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Funding Opportunities

Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center regularly solicits applications for pilot funding to support basic, translational, clinical or collaborative cancer research. Pilot funds allow investigators to collect preliminary data to support an application for independent research support through extramural, peer-reviewed funding. Over the past five years, the Cancer Center awarded $4.1 million to fund 98 pilot projects. This investment led to the acquisition of more than $41 million in extramurally funded grants – a 985 percent return on investment.

Calls for proposals are distributed throughout the year by email, online, and in campus publications. Award amounts and submission deadlines vary. All pilot project awards are funded for one-year periods.

For more information, contact us at viccresearchenterprise@vumc.org

VICC Multi-Tier Developmental Research Funding

Complete an online application to apply for this funding

Submit Your Proposal

 

Complete this online application to apply for pilot funding

Funding Sources

Source Eligibility Funding Cycle Amount Principal Investigator
Multi-Tier Developmental Research Funding Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center members only Variable Three Tiers Ben Ho Park, M.D., Ph.D.
American Cancer Society-Institutional Research Grants (ACS-IRG) Open to junior faculty in any school/department at Vanderbilt University Spring & Fall up to $30,000 David Cortez, Ph.D
Cancer Center Support Grant (CCSG) Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center members only Variable up to $35,000  Ben Ho Park, M.D., Ph.D.
Breast SPORE DRP Tenured and tenure-track faculty at Vanderbilt, Meharry Medical College or Tennessee State University with membership in the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center Variable up to $50,000 Jennifer Pietenpol, Ph.D.
Ben Ho Park, M.D., Ph.D.
Breast SPORE CEP The Breast SPORE Career Enhancement Program solicits applications yearly from investigators at Vanderbilt, Meharry Medical College or Tennessee State University.  Variable up to $50,000 Jennifer Pietenpol, Ph.D.
Ben Ho Park, M.D., Ph.D.
GI SPORE DRP Tenured and tenure-track faculty at Vanderbilt, Meharry Medical College or Tennessee State University Variable up to $50,000 Robert Coffey, M.D.
GI SPORE CEP The GI SPORE Career Enhancement Program solicits applications yearly from investigators at Vanderbilt, Meharry Medical College or Tennessee State University.  Variable up to $50,000 Robert Coffey, M.D.
VICC Ambassadors Junior faculty at Vanderbilt Fall $50,000 Scott Hiebert, Ph.D. 

 

American Cancer Society-Institutional Research Grants

The American Cancer Society (ACS)-Institutional Research Grant (IRG) is the major source of support at Vanderbilt University for young investigators building cancer research programs. These funds provide seed money to support junior faculty members with an interest in cancer research who do not have national grant support of their own or who have not received prior support from the IRG. The ACS defines junior faculty as investigators at the rank of assistant professor or equivalent who are eligible to apply as a principal investigator for grant support from national agencies. Eligible investigators must be within six years of their first independent faculty appointment. Awards are made for a one-year project period and the maximum allocation is limited to $30,000. If sufficient progress has been made toward the project goals, IRG support may be renewed for an additional year. Funds are available to all schools at Vanderbilt University.

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Cancer Center Support Grant Pilot Projects

Funding provided by the Cancer Center Support Grant (CCSG) supports several types of pilot projects (1) highly innovative pilot projects focusing on proof-of-concept or translational research; (2) preliminary collaborative investigations that lead to multi-investigator grant awards or clinical trial; (3) projects that closely align with the Cancer Center's strategic plan and enhance key initiatives; and (4) pilot funding for junior investigators to jump-start independent projects or for more senior investigators looking to study a novel idea derived from discovery.

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SPORE Pilot Projects

The Breast SPORE Developmental Research Program provides pilot funding to promote excellent translational research in breast cancer. These funds allow early, high-risk research to move solid basic science findings toward clinical application, as well as the migration of provocative clinical observations back to the laboratory in order to understand their mechanistic basis. Main criteria for selection and funding of developmental (pilot) projects include scientific merit, relevance to mammary biology and/or breast cancer, collaboration and potential for extramural peer-reviewed funding. There also is an emphasis on utilization of emerging technologies and on young investigators.

Current Opportunity: Breast SPORE Developmental Research Program Funding

The Breast SPORE Career Enhancement Program solicits applications yearly from investigators at Vanderbilt, Meharry Medical College or Tennessee State University. Proposals are reviewed for scientific merit and the likelihood of leading to extramural funding. Special emphasis is placed on attracting young investigators into breast cancer research, high risk/high gain projects, and emerging technologies and their application to breast cancer research. Award amounts of up to $50,000 per project per year are available.

Current Opportunity: Breast SPORE Career Enhancement Program Funding

 

The GI SPORE Developmental Research Program solicits applications once a year in the spring from investigators at Vanderbilt, Meharry Medical College or Tennessee State University. Proposals are reviewed for scientific merit and the likelihood of leading to extramural funding. Special emphasis is placed on attracting young investigators into GI cancer research, high risk/high gain projects, and emerging technologies and their application to GI cancer research. Award amounts of up to $50,000 per project per year are available.

Current Opportunity:  GI SPORE Developmental Research Program Pilot Project Funding

The GI SPORE Career Enhancement Program solicits applications yearly from investigators at Vanderbilt, Meharry Medical College or Tennessee State University. Proposals are reviewed for scientific merit and the likelihood of leading to extramural funding. Special emphasis is placed on attracting young investigators into GI cancer research, high risk/high gain projects, and emerging technologies and their application to GI cancer research. Award amounts of up to $50,000 per project per year are available.

