Pilot & Feasibility Program

Catalyzing innovative research aimed at reducing the burden of diabetes.

01About the program

Translational pilots that lead to external funding

The Pilot & Feasibility Program supports small to midsized translational studies that generate preliminary data and strengthen future external funding applications. Projects should align with the translational science pathway (T2–T4), reasonably generate data that supports future externally funded work, and describe use of one or more GCDTR research cores.

  • T2Research to practice
  • T3Translation to practice
  • T4Population level

03By the numbers

Small awards that lead to larger grants

Awards funded
50
41 pilots · 9 micro-grants
Invested in pilot awards
$1.5M
Diabetes-related follow-on funding
$27.1M
18.1× the amount invested
Follow-on funding in all fields
$42.8M
28.5× the amount invested
What the awards led to, year by yearInvested in pilot awards
Investment and follow-on funding, added up by fiscal year$0$10M$20M$30M$40M$50MFY17FY18FY19FY20FY21FY22FY23FY24FY25FY26Investment and follow-on funding, added up by fiscal year$0$20M$40MFY17FY20FY23FY26
Investment and follow-on funding by fiscal year, added up
Fiscal yearAwards that yearInvested to dateFollow-on funding to date
FY20175$150K$7.1M
FY20182$210K$7.1M
FY20196$306K$17.8M
FY20207$488K$20.2M
FY20211$490K$20.9M
FY20227$740K$27.8M
FY20237$1.0M$31.2M
FY20249$1.3M$42.8M
FY20254$1.4M$42.8M
FY20262$1.5M$42.8M

As of October 2026. Recent awards are too new to show follow-on funding yet.

04What the program funds

Studies across the translational pathway

Projects should reasonably generate data that supports future externally funded work.

Research to Practice (T2)

  • Safety/effectiveness studies in people
  • Behavioral, observational, outcomes, and health services studies

Translation to Practice (T3)

  • Adoption into routine care and implementation testing
  • Comparative effectiveness and care quality outcomes

Population Level (T4)

  • Community, healthcare system, and public-health implementation outcomes
  • Policy and dissemination implications

Allowable Direct Costs

  • Personnel salary and fringe benefits
  • Consultants and allowable travel
  • Supplies, patient-care costs, essential equipment
  • Publication costs; no indirect costs

05Eligibility

Faculty at Emory, Morehouse School of Medicine and Georgia Tech

  1. Early-career facultyAssistant Professors, Clinical Lecturers and Instructors with limited research support as PD/PI, eligible to lead an NIH K or R-level application.
  2. Established investigatorsNew to diabetes translation research, or proposing a clear departure from past work with a fully engaged junior Co-PI (postdoc or junior faculty).
  3. Partner organizationsApplications from investigators affiliated with GCDTR partner organizations receive priority consideration.

06Funded pilots

Recent Pilot & Feasibility awards

See all funded projects

Tennille Leak-Johnson · Morehouse School of Medicine · FY2026

Prime-DPP: A Feasibility Pilot of a Family History-Enhanced Diabetes Prevention Program

View details

Jammie Hopkins · Morehouse School of Medicine · FY2026

Exercise is Medicine @ Morehouse: Integrating Physical Activity Systems Change to support Diabetes Prevention and Management in an Urban Medical Practice

View details

Rodrigo Carrillo-Larco · Emory University · FY2025

Leveraging Technology and AI to Enhance Diabetes Management in the Hispanic Population in Georgia

View details

07How to apply

2026 cycle (closed)

The 2027 call and its dates will be posted on the guidelines page.

View Guidelines

  1. Letter of Intent

    Due Friday, January 30, 2026: title, aims, career relevance, key personnel.

  2. Studio consultations

    January–February 2026, with GCDTR research core personnel.

  3. Full application

    Due Friday, March 6, 2026, in PHS 398-style order.

  4. Award start

    Anticipated start date Monday, June 1, 2026.