Forecast to Publish a Funding Opportunity Announcement for Advanced Development of Informatics Technologies for Cancer Research and Management (U24 Clinical Trial Optional)

The National Cancer Institute (NCI), a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has issued a forecasted funding opportunity titled "Advanced Development of Informatics Technologies for Cancer Research and Management" under opportunity number FOR-CA-25-074. This initiative is part of the NCI's Informatics Technology for Cancer Research (ITCR) Program and aims to support the continued development and enhancement of promising informatics technologies that have moved beyond the prototyping stage and show strong potential for broad application in cancer research. The opportunity falls under the cooperative agreement funding mechanism and is optional for clinical trials. The anticipated funding will target technologies that support cancer-related research activities including, but not limited to, cancer biology, diagnosis, treatment, early detection, prevention, risk assessment, epidemiology, and cancer health disparities. These technologies must already have demonstrated utility or impact in specific use cases but have not yet achieved wide adoption. Successful proposals will be those that articulate a strong rationale for the continued development of their technology, as well as detailed implementation plans that include engagement with the intended user community and mechanisms for obtaining feedback throughout the development lifecycle. Eligible applicants for this opportunity include a wide range of entities: state governments, county governments, city or township governments, public and private institutions of higher education, small businesses, for-profit organizations other than small businesses, independent school districts, public housing authorities, Indian housing authorities, nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education), Native American tribal governments (both federally recognized and non-federally recognized organizations), and more. The funding opportunity is forecasted and not yet accepting applications; however, it provides ample time for interested parties to build partnerships and develop compelling applications in anticipation of the formal Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). Applicants are required to develop and submit plans that not only demonstrate the technological advancement and uniqueness of their tools but also include clear strategies for dissemination, user support, outreach, and training. The proposed technology must show significant improvement over existing tools and have well-defined milestones and development timelines. Key evaluation criteria will include impact on cancer research, engagement with end-users, and feasibility of implementation within the proposed timeframe. The estimated post date for this opportunity is August 29, 2025, with an application due date of November 21, 2025. Awards are expected to be announced by July 1, 2026, with projects also starting on that date. No cost-sharing or matching is required for this opportunity. The opportunity is available nationwide and falls under several federal assistance listings associated with cancer research, such as Cancer Cause and Prevention Research (93.393), Cancer Detection and Diagnosis Research (93.394), Cancer Treatment Research (93.395), Cancer Biology Research (93.396), and Cancer Control (93.399). Contact information for this opportunity is available for further inquiries. Potential applicants can reach out to Juli Klemm, PhD, of the National Cancer Institute at 202-853-7889 or via email at juli.klemm@nih.gov. The NOFO will use the U24 activity code, and while applications are not currently being accepted, the forecast provides early notice to support thorough and strategic application development by qualified and interested stakeholders.