Lotte & John Hecht Memorial Foundation: 2026 Funding Opportunities — Basic Research

Overview

The Lotte & John Hecht Memorial Foundation will support high-risk/high-reward proof-of-principle basic science/preclinical projects with a primary focus on cancer and a secondary emphasis on other devastating diseases (e.g., diabetes, cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative disease, opioid drug use). Eligible projects will not fit traditional funding mechanisms and have not received previous grants/awards. Preliminary data is not required.

Proposals may be submitted by early‑career or established investigators and can arise from non‑traditional ideas, including innovations from adjacent or unrelated disciplines, serendipitous collateral findings or the application of novel methods. Hypotheses should be based on extensive literature review and logical substantiation.

Funding Value and Duration

Up to $450,000 over three years.

Eligibility Criteria

Canadian researchers and practitioners, or mixed teams consisting of Canadian and foreign project leaders. Projects may be led by either single- or multi-investigator teams.

Ineligible expenses include indirect costs, investigator salaries and large equipment.

How to Apply

Submissions will be made through the Foundation’s online application portal. New applicants must email health@hecht.org to request access.

Letters of Intent will be peer-reviewed and must contain a short summary of your project, including a brief rationale, hypothesis/es, methods, expectations, team composition and expertise, duration, and requested budget of your proposed study.

Full applications are open by invitation.

Sponsor’s Website

Lotte & John Hecht Memorial Foundation: 2026 Funding Opportunities — Basic Research

Internal Contacts

Faculty Research Facilitator

Katie Harriman, Research Facilitator, Institutional Initiatives (Foundations)

Deadlines

*Carleton is closed for business on January 31; final submission deadline will be Friday, January 30.

Submitting Your Application

1. Log in to cuResearch and submit an internal Carleton Approval Form. Review the cuResearch user’s manual.
2. Submit an external application to the Lotte & John Hecht Memorial Foundation: 2026 Funding Opportunities — Basic Research by following their submission guidelines.