American Cancer Society Awards 128 New Research Grants

The American Cancer Society (ACS) is pleased to announce a new investment of $80.7 million in new cancer research grants that will go into effect this spring. Altogether, ACS is funding 128 new grants at 71 institutions across the country. A full list of the new grants included in this slate can be found here.

“Strong science starts with strong ideas, and this slate reflects the creativity and rigor of today’s cancer research community,” said Dr. William Dahut, Chief Scientific Officer of the American Cancer Society. “By supporting investigators at institutions across the country, we’re helping to sustain a research ecosystem that drives progress and expands what’s possible in cancer science.”

As always, ACS is committed to letting scientific experts in the cancer field guide our funding decisions at every step in the process. Outside of a small number of dedicated RFAs issued in partnership with other organizations, the majority of our grant applications are investigator-initiated – meaning researchers come to us with their best ideas to advance the science of cancer prevention, detection, treatment, survivorship, and more. Our peer review committees are comprised of over 800 expert reviewers who are charged with helping us identify the most innovative, rigorous, and promising studies to move forward for funding. Importantly, every grant application we receive is reviewed by our team of Community Research Partners to ensure that every project we fund will have a meaningful impact on the lives of cancer patients, survivors, and their families.

Through this process, we are confident that we are funding the most impactful cancer science across the research spectrum. Over the next week, we will be sharing a series of follow-up news posts here on cancer.org highlighting the impressive breadth of topics, cancer types, and research approaches being funded through these grants.

Applications selected for funding during this cycle were largely received during our Summer 2025 application window, which saw ACS receive almost twice as many applications as in the previous cycle. ACS is deeply grateful to our donors and partners whose ongoing support makes it possible to meet the growing needs of the research community and help ensure that important cancer research continues uninterrupted.

The American Cancer Society is the largest non-government, non-profit funder of cancer research in the United States, with a portfolio of over 825 active research grants covering the cancer control spectrum. These newest grantees are joining a legacy that stretches back to 1946 and includes 53 researchers who have gone on to win the Nobel Prize for their work. To learn more about the research grants currently being funded by the American Cancer Society, please visit the Extramural Discovery Science (EDS) page. 

Learn more about our current grant funding opportunities at any time on the EDS homepage.