[American Cancer Society](https://www.cancer.org)

June 1, 2026 | December 1, 2026 (annual deadlines; next: June 1, 2026)

Up to $215,000/year direct costs + 10% indirects, max 4 years (total up to $946,000).

Supports independent, early-career investigators conducting innovative, cancer-focused research aligned with ACS priority areas.

Applicants must be within 10 years of first independent faculty appointment and have no more than one R01 or equivalent.

--- ## Description Research Scholar Grants (RSG) from the American Cancer Society provide substantial support for independent, self-directed researchers at US academic or eligible non-profit institutions. These investigator-initiated grants fund research projects across the cancer continuum, provided they align with ACS priority research areas (such as etiology, screening/diagnosis, treatment, survivorship, healthy eating/active living, and health equity). The grant is designed to cover salaries, consumables, and other research costs, enabling early-career faculty to establish or advance their cancer research programs. --- ## Due Dates - June 1, 2026: Full application deadline (if deadline falls on a weekend/holiday, next business day) - December 1, 2026: Full application deadline (same rule applies) - These deadlines are annual and recurring. --- ## Funding Amount - Up to $215,000 per year in direct costs, plus 10% allowable indirect costs (up to $21,500/year) - Project period: up to 4 years - Maximum total funding: $946,000 (direct + indirect) - Budgets must be realistic and aligned with project needs; no funds for tuition, general administrative costs, or office/lab setup. --- ## Eligibility - **Career Stage:** Principal Investigator must be within 10 years of their first independent, full-time faculty appointment (extensions may be granted for extenuating circumstances—request at least 6 weeks before the deadline). - **Current Funding:** Applicant may have no more than one active R01 or R01-equivalent grant at the time of application. R01-equivalent is defined as >$100,000/year direct costs for >3 years. - **Institution:** US-based academic or eligible non-profit institutions only. - **Independence:** Must have institutional support (space, resources) for independent research. - **Citizenship:** No US citizenship requirement, but must be eligible to work in the US for the duration of the award. - **Other:** Cannot hold more than one ACS RSG at a time; may not submit multiple RSG/DBG/CSDG applications in the same cycle. --- ## Application Process - Applications must be submitted electronically via [ProposalCentral](https://proposalcentral.com/) by 11:59 PM ET on the deadline. - All required templates and instructions are available in ProposalCentral after starting an application. - Required components include: research plan, budget and justification, biosketches (NIH format), institutional support letter, and compliance statements. - Applicants are strongly encouraged to review ACS grant policies and [priority research areas](https://www.cancer.org/research/we-fund-cancer-research/apply-research-grant/extramural-priority-research-areas.html). - Resubmissions are allowed (up to two); critiques and responses must be included for resubmissions. - For eligibility extensions, email [grant.eligibility@cancer.org](mailto:grant.eligibility@cancer.org) at least 6 weeks before the deadline. --- ## Additional Information - Indirect costs are capped at 10% of direct costs, excluding equipment >$5,000. - No funds for tuition or general admin; see ACS [general grant policies](https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/research/extramural-grants-documents/all-grant-policies.pdf) for full details. - Human subjects and animal use require institutional approvals prior to grant activation (not at application). - Projects must align with one or more ACS priority research areas; justification is required in the application. - Only one application per cycle per investigator for RSG, DBG, or CSDG mechanisms. --- ## External Links - [ACS Research Scholar Grants Program Page](https://www.cancer.org/research/we-fund-cancer-research/apply-research-grant/grant-types/research-scholar-grants.html) - [ACS Grant Policies (PDF)](https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/research/extramural-grants-documents/all-grant-policies.pdf) - [ACS Grant Application Instructions (PDF)](https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/research/extramural-grants-documents/all-grant-instructions.pdf) - [ACS Priority Research Areas](https://www.cancer.org/research/we-fund-cancer-research/apply-research-grant/extramural-priority-research-areas.html) - [ProposalCentral Application Portal](https://proposalcentral.com/) - [ACS Grant FAQs](https://www.cancer.org/research/we-fund-cancer-research/apply-research-grant/faqs-program-changes-and-application-submission.html) --- ## Contact Information | Purpose/Role | Contact | |--------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------| | General Grants Office | [grants@cancer.org](mailto:grants@cancer.org) | | Eligibility Questions | [grant.eligibility@cancer.org](mailto:grant.eligibility@cancer.org) | | ProposalCentral Tech Support | pcsupport@altum.com / 1-800-875-2562 | | ACS Grants Phone | +1 800-227-2345 | | Program Office Contacts | [ACS EDS Staff Contacts](https://www.cancer.org/research/we-fund-cancer-research/apply-research-grant/extramural-grants-staff-contacts.html) | ---

Research Scholar Grants

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