National Cancer Institute (NCI)

NCI prioritizes funding new, renewal and ongoing grants and cooperative agreements  

• The institute has limited flexibility to support administrative supplements.
• Given this prioritization, the number of successful administrative supplement applications will likely be low in any given year.
• Examples of unsolicited administrative supplement requests that NCI will generally consider are replacement of critical lab equipment and resources.

NCI will accept and consider administrative supplement requests at any time through July 31. Requests received after July 31 will not be considered for funding.

Program Contacts:

• The NCI Program Official for the parent award 

Grants Management Contact

• Office of Grants Administration Email: [email protected]   

Conferences and meetings may address any area of cancer research, including cancer biology, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and cancer control. Appropriate topics include basic, translational, clinical, population-based, interdisciplinary, and emerging research that advances understanding of cancer etiology, progression, detection, survivorship, treatment and outcomes. Meetings may focus on presenting, developing, disseminating, or critically evaluating scientific knowledge; integrating emerging technologies, methods, or clinically relevant models; or advancing collaborative, multidisciplinary research. Topics may also address health drivers, implementation science, data and AI-driven research, workforce development, and HIV-associated cancers when directly relevant to cancer research. Applications not aligned with cancer research objectives are not responsive. Applicants are encouraged to contact NCI ([email protected]) at least six weeks prior to submission for guidance.

NCI has limited discretionary funds to support conferences and meetings that advance its mission to drive progress in cancer research. Budgets must be well justified and aligned with the meeting’s scope, scale, and expected impact. Awards depend on fiscal constraints and program priorities. Applicants should contact NCI ([email protected]) at least six weeks before submission for guidance.

 Consistent with the associated R13/U13 NOFO and NIH policy, NCI will not issue a conference grant award unless the Federal award date precedes the conference start date.

NCI typically considers applications requesting one year of support. Applicants seeking up to five years in a single application should consult with NCI ([email protected] ) at least six weeks before submission. The associated R13/U13 NOFO requires additional details for each proposed future year to inform peer review.

Scientific Program Contact:  
NCI Referral Officer
Email: [email protected] 

Grants Management Contact:
Office of Grants Administration
[email protected] 

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) supports individual career development awards in all areas of cancer research, including but not limited to cancer prevention, control, behavioral sciences, population sciences, fundamental cancer biology, and translational research.

In addition to requirements outlined in the NOFOs, NCI will consider applications and awards from:

1. K01 and K08 candidates who have not already been promoted to Associate Professor or an equivalent position at the time of the award.
2. K08 candidates with an active U.S. clinical license for the duration of the award and can provide a copy of active U.S. licensure, surgical training (if applicable) and relevant information   

K01 Mentored Research Scientist Development Award – NCI will prioritize funding consideration for:

• early career-stage cancer researchers, including postdoctoral scholars and non-tenured junior faculty (e.g., Assistant Professor or equivalent)
• research in the areas of cancer control and population sciences, molecular cancer prevention and cancer data science

K08 Mentored Clinical Scientist Career Development Award – NCI supports all areas of cancer research, including patient-oriented research.  

NCI will provide salary support up to the limit that is specified below plus fringe benefits: 

• K08: up to the NIH salary cap per year  
• K32: up to $80,000 per year 
• K01, K25, K99: up to $100,000 per year 

The requested salary must be consistent with a) the established salary structure at the institution and b) with salaries provided by the institution from its own funds to other staff members with equivalent qualifications, rank, and responsibilities in the department concerned.

NCI will provide research development support up to the limit that is specified below: 

• K32 and Phased individual career development awards (K99/R00): Up to $30,000 per year for the K99 phase 
• All other individual career development awards (K01, K08, K25): Up to $50,000 per year 

NCI candidates must commit a minimum of 9 person months (75%) full-time professional effort for all individual career development awards.  

K08: For U.S. licensed surgeon-scientists with active surgical duties, a minimum of 6 person months (50%) full-time professional effort must be devoted to research and career development activities: NOT-CA-21-054. 

