Funder: American Cancer Society
Due Dates: March 17, 2025 (LOI) | June 1, 2025 (Full Application)
Funding Amounts: $4.07M total ($3.7M direct + 10% indirect) over 4 years per center
Summary: Supports coordinated research centers addressing cancer health disparities through solution-based, community-engaged projects focused on social and structural drivers of inequity.
Key Information: LOI required for new submissions; applicants from underrepresented groups and MSIs are encouraged.
Description
This funding opportunity supports the establishment of Cancer Health Equity Research Centers (CHERCs) to address cancer health disparities by investigating and intervening on the social and structural determinants of health. The program funds coordinated, multi-project centers that engage local communities and propose tangible, solution-oriented research across the cancer continuum—including prevention, screening, treatment, access, care delivery, and survivorship. Centers must demonstrate the value of a coordinated approach and include a Supportive Core to enhance scientific collaboration, resource sharing, mentoring, and community engagement. Priority is given to projects targeting rural communities, early onset cancers, racial/ethnic disparities, immigrant populations, sexual/gender minorities, age-specific needs, environmental justice, and physical/mental disabilities. Multilevel models and research addressing interrelated factors are encouraged.
Due Dates
- Letter of Intent (LOI) Due: March 17, 2025
- LOI Decisions: April 15, 2025
- Full Application Due: June 1, 2025
- Peer Review: September 2025
- Anticipated Start Date: April 1, 2026
Funding Amount
- Total Award: $4.07 million per center over 4 years
- $3.7 million direct costs
- 10% indirect costs
- Budget includes: Research subawards (e.g., Research Scholar Grants, Clinician Scientist Development Grants) and Supportive Core activities
- No designated cap for Supportive Core, but all activities must be justified within the total budget
Eligibility
- Eligible Applicants:
- Independent investigators at US academic institutions or nonprofit organizations
- Applicants from underrepresented groups and Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) are strongly encouraged
- Previous CHERC awardees may apply for one competitive renewal
- PI Requirements:
- Demonstrated track record in cancer health equity research, extramural funding, mentoring, publications, and leadership
- Subaward Mechanisms:
- Research Scholar Grants (RSG): 4 years, $215,000/year direct costs, any faculty rank, must address at least two social determinants of health
- Clinician Scientist Development Grants (CSDG): 3–4 years, $135,000/year direct costs, for faculty with clinical responsibilities and no R-level funding
- Postdoctoral fellows may be included as personnel but not as individual subawardees
Application Process
- Letter of Intent (LOI):
- Required for new submissions
- Submit via ProposalCentral
- LOI must include PI and subaward PI information, biosketches, center overview, and project abstracts
- See CHERC LOI Instructions (PDF)
- Invitation to Apply:
- LOIs reviewed; selected applicants invited to submit full applications
- Full Application:
- Detailed instructions provided upon invitation
- Must include plans for Supportive Core, community engagement, evaluation metrics, and budget justification
- Review:
- Peer review based on relevance, scientific rigor, innovation, investigator team, and community impact
Additional Information
- Community engagement is central and must be integrated throughout the center’s activities.
- Priority research areas include rural health, early onset cancers, racial/ethnic and immigrant disparities, sexual/gender minorities, age-specific needs, environmental justice, and disabilities.
- Informational Webinar: February 13, 2025, 3 PM EST (Watch recording)
- Policies and full instructions will be available March 2025.
External Links
Contact Information