Updated October 16, 2026
Cancer Research Grants 2026
Open grants for cancer and oncology research, from NCI and DOD programs to disease-focused foundations. A live list sorted by relevance and updated daily.
Cancer research is one of the few areas of science funding that entered 2026 in decent shape. The National Cancer Institute received a budget increase when much of the government did not, and the institute has signaled it expects to fund more new research project grants and more early stage investigators this year than last. Add the Department of Defense's congressionally directed medical research programs and a deep bench of cancer-focused nonprofits, and oncology researchers have a wider set of live options than most of their colleagues.
Featured grants
Updated automatically from Atom's grant database. Summaries are AI-generated.2027 Impact Grants
Funds innovative research and community projects to advance cancer prevention and early detection, focusing on under-screened cancers and rural health disparities.
Our Grant Process - American Cancer Society
Our Grant Process - American Cancer Society supports researchers and institutions through cancer studies, training, and pilot projects to advance cancer prevention, detection, treatment, and survivorship.
Research Scholar Grants - American Cancer Society
Research Scholar Grants from the American Cancer Society support independent investigators’ cancer research across the research continuum, with an emphasis on actionable work addressing health equity.
That breadth is worth using deliberately. Federal mechanisms remain the backbone, but disease-focused foundations and societies fund everything from basic tumor biology to prevention, early detection, health services research, and survivorship, and many run programs targeted at specific career stages or cancer types. For labs facing longer odds on any single federal application, pairing it with two or three well-matched private opportunities is now standard practice.
This collection pulls together open cancer research funding across federal, foundation, and nonprofit sources, ranked by relevance to the field. It refreshes as new opportunities post and deadlines pass, so it stays current through the funding cycles rather than snapshotting a single moment.
Young Investigator Award Special Competitions
Young Investigator Award Special Competitions support promising physician investigators with mentored oncology research to advance quality clinical research and their transition to academic faculty roles.
Oncology Information for Grant Submissions
Bayer funds educational programs advancing knowledge of new therapies, treatment strategies, and quality of life in advanced prostate cancer.
Takeda Oncology Research Grants
Takeda Oncology Research Grants fund projects advancing research and education in GI, hematologic, and thoracic cancers to improve patient outcomes and scientific understanding.
Discovery Grants - American Brain Tumor Association
Discovery Grants from the American Brain Tumor Association support early-career faculty testing high-risk, high-impact research ideas to advance brain tumor diagnosis and treatment.
Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Grant Funding
This grant funds Colorado-based research and interventions to reduce cancer disparities and improve prevention and early detection, focusing on evidence-based strategies in diverse and underserved communities.
Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation Grants
Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation Grants support researchers pursuing childhood cancer studies, training, and clinical applications to bring better treatments to children sooner and improve outcomes.
Scientific Research Grants
Scientific Research Grants support researchers pursuing innovative breast cancer pilot studies to transform detection and treatment, reduce mortality, and prevent metastasis or relapse.
Research Grants - Breast Cancer Research Foundation
Research Grants from the Breast Cancer Research Foundation support scientists and clinical investigators pursuing creative clinical and translational research to advance breast cancer prevention, understanding, and treatment.
Lung Cancer
Bayer funds educational programs on non-small cell lung cancer, focusing on biomarkers, TRK-fusion, and precision medicine to advance diagnosis, treatment, and multidisciplinary care.
2025 Early Career Investigator Award
Supports early-career researchers advancing innovative basic, translational, or clinical studies to improve understanding and treatment of metastatic (stage IV) breast cancer.
Exploratory Grants in Cancer Control (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)
Support for innovative research to improve cancer control through behavior modification, screening, and understanding etiologic factors, with the aim of advancing population-based cancer studies.
Research Grant Programs - Children's Cancer Research Fund
Research Grant Programs - Children's Cancer Research Fund support researchers studying childhood cancer to advance safer treatments, address survivors' late effects, and reduce health disparities.
Career Development Award Special Competitions
Career Development Award Special Competitions support early-career clinical investigators in mentored, patient-oriented cancer research to build independent research programs.
Basic Research in Cancer Health Disparities (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
Support basic research to uncover biological/genetic causes of cancer health disparities through innovative studies, methodologies, and data analysis.
Research Collaboration Grants
Research Collaboration Grants support multidisciplinary research teams studying brain tumors across institutions to advance high-risk science with the potential to transform diagnosis or treatment.
Scientific Discoveries Research
Scientific Discoveries Research supports cancer researchers and teams pursuing discovery and validation research to improve cancer prevention, detection, treatment, patient outcomes, and quality of life.
Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPOREs) in Human Cancers for Years 2027, 2028, and 2029 (P50 Clinical Trial Required)
This grant funds research centers to conduct innovative, translational studies aimed at improving prevention, detection, diagnosis, and treatment of specific or related human cancers, requiring clinical trials.
Frequently asked questions
The National Cancer Institute is the largest funder, alongside the Department of Defense's Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs. Private funders include the American Cancer Society, the Mark Foundation for Cancer Research, Cancer Grand Challenges, and many disease-specific foundations and professional societies.
Yes. NCI runs career development and pathway-to-independence awards, and many cancer foundations offer postdoctoral fellowships and young investigator grants. These programs usually cap eligibility by years since your terminal degree or first faculty appointment.
Both. Foundation programs range from basic tumor biology and technology development to prevention, early detection, clinical and translational studies, and survivorship research. Each listing notes its focus, so check scope before applying.
Usually, yes. Many researchers pair a federal application with one or two foundation proposals. Review each funder's overlap rules, since some require you to disclose or withdraw duplicate funding if both are awarded.