NCI K01 Program Director(s) 
Email: [email protected]   

NCI K08 Program Director(s) 
Email: [email protected]   

NCI K25 Program Director(s) 
Email: [email protected]   
 

NCI K32 Program Director(s) 
Email: [email protected]   

NCI K99/R00 Program Director(s) 
Email: [email protected]   

NCI Early K99/R00 Program Director(s) 
Email: [email protected]  

• The National Cancer Institute (NCI) supports fellowships in all areas of cancer research, including cancer prevention, control, behavioral sciences, population sciences, and translational research. 
• NCI supports funding for topics with a clear cancer focus in the research training plan.  
• For the F99/K00, NCI will support applications in which the proposed postdoctoral research project (K00 phase) is cancer-focused, while the dissertation research project conducted during the F99 phase may be in any area of biomedical research.

F99/K00: K00 applications must be submitted directly to the assigned F99 Program Director six (6) months prior to the proposed activation date of the K00 award. This will also ensure the transition to the K00 postdoctoral phase takes place without interruption in funding. K00 applications may only be submitted by PIs with an F99 award. 

F99/K00: K00 project period is three (3) years with the possibility to request adding a fourth year with strong justification for an additional year of training. These requests will be evaluated by program on a case-by-case basis.  

F99 

• Travel to mandatory NCI annual meeting during F99 (year 1) and following transition to K00 award (year 1): $1,500 

K00 

• Salary: up to $80,000/year with budget justification. Salary support must be commensurate with the base salary that would have been paid by the institution with which the individual is affiliated with when the award is issued.  
• Research and career development: $30,000/year  

NCI gives funding priority to applications that: 

• Indicate funds are available to support the candidate’s research training plan throughout the duration of the award. 
• The proposed scientific research question or approach is distinct from the mentor’s pending or active grants, and there is no substantial text duplication of the mentor’s specific aims. 

• NCI F30 Program Director(s) 
  Email: [email protected] 
   
• NCI F31 Program Director(s) 
  Email: [email protected] 
   
• NCI F99/K00 Program Director(s) 
  Email: [email protected] 

NCI supports institutional career development programs (K12) that prepare clinician-scientists for independent cancer research careers. NCI encourages applications that propose creative transdisciplinary and innovative institutional research career development programs in the mission area(s) of NCI. 

Programs may include, but are not limited to: 

• Community oncology and cancer prevention, screening, treatment, and control research  
• Cancer care delivery and implementation science  
• Integration of cancer health disparities research across clinical trials and population-based studies  
• Transdisciplinary approaches spanning fundamental, prevention, treatment, and survivorship research 
• Clinical and translational research incorporating innovative patient engagement strategies  

Paul Calabresi K12 Program Director(s)
Email: [email protected]

Worta McCaskill-Stevens K12 Program Director(s) 
Email: [email protected] 

T32: NCI supports institutions to develop and enhance extensive research training opportunities for pre- and post-doctoral fellows to be trained in all areas of cancer research. Research training programs are expected to be unique, innovative, rigorous, and incorporate engaging, didactic, research, and career development elements to prepare trainees for careers that will have a significant impact on the cancer research needs of the Nation. 

T32: Training program may support up to 6 trainee slots per year. 

T32: Funds that may be requested annually to defray travel costs: $800 per predoc; $1,000 per postdoc 

NCI T32 Program Director(s) 

Email: [email protected]  

Overall: 

• Projects may address any area of cancer research including biology, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and cancer control. Appropriate topics include basic, translational, clinical, population-based, interdisciplinary, and emerging research that advances understanding of cancer etiology, progression, detection, survivorship, treatment and outcomes. Topics may also address health disparities, implementation science, data and AI-driven research, workforce development, and HIV-associated cancers when directly relevant to cancer research.   

Cancer Centers Program: 

The Cancer Centers Program is a congressionally established, statutorily grounded flagship NCI program. The P30 Cancer Center Support Grant (CCSG) is the principal mechanism through which NCI carries out its congressional charge to support cancer research centers and is the basis for NCI Cancer Center designation. 

