Apply for a Grant
As the nation's largest private, not-for-profit source of funds for scientists studying cancer, the American Cancer Society (ACS) remains committed to funding basic, translational, clinical, and cancer control research now and in the future - as much as we are able given our available financial resources.
The ACS grant process is managed by the Extramural Discovery Science (EDS) team.
ACS Grant Mechanisms
Look for funding opportunities you qualify for.
Research Grants for Independent Investigators
Updated
Arizona Discovery Boost
AHEAD Awards (Advancing Health Equity and Addressing Disparities)
What's Updated: Funding has increased
Who Can Apply: Independent investigators at any career stage.
Purpose: To fund exploratory research to develop research methodologies, establish feasibility, or pilot test high-risk/high-reward research across the research continuum.
Funding: 2 years with $125K a year direct costs, plus 20% allowable indirect costs
Deadlines: April 1* and Oct. 15*
Updated
Who Can Apply: Current and past American Cancer Society grantees and now including former ACS Postdoctoral Fellows
Purpose: Enables transition of patient-focused research to accelerate clinical impact
Funding, Stage I: $240K over 2 years
Funding, Stage II: $600K for 1.5 years
Deadlines: April 1* and Oct. 15*
Updated
What's Updated: Eligibility has expanded
Also see this special initiative
PRIORITY FOCUS:
Health Equity Research in Cancer Control & Prevention
Who Can Apply: Investigators within the first 10 years of an initial independent research career or full-time faculty appointment
Funding: Up to 4 years with $165K a year direct costs, plus 20% allowable indirect costs
Deadlines: April 1* and Oct. 15*
Mentored Research Grants
Updated
What's Updated: Increased stipends and expanded eligibility
Who Can Apply: Investigators who are US citizens or non-citizens holding an appropriate visa when the application is submitted and are within 4 years of receiving a doctoral degree
Funding: Progressive stipends of $66K, $68K, and $70K for up to 3 years, plus an annual $4K fellowship allowance and $1,500 travel allowance in the final year
Application Deadlines: April 1* and Oct. 15*
Who Can Apply: Licensed clinicians who are within the first 6 years of their initial, full-time faculty appointment and who have an active role in patient care.
Funding: 3 to 5 years with $135K direct costs a year, plus 8% allowable indirect costs
Deadlines: April 1* and Oct. 15*
Institutional Block Grants
Who Can Apply: Awarded to institutions as block grants to provide seed money for newly independent investigators to initiate cancer research projects. The principal investigator of the grant should be a senior faculty member.
Funding: 1 to 3 years with an average of $120K a year, renewable
Deadline: April 1*
Requests for Applications
Who Can Apply: Independent investigators at any career stage.
Purpose: To advance innovative translational pediatric cancer research conducted within the context of a clinical trial.
Funding: 2 years with $100K a year direct costs, plus 20% allowable indirect costs
LOI Deadline: Dec. 5, 2022, at 10:59 PM EST
Full Application Deadline: April 1*
Who Can Apply: Applicants for Interdisciplinary Team Award, Research Scholar Grant (any career stage), and Clinician Scientist Development Grant
Purpose: To fund innovative research that will facilitate more widespread cancer screening and early detection culminating in reduced cancer mortality.
Funding: Award length and budget varies by grant mechanisms
Application Deadline (all grant mechanisms): April 1*
Who Can Apply: Investigators at an accredited college, university, or medical school, within the United State (in accordance with ACS grant policies). Applicants from underrepresented groups and from Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) are encouraged to apply.
Funding: 4-year project with $4.08 M ($3.4 M direct cost plus 20% indirect cost)
Interactive Webinar about the Grant: February 21, 2023 at 1 PM ET
Resubmission Deadline: April 3, 2023
LOI Deadline: May 1, 2023
Application Deadline: October 16, 2023
An American Cancer Society and Flatiron Health, Inc. Collaboration
Who Can Apply: American Cancer Society (ACS) current and former grantees conducting health services, health policy research, or public healh data using real-world data. (Eligible applicants are specifically invited.)
Purpose: Use real-world data to accelerate cancer research on health equity that has a strong potential to inform public health, public policy, or to improve clinical practice and contribute to health equity
Funding: 1 year with $75,000 direct costs, no indirect costs allowed
LOI Required
Application Deadline (if invited): April 1*
Who Can Apply: Independent investigators at any career stage with a doctoral degree and a full-time faculty appointment or equivalent, who are evaluating changes in the health care system with a focus on cancer
Funding: Award length and budget varies
Deadlines: April 1* and Oct. 15*
Professor Grants
Who Can Apply: Investigators who are full professors and made seminal contributions that have changed the direction of cancer care research and who expect to continue to provide leadership in their research area
Funding: 5-year term with $80K a year; renewable
Letter of Intent (LOI) Deadline: Feb. 1*
Application Deadline: April 1*
Who Can Apply: Investigators who are full professors and made seminal contributions that have changed the direction of clinical, psychosocial, behavioral, health policy, or epidemiologic cancer research and who expect to continue to provide leadership in their research area
Funding: 5-year term with $80K a year; renewable
Letter of Intent (LOI) Deadline: Aug. 1*
Application Deadline: Oct. 15*
* If the grant application deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, applications will be accepted the following business day.
Helpful Details About Your Application
All applications are submitted and reviewed through ProposalCentral. The links below give you details about focusing your topic, what to include, and how to format your application.