The Alzheimer Society Research Program

What is the Alzheimer Society Research Program?

The Alzheimer Society Research Program (ASRP) is one of Canada's most innovative hubs for dementia research, helping the best and brightest minds in the field spark their work from ideas to impact.

Since the Program's start in 1989, we have invested over $59 million in grants and awards toward innovative research that brings us closer to a future without Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.

Starting this year, the ASRP is changing the way it invests in research:

Encouraging researchers to explore radical new ways to advance our knowledge of dementia, and
Improving the quality of life for people living with dementia, their families and caregivers.

Funding for researchers

Application dates

Applications for the 2021 competition open on September 11, 2020. Please check out our page on how to apply for funding information, guidelines and frequently asked questions.

Before applying, learn more about the program's priorities and your opportunities for funding.

Funding priorities

Starting in 2019, the ASRP has shifted into an open competition that will focus on varying funding priorities: basic science research, clinical, health services and population health.

Applications in other aspects of dementia research, such as cause, prevention, risk, technology, social science, and psychosocial interventions are also considered.

Funding opportunities

Our funding opportunities are also changing:

Proof of concept grants: $100,000 up to five years

Supports investigators, both established and new, with innovative approaches that require funding for projects with potential high risk and high yield. New hypotheses are prioritized over existing. Funds can be accessed as needed for up to five years.

New investigator operating grant: $200,000 up to four years

Supports new investigators within the first four years of their faculty position to build their programs of research. Funds can be accessed as needed for up to four years.

Postdoctoral fellowship: $100,000 over two years

Supports trainees within the first 18 months of completing their PhD program.

Doctoral award: $66,000 over three years

Supports students in the first 18 months of their PhD program.

Examples of research funded through the ASRP

Through the support of the ASRP, dementia researchers across Canada were able to work on projects like:

"An intergenerational choir that provides a voice for people with dementia and caregivers through the power of music."

— Dr. Debra Sheets, University of Victoria

"Using MRI to predict the onset of dementia — 20 to 25 years before symptoms appear."

— Dr. Simon Duchesne, Université Laval

"Adopting new and accessible technology such as iPads to emphasize person-centered care in hospitals."

— Dr. Lillian Hung, Simon Fraser University

Supporting the Program

The Alzheimer Society Research Program is a collaborative effort. The Alzheimer Society of Canada would like to thank the following:

Our donors

None of the research funded through the ASRP could be possible without your support. If you are interested in supporting dementia research through the ASRP, please donate today.

Our partners

Our partners include the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging (CCNA), the Fonds de recherche du Québec – Santé (FRQS), AGE-WELL NCE and the New Brunswick Health Research Foundation.

Find out more about our partners.

Alzheimer Societies across Canada

We also extend our thanks to the Alzheimer Societies who generously contribute to the Alzheimer Society Research Program each year:

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