• The CCSG supports an integrated, institution-wide cancer research enterprise rather than a conventional collection of research projects. Its scope encompasses formal research programs, shared research resources, scientific leadership and administration, planning and evaluation, developmental activities, community outreach and engagement, cancer research education and training coordination, and centralized clinical-trial oversight and functions. 
• NCI uses the CCSG framework and the national network of NCI-Designated Cancer Centers to advance national cancer priorities. These include strengthening transdisciplinary research, translating discoveries across the cancer continuum, responding to the needs of center catchment areas, and improving the efficiency and performance of clinical trials through scientific prioritization, accrual monitoring, quality oversight, data coordination, and assessment of study progress. 
• CCSG support and NCI Cancer Center designation are not appropriate for inclusion within a generic parent NOFO. The program’s statutory context, designation function, nationwide role, integrated center-wide scope, and specialized scientific, organizational, oversight, and evaluation features require a dedicated NCI program framework. 
• CCSGs support three types of Cancer Centers: 1) Comprehensive Cancer Centers, which demonstrate reasonable depth and breadth of research activities in each of three major areas: basic laboratory; clinical; and prevention, control and population-based research, and which have substantial transdisciplinary research that bridges these scientific areas; 2) Clinical Cancer Centers, which are primarily focused on basic laboratory; clinical; and prevention, cancer control, and population-based research; or some combination of these areas; and 3) Basic Cancer Centers, which focus on basic laboratory research. 

Cancer Advancement through Partnerships in Research and Infrastructure (CAPRI) Program  

• The NCI Cancer Advancement through Partnerships in Research and Infrastructure (CAPRI) program supports applications that establish and strengthen comprehensive, mutually beneficial and meaningful partnerships, between Resource Limited Institutions and NCI-Designated Cancer Centers. 

• NCI encourages, through the CAPRI program, applications that aim to build institutional capacity, advancing research capabilities, enhancing the impact of innovative cancer research, cultivating the next generation of Early-Stage Investigators and trainees, and implementing coordinated outreach and education initiatives that extend the benefits of research to all populations nationwide. 

Division of Cancer Control and Population Science (DCCPS) areas of interest: 

• Projects advancing a comprehensive understanding of the cancer “exposome,” by capturing, harmonizing, and analyzing environmental, behavioral and contextual/place-based exposures that influence cancer risk and other cancer related outcomes. 
• Projects building and testing next-generation data management systems for the capture and analysis of real-world data across the cancer control continuum, including systems that integrate genomic, transcriptomic, and molecular data with other dimensions of cancer risk and outcomes. 
• Projects advancing scale-up and sustainment of bundled evidence-based comprehensive cancer prevention and control interventions in multiple health systems, locations and diverse settings. 
• Projects testing multilevel and systems interventions in geographically diverse areas to improve access to cancer control and reduce population-level disparities. 
• Projects identifying etiology, modifiable factors and mechanisms underlying early-onset cancer (including AYA cancer), accelerated aging and comorbidities, and developing interventions to improve health outcomes.  
• Projects addressing long-term outcomes of cancer survivors, including recurrence, metastatic cancer, comorbidities, symptom management and financial hardship. 
• Projects developing and harnessing rapidly-evolving methods and technologies (including AI) to improve risk assessment, cancer communication, intervention delivery and population benefit across the cancer continuum (from etiology to survivorship). 
• Projects advancing the understanding, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of pediatric and AYA cancers, including studies of tumor initiation and progression, oncogenic drivers, tumor heterogeneity, immune responses and the tumor microenvironment, treatment response, relapse and resistance, genetic predisposition, and rare molecular subtypes; and efforts to identify and validate therapeutic targets and advance precision medicine, functional genomics, synthetic lethality, immunotherapies, and rational therapeutic combinations. 
• Projects developing and applying artificial intelligence, machine learning, advanced computational approaches, and research resources and infrastructure (biospecimens, multimodal data resources, preclinical models, standards, and tools) to address challenges associated with rare cancers and small patient populations and accelerate discovery across the pediatric and AYA cancer research continuum. 

