administered with funds provided by America’s egg farmers through the USDA and the American Egg Board. The program is intended for faculty and/or senior research associates (see below for awards intended for Young Investigators). The grant cycle begins with a request for proposals (RFP) using a letter-of-intent (LOI). Selected applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal. All full proposals are peer-reviewed by external nutrition science experts. ENC research interests and deadlines will be updated annually and posted as part of that year’s RFP. Please note that that ENC allows indirect costs of no more than 10%.

Any questions can be directed to research@eggnutritioncenter.org.

Young Investigator Award

As part of our annual research grant program, ENC in collaboration with the American Egg Board is proud to support young scientists through our annual Young Investigator Research Award for Early Exploration. These awards are to assist students and post-doctoral fellows in producing preliminary research results that will support future studies or enhance the scope of current research projects beyond funding limits. Examples of the types of projects include proof-of-concept studies, pre-clinical data, secondary data analysis from clinical trials, and development of research methodology.

Applicants should submit a LOI in response to the annual RFP and indicate on the LOI that it is for a Young Investigator Award while also providing the name of the major advisor or Principal Investigator that will be supervising the project.

Awards will be issued in the form of a one-year stipend up to $20,000 (inclusive of 10% indirect costs). Funding can be used for research supplies, and travel to present at a national meeting.

Any questions can be directed to research@eggnutritioncenter.org.

Integrity Guidelines

Egg Nutrition Center (ENC) believes in the importance of understanding how eggs fit into healthy diets and the capacity of nutrition research to expand our knowledge base. Funded by egg producers and guided by nutrition scientists and registered dietitians, ENC supports research on the nutritional value of eggs and egg-related nutrients and the role of eggs in a healthy diet. In order to maintain integrity and transparency, and to help minimize the potential for bias due to funding source, ENC abides by a set of integrity guidelines informed by accepted scientific practice and the ILSI North America Conflict of Interest Guiding Principles.

In accordance with these guiding principles, the Egg Nutrition Center grants academic independence in the design, implementation, analysis, interpretation, and ability to report and publish all findings of any sponsored research. Investigators are also contractually bound to transparently report the Egg Nutrition Center, other financial sponsors, and/or any inherent or perceived conflicts of interests in all publications, presentations or communications (e.g., media interviews).

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All Egg Nutrition Center research relationships and relevant parties shall:

  • Publish all findings of any sponsored research, regardless of the outcome;
  • Conduct or sponsor research that is factual, transparent, and designed objectively; according to accepted principles of scientific inquiry, the research design will generate an appropriately phrased hypothesis and the research will answer the appropriate questions, rather than favor a particular outcome;
  • Require control of both study design and research itself to remain with scientific investigators;
  • Not offer or accept remuneration geared to the outcome of a research project;
  • Prior to the commencement of studies, ensure that there is a written agreement that the investigative team has the freedom and obligation to publish the findings within some specified time-frame;
  • Require, in publications and conference presentations, full signed disclosure of all financial interests;
  • Not participate in undisclosed paid authorship arrangements in industry-sponsored publications or presentations;
  • Guarantee accessibility to all data and control of statistical analysis by investigators and appropriate auditors/reviewers; and
  • Require that academic researchers, when they work in contract research organizations (CRO) or act as contract researchers, make clear statements of their affiliation; require that such researchers publish only under the auspices of the CRO.

Common Grant Questions

Q: What is ENC’s policy on indirect costs?

ENC research allows a maximum indirect cost recovery of 10%.

Q: What are budget and time constraints on ENC research grants?

Proposed budget and timeline should align with work proposed. Principal investigator salary may be included up to a maximum of 20% if justified.

Q: When are funds typically awarded?

ENC strives to notify investigators of research awards by the end of the second quarter of the calendar year. Based on prior years, final contracts are typically executed by the end of the third quarter, with first payments distributed late during that calendar year.

Q: How many LOIs are received each year?

ENC typically receives 40-50 LOIs each year.

Q: How many full proposals are ultimately requested following review of the LOIs?

Although the number fluctuates year to year, approximately 15 full proposals are requested from the pool of LOIs. From these applications, approximately 50% are funded in part or in full.

Q: Are investigators from institutions outside of the United States eligible for an ENC research grant?

ENC accepts LOIs from investigators outside of the United States.

Q: Does ENC co-fund projects with other funding organizations?

ENC has co-funded several projects with other organizations and encourages investigators to seek co-funding opportunities. Questions regarding co-funded projects should be directed to research@eggnutritioncenter.org.

Q: How are grant submissions reviewed?

ENC utilizes external experts in nutrition science and related fields to review grant submissions, focusing on the following key questions:

  • Are the hypotheses and objectives sound and achievable?
  • Is the experimental design appropriate for addressing the proposed objectives?
  • Does the investigative team have the expertise and facilities to execute the protocol?
  • Does the proposal align with the priority research areas outlined each year?

Decisions for funding are based on the recommendations of these experts as well as current research priorities.