Forecast to Publish a Funding Opportunity Announcement for Research Opportunities in Cancer Epidemiology Cohort Studies (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), through the National Cancer Institute (NCI), is forecasting a funding opportunity titled "Research Opportunities in Cancer Epidemiology Cohort Studies" (Opportunity Number: FOR-CA-25-076). This grant will be published under the cooperative agreement mechanism (U01) and explicitly excludes clinical trials. This opportunity is scheduled to be posted on August 1, 2025, and is intended for the Fiscal Year 2026. It reflects the federal government's ongoing efforts to enhance understanding of cancer etiology and survivorship by supporting large-scale epidemiologic research initiatives. The opportunity falls under Assistance Listing 93.399—Cancer Control. The purpose of this funding initiative is to encourage applications that contribute to the advancement of knowledge in cancer epidemiology. The focus is on hypothesis-driven research utilizing cohort studies. Applications must include provisions for cohort maintenance, continued participant follow-up, and the sharing of biospecimen and data resources. This ensures long-term sustainability of data infrastructure and fosters broader collaboration within the scientific community. While specific funding amounts, including award ceiling, award floor, and total program funding, have not yet been announced, the opportunity anticipates making multiple awards. The final number will be determined once the full Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is published. It is important to note that no cost-sharing or matching is required for this opportunity. Eligible applicants encompass a wide range of entities including state governments, county governments, city or township governments, small businesses, for-profit organizations other than small businesses, nonprofits (excluding institutions of higher education), public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized), and independent school districts. This inclusive eligibility structure is designed to encourage broad participation across sectors that contribute to population-based cancer research. The anticipated application due date is November 5, 2025. The estimated award and project start dates are both July 1, 2026. This schedule allows sufficient time for applicants to prepare detailed proposals in response to the FOA once it is officially published. The funding opportunity is not offered on a rolling basis but is expected to recur. Therefore, stakeholders interested in future rounds should monitor updates beyond this cycle. For additional information or inquiries, applicants can contact Dr. Somdat Mahabir at the National Cancer Institute via phone at 240-276-6914 or by email at mahabir@mail.nih.gov. The contact is expected to remain the primary liaison throughout the lifecycle of the opportunity. As the full FOA has yet to be published, applicants should continue to monitor Grants.gov and the NIH website for updates, including any pre-application webinars or Q&A sessions.