Areas NCI Generally Will Not Consider Funding for Cancer Center Support Grants 

• Research without a clear and substantive focus on cancer. 
• Stand-alone research projects or loosely related collections of projects that do not require an integrated center, program-project, network, or team-science structure. 
• Centers or program projects whose components do not share a coherent scientific theme or provide meaningful scientific integration and added value. 
• Shared resources, service cores, data platforms, or research infrastructure proposed without an integrated cancer research agenda or clear scientific use across multiple research components. 
• Clinical care, public-health service delivery, or patient-care activities that are not integral to a cancer research program. 
• Projects focused primarily on construction, equipment acquisition, or general institutional capacity without a coordinated cancer research program. 
• Duplicative centers, networks, resources, or infrastructure that do not provide distinct capabilities, meaningful coordination, or additional scientific value. 
• CCSG support or NCI Cancer Center designation through a generic parent NOFO. 

Cancer Centers Program: 

• The CCSG supports scientific leadership of the Cancer Center, shared resources for funded Center investigators, certain administrative costs, planning and evaluation, and developmental funds for new recruitments and feasibility studies.  
• The Center Director, the PD/PI, must be a highly qualified scientist and administrator with the leadership experience and expertise appropriate for establishing a vision for the Center, advancing scientific goals and managing a complex organization.  

NCI Cancer Advancement through Partnerships in Research and Infrastructure (CAPRI) Program: 

• The PDs/PIs are expected to be mid-to-senior-level scientists with records of grant support and mentoring.
• A less experienced investigator can be one of multiple PDs/PIs if there is an appropriate institutional investment in this investigator and a demonstrable collaboration (active or planned) with a more experienced PD/PI. 
• The PDs/PIs are expected to demonstrate the scientific, community, practice-based, and/or other relevant expertise, leadership experience, and organizational capabilities necessary to direct a large-scale research program.
• Consistent with applicable NIH eligibility requirements, community partners may serve as PDs/PIs, including within multiple PD/PI leadership structures 
• The team should collectively provide complementary expertise aligned with the proposed scientific aims, populations, methods, data resources, and technologies
• Leadership structures are expected to have clearly defined roles, responsibilities, authority, governance, and decision-making and support meaningful and equitable participation of community PDs/PIs. PDs/PIs are expected to foster team science, achieve milestones, collaborate across awards, and appropriately share data, methods, resources, and research products.

Note: Applicants may contact relevant NCI program staff for guidance.

NCI requires certain named personnel to provide a minimum level of effort on a competing award. This ensures that PDs/PIs and component leads devote the appropriate effort and attention to project leadership for the duration of the grant award. 

• Competing applications that do not meet the minimum criteria will not be considered for funding, unless the level of effort is raised to comply with the guidance. In addition, a request to reduce the PD/PI's level of effort in subsequent years of funding will not be approved if the proposed level of effort falls below the minimum level. The minimum effort requirement described here will not apply when the grant is in a no-cost extension. 
• Requisite levels of effort for activity codes not listed in this table are stipulated in the NOFO. 
• Unless otherwise stated in an NOFO, the minimum levels of effort are as follows: 

1If a PD/PI leads multiple project components on a P01, their minimum required person months are additive. For example, a PD/PI serving as both the overall PD/PI (10% effort) and a Project Leader (15% effort) must commit a combined minimum of 25% effort (e.g., 3.0 person months for a 12-month PD/PI, or 2.25 person months for a 9-month PD/PI). More information regarding the P01 is forthcoming.  

2The overall PI's minimum effort requirement (10% or 1.2 person months for a 12-month appointment / 0.90 person months for a 9-month appointment) includes any effort spent serving as the administrative Core Director. 

3 Applicants should justify minimum effort (5% or 0.6 person months for a 12-month appointment / 0.45 person months for a 9-month appointment), based on the proposed activities of the Core.  

4 The minimum PD/PI effort of 10% (1.2 person months for a 12-month appointment / 0.90 person months for a 9-month appointment) applies to multi-project PF5/UF5 awards. If the PF5/UF5 is structured as a single research project, the PD/PI must meet the standard 15% minimum (1.8 person months for a 12-month appointment / 1.35 person months for a 9-month appointment). 

