CIRM DISC5 Awards: Funding Opportunity for Discovery Stage Research
Executive Summary:
CIRM’s DISC5 Awards fund up to $2.5 million per project for small, collaborative teams to run high-risk, exploratory discovery research in stem cell biology, genetic research, and regenerative medicine. Each project must be co-led by a California-based Principal Investigator and Co-Investigator from different labs, with human stem cells or genetic research central to the approach. Applications for the current cycle open November 14, 2025 and are due January 30, 2026 at 2:00 pm PT.
How much funding would I receive?
Each DISC5 award can request up to $2,500,000 in total project costs (including direct, facilities, and indirect costs) for a project lasting up to 3 years. Budgets at or above $900,000 in any single project year require additional justification and may be adjusted during review and negotiation.
What could I use the funding for?
The DISC5 Awards will support exploratory and innovative foundational research led by pairs of interdisciplinary investigators applying a range of technologies and approaches to address fundamental knowledge gaps or bottlenecks in stem cell biology and/or regenerative medicine. Proposals should aim to achieve one or more of the following outcomes:
Advancing fundamental understanding of human stem and progenitor cells as they pertain to human health and disease.
Advancing the use of stem cells to interrogate disease mechanisms to uncover biological insights thatcould enable therapeutic target and/or biomarker discovery.
Gaining mechanistic insights to address key scientific or technical bottlenecks in stem cell, genetherapy, and/or other regenerative medicine approaches.
Advancing applicability of stem cells, gene therapies, and/or other regenerative medicine approaches to all affected populations.
Proposals focused on validating or optimizing a therapeutic approach or candidate are not aligned with this program’s focus on foundational discovery.
Required Activities: Activities associated with managing, preserving, and sharing data and knowledge from the study
Allowable Activities:
Any basic research activities that meet the DISC5 objective to address knowledge gaps or bottlenecks in stem cell biology with relevance to human biology and disease, where human stem cells or genetic research is part of the central approach or hypothesis, and that seek to achieve one or more of the outcomes listed in “Scope and Structure.”
Partnering activities with patient-centered organizations or other project-relevant community groups.
Travel and accommodation expenditures associated with attendance of CIRM organized meetings and conferences. See additional details in Discovery Program Meetings and Conferences, pg. 13.
Activities to support outreach or communication of research plans or outcomes with the wider public.
Engagement activities with trainees supported through CIRM’s EDUC or INFR programs
Unallowable Activities:
Therapeutic or other commercial development activities including lead optimization, manufacturing, pre-clinical toxicology and pharmacology studies and other activities targeted by CIRM’s PDEV and CLIN programs.
Costs of activities performed by a separate out-of-state organization that retains intellectual property or independent publication rights in any intellectual property (e.g., invention, technology, data) arising out of the CIRM-funded project.
Costs incurred on or before the date of ICOC approval.
Activities already budgeted or paid for under a prior, existing or pending CIRM award or which are already supported by another funder.
Are there any additional benefits I would receive?
Beyond the direct funding, DISC5 awardees benefit from:
Visibility and credibility: CIRM is one of the nation’s most recognized regenerative medicine funders. A DISC5 award strengthens credibility with partners, investors, and follow-on funders.
Positioning for future non-dilutive funding: DISC5 supports early high-risk data generation, enabling teams to later apply for CIRM’s translational and clinical programs or alternative funding sources.
What is the timeline to apply and when would I receive funding?
For the current cycle:
Application deadline: January 30, 2026 at 2:00 pm PT
Grants Working Group (GWG) review: ~60–90 days after the deadline
Board approval and Notice of Award: ~150 days after the deadline
Project start: Must begin within 90 days of award approval
Most awardees can expect to start work approximately 6–8 months after the application deadline.
Where does this funding come from?
The DISC5 Awards are funded by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), a voter-created state agency dedicated to accelerating stem cell, genetic, and regenerative medicine research. DISC5 is part of CIRM’s Discovery Program under its 2024 Strategic Allocation Framework.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible organizations:
Must be a California Organization (non-profit or for-profit) as defined by CIRM. More than 50% of W-2 employees must be full-time California residents paying CA income tax. The PI must be located in California. California subsidiaries must retain IP rights from the project.
Eligible teams:
• Exactly one PI and one Co-Investigator (Co-I).
• Both must be employed by California Organizations.
• Each must commit at least 5% effort.
• PI and Co-I must be from different labs.
• The team must include an experienced Data Project Manager.
Project requirements:
• Must include human stem cell and/or genetic research as a central component.
• Any non-human models must be strongly justified and validated with human models when possible.
• Applications must be complete, accurate, and non-duplicative across CIRM programs.
Application limits:
• An individual may serve as PI on only one DISC5 application per cycle.
• An individual may serve on no more than two DISC5 applications total per cycle (as PI or Co-I).
• Co-funding is not required.
What companies and projects are likely to win?
CIRM funds projects that score highly across five criteria:
• Significance: Advance foundational stem cell or regenerative medicine knowledge with broad impact.
• Innovation: Use novel approaches or cross-disciplinary methods.
• Rationale: Present a sound scientific basis and justified experimental models.
• Plan & Design: Offer a clear, feasible research plan with strong team coordination and realistic budgets/timelines.
• Population Impact: Consider genetic, environmental, and community factors to ensure findings apply across diverse California populations
Are there any restrictions I should know about?
Key restrictions include:
• No therapeutic development (manufacturing, lead optimization, preclinical tox/pharm, IND-enabling studies).
• Out-of-state organizations cannot retain IP or publication rights for any CIRM-funded work.
• No costs incurred prior to ICOC approval.
• Applications must be complete, accurate, and not duplicative with other pending CIRM submissions.
• Projects must start within 90 days of award approval.
• Only one no-cost extension (max 6 months) may be requested—and approval is not guaranteed.
How long will it take me to prepare an application?
For a first-time applicant, preparing a competitive proposal will likely take 120–200 hours in total.
How can BW&CO help?
Our team specializes in complex federal R&D proposals and can:
Triple your likelihood of success through proven strategy and insider-aligned proposal development
Reduce your time spent on the proposal by 50–80%, letting your team focus on technology and operations
Ensure you are targeting the best opportunity for your project and positioning your company for long-term growth.
How much would BW&CO Charge?
Our full service support is available for $13000 Initial Fee + a 5% Success Fee.
Fractional support is $300 per hour.
For startups, we offer a discounted rate of $250 per hour to make top-tier grant consulting more accessible while maintaining the same level of strategic guidance and proposal quality.
Additional Resources
View the Funding Announcement Here.