Current Opportunity:  GI SPORE Career Enhancement Program Funding

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VICC Ambassadors

The VICC Ambassadors are the next generation of philanthropists committed to winning the battle against cancer by awarding Discovery Grants to promising young researchers at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center. Discovery Grants allow skilled researchers to pursue exciting discoveries in basic and clinical science—aiding our understanding of disease processes and leading to better methods of prevention, diagnosis and treatment. For Vanderbilt physicians and scientists this funding not only yields early results, it helps develop the ideas that grow to large federally funded projects aimed at transformative breakthroughs in care. Three grants of $50,000 each are awarded every fall.

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Other Funding Resources

American Cancer Society
ACS has exciting updates to share about changes to their postdoctoral fellowship program, their new AHEAD Awards, and more. Visit the Apply for a Grant page on cancer.org for full details about American Cancer Society research funding opportunities.
Additional Details
April 6, 2023

NCI Research Opportunity Announcement (ROA) : All of Us Center for Linkage and Acquisition of Data
This ROA is to solicit and review proposals, evaluate potential partners, and fund the future All of Us Center for Linkage and Acquisition of Data (CLAD). The intention of CLAD is to expand the type and research utility of program data by acquiring new passive data streams and providing additional methods to acquire data for existing data streams, such as electronic health records. 
Additional Details
April 17, 2023

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society- Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia (CMML) Special Initiative
The purpose of the CMML Special Initiative is to establish a comprehensive research program to understand the unique characteristic of CMML, develop new targets and new therapies, and launch focused clinical programs needed to make significant progress toward cures for patients battling CMML. The grant program for the CMML Special Initiative will be comprised of two programs: a Synergistic Team Award (STA) similar to the LLS SCOR Program and a Translational Grant (TRL) similar to the LLS TRP Program.
Additional Details
May 1, 2023

NCCN and Pfizer Elranatamab and the treatment of  Multiple Myeloma Research Opportunity
National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®) is pleased to announce a collaboration with Pfizer Global Medical Grants (Pfizer) to offer a new grant opportunity. We are seeking Letters of Intent (LOIs) for investigator-initiated clinical research studies to further evaluate the effectiveness of elranatamab in the treatment of Multiple Myeloma. Please direct questions regarding this RFP to Nicole Zion at zion@nccn.org and Amanda Kaczerski at amanda.kaczerski@pfizer.com with the subject line, “NCCN Pfizer Myovant Elranatamab RFP.”
Additional Details
May 10,2023

NCCN, Pfizer, Myovant Prostate Cancer Clinical Research Opportunity
National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®) is pleased to announce a collaboration with Pfizer Global Medical Grants (Pfizer) and Myovant Sciences (Myovant) to offer a new grant opportunity. We are seeking proposals for investigator-initiated research to support clinical research studies to further evaluate the effectiveness of relugolix in combination with other therapies for the treatment of advanced prostate cancer.
Additional Details
May 22, 2023

Liver Cancer Collaborative Projects with the Liver Cirrhosis Network 
Through this funding opportunity, NCI intends to establish collaborations between liver cancer investigators and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)-funded Liver Cirrhosis Network (LCN) members to advance our understanding of hepatocellular carcinoma as the result of liver cirrhosis and its etiologic risks, development, progression, early diagnosis, and treatment.  
Additional Details
June 3, 2023

NIH/NCI Research Specialist (Clinician Scientist) Award
The Research Specialist Award is designed to encourage the development of stable research career opportunities for exceptional clinician scientists who want to continue to participate in the NCI clinical trials networks through leadership in the 1) development of national clinical trials, 2) implementation of NCI clinical trials in their institutions, and 3) national service to the NCI clinical trials networks through participation in the scientific review committees, monitoring committees and other activities, but not serve as principal investigators of research project grants. These clinician scientists are vital to sustaining the NCI-funded clinical trials enterprise. The Research Specialist Award is intended to provide salary support and sufficient autonomy so that individuals are not solely dependent on NCI grants held by others or other sources of support for cancer research career continuity.
Additional Details
Rolling basis through October 6, 2023

Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): Technology Development for Cancer Control and Population Science Research 
The purpose of this NOSI is to encourage grant applications for the development of novel technologies to support the needs of cancer control and population sciences research including healthcare delivery research, surveillance research, behavioral research, cancer epidemiology, and population scale -omics research with the goal of driving innovation in this field.  
Additional Details
December 31, 2024

Impacts of Climate Change Across the Cancer Control Continuum R01 Clinical Trial Optional
These funding opportunities aim to support innovative research relevant to advancing the understanding of the effects of climate change across the cancer control continuum, from cancer etiology and cancer risks through survivorship, and ways to prevent or mitigate negative health effects. This includes, but is not limited to, studies to improve knowledge of the impact of climate change related environmental effects on cancer risks, control, and behaviors. 
Additional Details
May 8 2026

Impacts of Climate Change Across the Cancer Control Continuum R21 Clinical Trial Optional
These funding opportunities aim to support innovative research relevant to advancing the understanding of the effects of climate change across the cancer control continuum, from cancer etiology and cancer risks through survivorship, and ways to prevent or mitigate negative health effects. This includes, but is not limited to, studies to improve knowledge of the impact of climate change related environmental effects on cancer risks, control, and behaviors. 
Additional Details
May 8 2026

*The VUMC Corporate & Foundation Relations team is happy to assist with proposal development for the above opportunities. Contact cfr@vumc.org for more information.