Cancer Centers Program: 

 The Cancer Center Director, who is the PD/PI on the grant, should have an appropriate time commitment to the directorship role, with an expectation of approximately 6 months of support. 

Inquiries: 

• Questions involving new applications, including ‘research effort’ scenarios or activity codes not explicitly addressed, may be directed initially to the NCI DEA Referral Office at [email protected] or to the specific NCI scientific program contact provided in the Contacts section.  
• Questions regarding NCI's implementation of ‘research effort’ requirements should be directed to the NCI Grants Management Specialist assigned to the award or [email protected].  

Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), applications are accepted for all opportunity due dates and corresponding funding councils (October, January, May) each fiscal year. 

Overall: 

 NCI may limit project periods for specific large complex projects. The maximum project period is 5 years. 

 Cancer Centers Program: 

The Cancer Center Support Grant award project period is 5 years. However, the broader intent of the CCSG is for long-term stability and continuity of NCI Designation beyond 5 years, thus requiring strength, stability, and projected growth within the Cancer Center’s leadership, planning, operations, and institutional commitment.  

• Well-scoring applications that have shown continuity in leadership of the Cancer Center may be eligible for a two-year MERIT extension of the project period. The two-year extension requires approval from the National Cancer Advisory Board. Not all Center Core Grants (P30s) are eligible and is at the IC’s discretion. 

 Overall:  

• The number of awards is contingent upon NIH appropriations and the submission of a sufficient number of meritorious applications. 

Cancer Centers Program: 

• New (Type 1) applications: Budget should not exceed the following in direct costs per year for the project period:  
  • $1.2 million for Basic Cancer Center  
  • $1.4 million for Clinical Cancer Center 
  • $1.5 million for Comprehensive Cancer Center 
• Renewal (Type 2) applications: Application budgets are not limited but need to reflect the actual needs of the proposed project. 

Cancer Advancement through Partnerships in Research and Infrastructure (CAPRI) Program 

• Application budgets are limited to $1.3 million in direct costs per year for partnerships of two institutions and $1.8 million in direct costs per year for partnerships of three institutions. 
• Budgets for Pilot Research Projects cannot exceed $120,000 per project in direct costs per year for up to 3 years. 
• Full Research Project budget cannot exceed $275,000 in direct costs per year or continue for over 3 years. 

General inquiries: 

NCI Referral Officer 
[email protected]  

Scientific Program Contact(s): 

Office of Cancer Centers  
[email protected]   

Cancer Advancement through Partnerships in Research and Infrastructure (CAPRI) program director(s) 
[email protected] 

Translational Research Program, Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, National Cancer Institute (NCI) 
[email protected]  

Questions of a programmatic nature of a current award should be directed to the NCI Program Official assigned to the award. 

Grants Management Contact: 

Office of Grants Administration 
[email protected]  

For the LRP FOCUS (L70) subcategory, NCI will accept applications from Early Stage Investigators (ESIs) conducting cancer research in the following high priority areas: data science, computational biology, informatics, prevention, cancer control and population sciences, and new approaches emphasizing human-based research and models for cancer biology, diagnosis, and treatment.

NCI participates in the following programs: 

• NIH Director’s Pioneer Award (DP1): NCI administers and funds DP1 applications submitted in response to funding announcements released by the Common Fund High-Risk, High-Reward Program. NCI prioritizes funding for meritorious DP1 applications which are responsive to the NCI mission. 
• NIH Director’s New Innovator Awards (DP2): NCI administers and funds DP2 applications submitted in response to funding announcements released by the Common Fund High-Risk, High-Reward Program. NCI prioritizes funding for meritorious DP2 applications which are responsive to the NCI mission. 
• Investigator-Focused Award (R35):  NCI uses the R35 award to support the majority of an investigator's independent cancer research program rather than individual research projects. The award is intended for investigators whose record of creativity and productivity commensurate with their career stage, demonstrates that they will benefit from sustained, flexible support. 

