Institutional Research Grants
Block grants fund early-career investigators at US institutions to launch pilot cancer research projects and build preliminary data for future national funding.
Funder: American Cancer Society
Due Dates: June 1, 2026 | December 1, 2026
Funding Amounts: New awards: $120,000/year for 4 years (total $480,000); Renewals: $100,000/year for 4 years (total $400,000, plus $80,000 institutional supplement required). Individual pilot grants: $20,000–$60,000 each.
Summary: Block grants to institutions for seed funding to help early-career investigators initiate cancer research and build preliminary data for national funding applications.
Key Information: No indirect costs allowed; funds are distributed by the institution’s internal review committee.
Description
This program provides block grant funding to eligible US institutions with robust cancer research programs. The funds are intended to support multiple pilot grants annually for early-career, independent investigators who are not yet principal investigators on NIH R01 or equivalent awards. The primary aim is to help junior faculty generate preliminary data, enhance their competitiveness for national research grants, and foster institutional infrastructure for cancer research. The institution’s internal review committee manages the application, review, and allocation of pilot grants to eligible faculty.
