Exploratory Grants in Cancer Control (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)

The Exploratory Grants in Cancer Control (R21 Clinical Trial Optional), funded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), provides an opportunity for researchers to develop innovative approaches to cancer control. The R21 mechanism is designed to support the early and conceptual stages of exploratory and developmental research projects. This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), reissued as PA-25-253, aims to stimulate novel scientific ideas that could substantially advance population-based cancer research in fields such as epidemiology, biomedical sciences, behavioral sciences, health care delivery, and clinical research. The goal of this funding opportunity is to reduce cancer risk, incidence, morbidity, and mortality while improving the quality of life of cancer survivors. The initiative supports research that progresses systematically from interventions and their impacts within defined populations to broad implementation through dissemination and diffusion strategies. Applicants are encouraged to focus on modifying behavior, screening, understanding etiological factors, and developing methods to control cancer. This R21 grant is intended to promote high-risk, high-reward research that can lead to the development of larger, more definitive studies. Funding is available for projects with a maximum budget of $275,000 in direct costs over a two-year period, with no more than $200,000 requested in any single year. The funding instrument is a grant, and the number of awards will depend on NIH appropriations and the number of meritorious applications received. The earliest application submission date is January 16, 2025, with multiple standard NIH due dates extending through September 8, 2028, when the NOFO expires. This opportunity is open to a wide range of applicants, including higher education institutions, nonprofit organizations, for-profit organizations, various levels of government, tribal organizations, and foreign entities. Applications must adhere strictly to the NIH application guidelines and must be submitted electronically through designated systems such as NIH ASSIST, Grants.gov Workspace, or institutional system-to-system solutions. Required registrations include SAM, NCAGE (for foreign organizations), eRA Commons, and Grants.gov. Key sections of the application will be reviewed for significance, innovation, rigor, feasibility, investigator expertise, and available resources. Preliminary data are not required but may be included if available. Evaluation criteria emphasize the importance of the proposed research, innovation, rigor and feasibility of the approach, and the expertise of the investigators and environment. Additional considerations include protections for human subjects, vertebrate animals, biohazards, and plans for data management and sharing. The review process involves initial peer review by a Scientific Review Group followed by advisory council review. Funding decisions will be based on scientific merit, availability of funds, and alignment with program priorities. For further information, applicants are encouraged to contact Dr. Mukesh Verma at the National Cancer Institute for scientific and research-related inquiries, and Dawn Mitchum for financial or grants management questions. General submission assistance is available through the eRA Service Desk and Grants.gov Customer Support. Prospective applicants should thoroughly review the full NOFO and associated notices to ensure compliance and optimize their application submissions.