Of particular interest are investigator laboratories that focus on: 

• Cancer Biology: Research that advances foundational understanding of cancer and provides new insights into cancer prevention, detection, diagnosis, and treatment. 
• Cancer Prevention: Research to identify factors that cause cancer in humans and to develop risk-reduction strategies and preventive interventions. 
• Cancer Screening and Early Detection Research: Research to improve early detection and enhance cancer screening. 
• Cancer Treatment, Diagnosis and Prognosis: Research to advance cancer treatment and disease control, as well as improve diagnosis, prognosis, screening, and early detection. 
• Cancer Control, Population Sciences, Survivorship, and Outcomes Research: Research to reduce cancer burden and improve quality of life for cancer survivors through effective methodology, interventions, and dissemination on a population-wide scale. 
• Highlighted Topics: Research in scientific areas with NCI participation. 

Investigator-Focused Award (R35)

• Applicants are expected to devote at least 6 months of calendar effort per year for the award (i.e., the equivalent of 50% effort for a 12-month appointment). 
• Applicants are allowed to be Co-Investigators and receive funding on NCI Specialized Center (P50) and Specialized Center-Cooperative Agreements (U54) awards provided they have the level of effort required available. 
• Recipients are allowed to apply to and hold awards from NCI NOFOs that specify R35 awardees and applicants are eligible to apply. 

Funding applications over $750,000 in Direct Costs per year. 

Scientific Questions  
NCI Referral Officer 
[email protected]  

Administrative Questions
Office of Grants Administration 
[email protected]

• The National Cancer Institute (NCI) supports research education in all areas of cancer research, including cancer prevention, control, behavioral sciences, population sciences, and translational research. 
• The NCI provides support for educational activities that complement and/or enhance the training of a cancer research workforce to meet the nation’s biomedical, behavioral and clinical research needs. Funding consideration is given to application that propose innovative, state-of-the-art programs that explore cancer mechanisms, address the cause, diagnosis, prevention, or treatment of cancer, rehabilitation from cancer, or the continuing care of cancer patients and the families of cancer patients. 
• The NCI encourages entrepreneurial education programs that equip graduate students and postdoctoral researchers with the skills needed to pursue careers in commercializing cancer-relevant technologies. 
• In the notice of funding opportunity for the Courses for Skills Development and Curriculum or Methods Development, NCI will prioritize funding of applications that are focused on Courses for Skills Development.
• In the notice of funding opportunity for Mentoring Activities & Networks, NCI will prioritize funding applications that are focused on preparing postdoctoral scholars for scientific research careers and applications focused on preparing early career faculty for establishing and running an academic research lab.  
• The NCI Youth Enjoy Science program supports multi-component applications with educational activities such as research experiences, curriculum or methods development, and outreach. These programs should inspire middle school, high school, and undergraduate students to pursue biomedical cancer research, outline career paths across the cancer continuum, and strengthen research skills. Research experiences can also include middle and high school teachers and undergraduate faculty. 

• Undergraduate
• Predoctoral
• Postdoctoral/Residency
• Early Career
• Other

  Healthcare providers and allied health professionals; Middle school and high school students and teachers (NCI Youth Enjoy Science program) 

All program areas provide support for up to five (5) years.

All budget limits are reported as direct costs limits per year. NCI expects recipients to provide training to a cohort of participants in each year of the award.  

• Courses for Skills Development: $300,000 
• Curriculum or Methods Development: $150,000 
• Research Experiences: $300,000 
• Mentoring Activities & Networks: $300,000 
• Youth Enjoy Science program: $400,000 

Courses for Skills Development and Mentoring Activities & Networks 

• Personnel costs: 

  • Up to $150,000 Direct Costs/Year, Including Consultants 

  • Up to 3 Calendar Months for Total PD/PI(s) Effort 

• Participant costs: 

  • Course-Related Expenses: Up to $500 

  • Housing and Per Diem: Up to $300 per day of the course 

  • Round-Trip Travel to/from R25 Course Site, as needed 

• Other program-related expenses: Travel, Equipment, Supplies, Consultants (subject to personnel budget cap), etc. 

Curriculum or Methods Development 

• Personnel costs:  As Appropriate 

• Participant costs: Not Applicable 

• Other program-related expenses: Travel, Equipment, Supplies, Consultants, etc. 

