OUR ACTIONS
Funding of scientific projects
Our calls for projects (AAPs)
The Foundation For Rare Diseases supports excellent research to understand the causes and pathophysiological mechanisms of rare diseases, to develop new treatments, and to improve the lives of patients.
The Foundation has an active scientific policy and launches 4 to 6 calls for projects per year. It offers funding to winning research teams and access to innovative technologies such as new generation sequencing (exomes, whole genomes and new technologies of interest in this field), the development of animal models, and high-throughput screening of molecules with therapeutic potential. Expertise in these new technologies is provided by specialized technology platforms.
A registry of award-winning projects since 2012 is available
Current calls for projects
CALL FOR PARTNERSHIP PROJECTS
Call for Proposals with OSCAR “Natural history, fundamental, and translational studies on rare diseases of calcium, cartilage, and bone”
The OSCAR Rare Disease Health Network, in collaboration with the Rare Disease Foundation, has decided to launch a call for proposals aimed at encouraging research into the development of new treatments for rare diseases affecting calcium, cartilage, and bones.
Maximum budget: €20,000
Maximum duration: 24 months
Submission deadline : May 21, 2026, 5 p.m.(Paris time).
JOINT CALL FOR PROJECTS
Call for Proposals ALBI France – “ PBC –Primary Biliary Cholangitis ”
Given the unique challenges of the rare disease field, the ALBI France Association and the Rare Diseases Foundation (FMR) have entered into a partnership to support and promote research on Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC).
Maximum budget: €40,000
Maximum duration: 24 months
Submission deadline: June 15, 2026, 5:00 p.m.(Paris time).
CALL FOR PARTNERSHIP PROJECTS
Call for Proposals:“Social and Therapeutic Innovations to Improve the Quality of Life for Young Patients with Rare Diseases and Their Families” in Partnership with FE-IRCEM
For the third consecutive year, the IRCEM Corporate Foundation and the Rare Diseases Foundation are joining forces to support concrete, high-impact initiatives aimed at improving the quality of life and care for children and adolescents with rare diseases and their caregivers.
Proposed projects must:
- Promoting independence and social inclusion among young patients
- To study a therapeutic, technological, or organizational innovation
- Addressing an unmet need with a tangible short-term impact
New this year: Projects that actively involve patient organizations will be prioritized and may be eligible for dedicated funding.
Max budget: €20,000 to €35,000
Maximum duration: 12 to 24 months
Submission deadline: June 4, 2026, 5:00 p.m.(Paris time).
JOINT CALL FOR PROJECTS
Joint APP Association HPN France – Bone Marrow Failure
"Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria and acquired bone marrow aplasia"
Given the unique characteristics of the field of rare diseases, the HPN France – Bone Marrow Aplasia Association and the Rare Diseases Foundation (FMR) have entered into a partnership to support and promote basic, translational, and clinical research onParoxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria (PNH) and/or Acquired Bone Marrow Aplasia (AMA). All biomedical disciplines and the humanities and social sciences are eligible for this call for projects.
Maximum budget: €20,000
Maximum duration: 24 months
Submission deadline: June 2, 2026, 5:00 p.m.(Paris time).
JOINT CALL FOR PROJECTS
Joint Press Release from theASL Association –“Lowe Syndrome”
Given the unique characteristics of the field of rare diseases, the French Lowe Syndrome Association (ASL) and the Rare Diseases Foundation (FMR) have entered into apartnership to support and promote basic, translational, and clinical research on Lowe syndrome. All biomedical disciplines are eligible for this call for proposals.
Maximum budget: 30 000 €.
Maximum duration: 24 months
Submission deadline : May 28, 2026, 5:00 p.m.(Paris time).
CALL FOR PARTNERSHIP PROJECTS
Call for projects with ORKiD "Innovative therapeutic approaches for rare kidney diseases"
The Orphan Kidney Diseases Network (ORKiD), in collaboration with the Foundation for Rare Diseases, has decided to launch a call for projects toencourage the development of new therapeutic approaches for rare kidney diseases.
Maximum budget: €20,000
Maximum duration: 24 months
Submission deadline : May 21, 2026, 5 p.m.(Paris time).
CALL FOR APPLICATIONS
Call for applications 2026 – Master's 2 scholarship – "Innovation in Artificial Intelligence & e-Health for Rare Diseases"
This call for applications aims to support innovative projects that use artificial intelligence and e-health solutions to improve the diagnosis, monitoring, and care of patients with rare diseases.
Objective:Fundingfor Master's 2 scholarships in AI and/or e-health for innovative projects specifically related to rare diseases.
Funding:Eachselected project will receive financial support of up to €5,000, exclusively dedicated to the remuneration of the Master's 2 intern.
Submission deadline : May 7, 2026, 5 p.m.(Paris time).
JOINT CALL FOR PROJECTS
Call for joint research projects joint "Humanities and Social Sciences & Rare Diseases" – PNMR4 – General Delegation for Healthcare Provision
As part of the National Plan for Rare Diseases 4 (PNMR4), the Directorate General for Healthcare Provision (DGOS) and the Rare Diseases Foundation (FMR) are launching a joint call for projects, funded by the DGOS and organized by the FMR, to strengthen research in the humanities and social sciences (HSS) applied to rare diseases.
Maximum budget: €200,000
Maximum duration: 36 months
Submission deadline : May 21, 2026, 5 p.m.(Paris time).
JOINT CALL FOR PROJECTS
Call for projects ASL-HSP – " Research on Hereditary Spastic
Paraplegia"
Due to the specific nature of rare diseases, the Association ASL-HSP and the Foundation Rare Diseases Rare (FMR) have agreed to partnership in order to to support and and stimulate the research and and translational and clinical on paraplegia spastic spastic hereditary. All disciplines biomedical are are eligible for this call for projects.
Maximum budget: €25,000
Maximum duration: 24 months
Submission deadline : May 4, 2026, 5 p.m.(Paris time).
JOINT CALL FOR PROJECTS
Joint AAP-AECF Association – "CASK-related disorders"
Due to the specific nature of rare diseases, the AECF Association and the Rare Diseases Foundation (FMR) have agreed to form a partnership to support and stimulate fundamental, translational, and clinical research into CASK disorders. All biomedical disciplines are eligible for this call for projects.
Maximum budget: €50,000
Maximum duration: 24 months
Submission deadline : April 30, 2026, 5 p.m.(Paris time).
Partner platforms
For its Calls for Projects on high throughput sequencing, screening and the creation of animal models, the Foundation relies on partner platforms of expertise. We invite you to contact these platforms directly to set up your projects.
Rare Diseases and Pain Prize - APICIL Foundation
Since 2022, the APICIL Foundation has joined forces with the Foundation For Rare Diseases to reward an innovative project in the field of rare diseases and pain by offering a "Rare Diseases and Pain" prize of €15,000.
This prize, awarded to the project leader, enables a French research team to develop a research project on this theme that is so important for patients and is sometimes still too little studied.
Rare Diseases and Pain Award - ALNYLAM
Since 2020, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals has been committed to the Foundation For Rare Diseases to reward innovative projects using RNA interference technology in the field of rare diseases.
Each year, a €20,000 prize is awarded to an established researcher, scientific leader of a team attached to a French research organization, who has contributed through his or her research to major advances in the field of rare diseases.