Letter of Intent Questions & Answers
From the November 4 webinar
Q&A
Letters of intent are due Monday, November 16, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Pacific. If your question is not answered here, send us a short overview of your project or email suaitc-admin@stanford.edu.
Rules for the competition itself
The answers on this page are about applying through the Stanford AITC. The competition is run across all five centers by the AITC Coordinating Center, which keeps its own list of frequently asked questions.
Topic 01
IP, funding, and timelines
Who will hold the intellectual property? Does IP sharing need to be worked out before submitting the LOI?
The applicants and applicant institutions will hold the intellectual property. Yes, IP sharing should be worked out before the letter of intent. That is between you and your institution, including how much you want to share with reviewers.
Approximately what share of the $200,000 or $300,000 does a small business receive?
Essentially all of it. The $200,000, or $300,000 for clinical trials, is the cap on direct costs for the project, and the full direct budget goes to the awarded team. Your organization's indirect costs (F&A) are paid on top of that cap, so the total award is larger than $200,000 or $300,000. Awards to companies are made as cost-reimbursable subawards from Stanford, so you would invoice for actual costs as you go.
How does the cost-reimbursable subaward process work?
More details will be provided during the full application phase.
Should the estimated direct costs go in the two-page project statement, or in a separate file?
Please follow the AITCC requirements.
At least 80 percent of funds go to AD/ADRD and at most 20 percent to other aging research topics. Can you explain this further?
Each AITC will fund 10 to 15 non-clinical projects in this cycle. The 80 percent and 20 percent allocation applies to the projects funded by Stanford, but the final decision will come from the National Institute on Aging.
Can I request more than two years, because setting up a new IRB takes time?
Please propose your project based on a two-year maximum. We are open to discussing details later.
Topic 02
Scope and fit
Can a project include only animal studies, without human cells? Does it have to use AI to identify targets that delay aging?
We are interested in animal models within the scope of precision intervention. AI must be part of the project, and you must consider how it would be implemented translationally, including its relevance to humans. Human cells are not required.
If my target population is not defined as older adults, for example home stroke rehabilitation, can I justify fit with data showing that the majority are 65 and older?
The short answer is yes, but the details are important. If the population is older adults, check the AITCC instructions about age range.
Does every proposal need to have an intervention?
No. If it is technology that informs interventions, even future interventions, that is relevant to the research award.
How is ADRD distinguished from aging? Do projects on ADRD risk factors in healthy adults count as an ADRD study?
Final terminology will be determined by the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute on Aging.
Topic 03
Eligibility and team
Who is eligible to serve as PI, including at a startup, and are there degree requirements?
PI eligibility varies by institution, so please talk to the institution that is applying on your behalf. For startups, there are no degree requirements.
Are applicants allowed to list more than one PI?
Yes. There can be multiple PIs on one application if they provide different expertise.
Can a project be submitted by a single person, or do we need to assemble a team?
Either is fine. We look for the expertise in content and methods required to conduct the project, whether that comes from one person or a team.
At the LOI stage, do you assess the strength of the research team?
The focus is mainly on the project itself: the problem and its relevance to aging or AD/ADRD, the AI or technology approach, the aims, the path to translation, and fit with the center's priorities. The team matters mostly as part of feasibility. Reviewers will look at whether the team has the expertise, data, and partners needed to carry out what is proposed, so it helps to make clear in the project statement who brings what, especially clinical, technical, and AD/ADRD expertise. This is looked at particularly closely during the full application phase.
Do you need to finalize your partner before submitting the LOI?
Yes. Your team should be complete before the letter of intent deadline, and your partners should be outlined in the letter of intent. If the letter of intent does not show that you have the team and resources to complete the project, reviewers will likely have significant concerns about its feasibility.
If I am between jobs, can the grant be moved to a new institution?
Please contact your own institution.
Topic 04
Multiple submissions
Can a PI or company submit more than one letter of intent, including to different AITCs?
Yes, as long as the topic and content are different. Each AITC must receive a different proposed idea, and a PI can be listed on more than one application if the projects are distinct. For company-specific rules, such as multiple letters of intent with different PIs, please refer to the AITCC.
Topic 05
Clinical trials
How many clinical trials will each AITC fund?
Each AITC will fund one clinical trial in this cycle.
If only one of my aims involves a clinical trial, does the project count as a clinical trial? Can I submit to both tracks?
If there is a clinical trial component, then it is a clinical trial. You can only submit to one track.
Topic 06
LOI content, format, and review
What confidentiality and non-disclosure protections apply to information submitted in an LOI or application?
The review process is private, but it is up to you to decide how much to share about your project.
How much technical depth is expected at the LOI stage, compared with the full proposal?
Please follow the AITCC LOI instructions. A conceptual framework is fine, but we want to see that the project is feasible, doable, and unique. You do not need to list every model, but if an off-the-shelf model could solve the problem, you probably would not need two years to build the tool.
What level of preliminary data or validation is expected, and is impact more important?
We do not require data directly supporting the mechanism, but we do look at the investigators' relevant expertise. Projects that develop the AI model during the pilot are welcome if you can demonstrate feasibility and impact. Translation is important, and real data will always strengthen an application.
It seems that practical interventions are a big plus and that a pathway to commercialization matters. Is that right?
Yes, both are big pluses. Translation is a large component. We are not evaluating based on business models, but on the translational model. Commercialization is important, but business models do not have to be in letters of intent. Please consider the timeline and make sure it is feasible.
Are letters of intent scored against a rubric?
No. Letters of intent are not scored.
Are letters of intent and full applications reviewed by each AITC separately?
The AITCC will coordinate the review of letters of intent and full applications.
Is there a sample letter of intent available?
Please check the AITCC website or inquire with the AITCC.
Topic 07
Stanford resources
Can I reach out with a specific project to check fit and priorities, or to ask about using Stanford resources?
Yes, please do. If needed, we can connect you with the right person. You can submit an inquiry through our online form.
Is the extent to which an application incorporates Stanford AITC resources factored into scoring?
No. Using our resources is optional.
Can Stanford help with recruiting dyads for research?
Yes. We can refer you to participant registries and stakeholder groups.
Topic 08
Data use and access
Is the use of a publicly available dataset allowed?
Yes.
Do you provide data if awarded?
We can help coordinate with the data owners at Stanford if your proposed project includes their data.
Any advice on VA electronic health record data and NIH regulations? VHA data is meant to stay behind the VA firewall, and some restrictions on AI use run against NIH policy.
Any data sharing will be an agreement between the institution of the awardee and the NIH, and the data will be de-identified. This will be a case-by-case discussion if the project is funded.
If you have data from a K award, can you apply using that data for a new project?
That is fine, but it must be a new project or idea that is different from your K award.
Still have a question?
Send us a short overview of your project and we will tell you whether it fits our priorities, and who at Stanford to talk to. You can also watch the webinar the questions above came from.