Research Experiences 

• Personnel costs: Based on Number of Participants (N): Up to ($4,500 x N) Direct Costs/Year, Including Consultants 

• Participant costs: 

  • Subsistence: Up to $15/Hour or $9,000 for 15 Weeks 

• Full-time Research Education-Related Expenses: Up to $1,000 

• Housing Allowance: Up to $1,000 

• Round-Trip Travel to/from R25 Course Site, as needed 

• Other program-related expenses: Travel, Equipment, Supplies, Consultants, (subject to personnel budget cap), etc. 

Youth Enjoy Science program 

• Personnel Costs: Up to $4,500 (Direct Costs) is allowed for personnel (including consultants)

• Participant Costs: Allowable participant costs depend on the educational level/career status of the individuals to be selected to participate in the program

• Other program-related expenses:  

  • Up to $1,500 per participant per year is allowed for research education-related expenses, such as lab supplies, poster production costs, books, registration and travel to attend and present research at a professional meeting

• Housing allowance: up to $1,000 per participant

NCI R25 Program Director(s) 
[email protected]

NCI Youth Enjoy Science Program Director(s) 
[email protected]

NCI supports the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs across the United States to develop innovative technologies to reduce or eliminate the burden of cancer.   

Technical areas of interest include, but are not limited to, novel therapeutics, medical devices for cancer treatment (including radiation therapy), in vitro and in vivo diagnostics, cancer imaging technologies, cancer research tools, cancer prevention, and digital health technologies.

Priority is given to projects that have a clear commercial product focus, address significant unmet medical needs, and have a well thought out pathway to commercialization. Priority is given to technologies exploiting novel targets, novel mechanisms of action, and precision medicine-based approaches. Supporting companies and teams new to SBIR and STTR funding is also of interest.

For the Commercialization Readiness Pilot (CRP) Program, the NCI will prioritize applications from companies that can accomplish significant commercial milestones through a CRP award, for example completing a clinical trial, and that demonstrate strong commercial readiness. Evidence of commercial readiness may include, but is not limited to, raised funds from third party investors, formed strategic partnerships with established commercial players, completed some meetings with FDA, and awarded intellectual property patents.

For the Strategic Breakthrough program, the NCI is focused on supporting late-stage clinical trials of drugs and devices for rare and pediatric cancers.  Projects should demonstrate a clear regulatory path, strong scientific rationale, matching funds, and potential to improve survival in areas of unmet need where standard of care has not advanced. This initiative is designed to incentivize private-sector investment in rare and pediatric cancer by partnering with the NCI. Applications for non-pediatric or non-rare adult cancer indications will not be considered. 

A. Therapeutics (e.g., Small Molecules, Biologics, Radiomodulators, Gene/Cell-based Therapies and Drug Development-Related Tools, and Algorithm Development)

B. In Vitro and In Vivo Diagnostics (e.g., Companion Diagnostics, Prognostic Technologies, Treatment Monitoring and Diagnostic-Related Tools, and Algorithm Development)

C. Imaging Technologies (e.g., Agents, Devices, Software Tools, Algorithm Development, and Image-Guided Interventions) 

D. Devices for Cancer Therapy (e.g., Interventional Devices, Drug Delivery Devices, Software Tools, Algorithm Development, Surgical, Radiation, and Ablative Therapies)

E. Agents for Cancer Prevention (e.g., Vaccines, but not “Technologies for Cancer Prevention”) 

F. Development of Low-Cost Technologies for Low-Resource Settings

G. Development of Digital Health Tools

Commercialization Readiness Pilot (CRP) Program:

• NCI generally supports CRP projects that include clinical trials, clinical validation studies, or other later-stage commercialization-focused research and development activities up to the SBA guideline maximum of $4,191,495.
• NCI generally supports up to $500,000 of technical assistance activities in CRP projects.

• Generally, NCI supports Phase I projects of 1 or 2 years
• Generally, NCI supports Phase II projects of 2 or 3 years
• Generally, NCI supports CRP projects of 2 or 3 years
• Generally, NCI supports Phase IIB Strategic Breakthrough projects of 4 years

NCI SBIR Development Center

[email protected]