Cancer Center Support Grants (CCSGs) for NCI-designated Cancer Centers (P30 Clinical Trial Optional)

The Cancer Center Support Grants (CCSGs), issued by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), provide core infrastructure funding to institutions housing NCI-designated Cancer Centers. Established under the National Cancer Act of 1971, these grants aim to create an integrated and collaborative platform for pioneering cancer research. CCSGs are intended to enhance a center's ability to plan, coordinate, and evaluate interdisciplinary cancer research across a wide range of basic, clinical, and population science domains. Institutions awarded CCSGs are formally designated as NCI-Designated Cancer Centers, a mark of scientific merit and organizational excellence in cancer research. The CCSG program supports three types of Cancer Centers: Basic, Clinical, and Comprehensive. Basic Cancer Centers focus exclusively on laboratory-based research; Clinical Centers include clinical and population-based studies; and Comprehensive Centers demonstrate substantial transdisciplinary integration across all research areas. Eligible institutions must meet rigorous NIH peer-review standards and maintain a critical mass of cancer-focused, peer-reviewed funding, with minimum thresholds of $6 million to $10 million in NIH direct costs depending on the center type and status (new or renewal). The grants fund shared research resources, senior leadership, developmental projects, administrative costs, and infrastructure enhancements needed to sustain high-level cancer research. Funding is structured through the P30 mechanism and provides up to $1.2 million annually for Basic Centers, $1.4 million for Clinical Centers, and $1.5 million for Comprehensive Centers in direct costs. Renewal applications have no budget ceiling but must align with project needs. While CCSGs do not fund direct cancer care or the entirety of a center’s activities, they offer vital support for scientific collaboration, clinical trials, and community outreach and engagement. The program encourages consortium arrangements, under strict compliance guidelines, to broaden the reach and expertise of participating centers. The application process adheres to NIH’s multi-project application format and must follow specific component structures, including Cancer Center Administration, Shared Resources, Research Programs, Community Outreach & Engagement (for Clinical and Comprehensive Centers), and others. Applicants are required to prepare various data tables detailing leadership, funding base, clinical trials, and more. The earliest date for submission is December 1, 2025, with standard NIH due dates of January 25, May 25, and September 25 each year until September 25, 2028. Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov using NIH ASSIST or an institutional system-to-system solution. Proposals will undergo peer and advisory reviews, with award decisions projected approximately nine months post-submission. Successful applicants will receive grants with a five-year performance period, and some may qualify for up to two additional years based on merit and NCI review. This funding opportunity is recurring, with the next cycle expected to open in December 2026. Applicant eligibility spans academic, nonprofit, for-profit, local, state, and tribal entities, but excludes foreign organizations.

Emphasize evidence of transdisciplinary research, robust planning and evaluation, strong institutional commitment, and community outreach. Integration across center types and research programs is critical for successful applications.