Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 15 053
Apply for PAR 15 053
- The National Institutes of Health in the education health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Exploratory Grant Award to Promote Workforce Diversity in Basic Cancer Research (R21)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.393 Cancer Cause and Prevention Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Nov 25, 2014 and posted on Nov 25, 2014.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Nov 30, 2017. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $275,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: State governments Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education For profit organizations other than small businesses City or township governments Small businesses Special district governments County governments Independent school districts Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Private institutions of higher education.
- Other Eligible Applicants include the following Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs) Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government Faith based or Community based Organizations Hispanic serving Institutions Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized) Non domestic (non U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations) Regional Organizations Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) U.S. Territory or Possession Non domestic (non U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are eligible to apply. Non domestic (non U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are eligible to apply. Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Exploratory Grant Award to Promote Workforce Diversity in Basic Cancer Research (R21) (Funding Opportunity Number PAR-15-053) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Cancer Institute (NCI) funding opportunity designed to strengthen and broaden the cancer research workforce by supporting investigators from groups that have been shown to be underrepresented in biomedical, clinical, behavioral, and social sciences. The central aim is not only to fund exploratory cancer-related research in basic science, but also to actively promote a more inclusive pipeline of researchers who can go on to compete successfully for larger, long-term NIH research awards. In practical terms, this FOA positions the R21 mechanism as a springboard for early-stage or transitioning investigators who have completed research training and may need additional time, preliminary data, or proof-of-concept results to build a stronger future application for a larger research project grant.
This opportunity falls under the discretionary grant category and uses the NIH R21 exploratory/developmental grant mechanism. R21 awards are generally meant to support early, novel, or high-risk/high-reward ideas that may not yet have extensive preliminary data, making the mechanism well-suited for investigators who are establishing independence or shifting into a new research direction within basic cancer research. The program emphasizes workforce diversity as an explicit objective, meaning the applicant pool and intent of the award are tied closely to enhancing representation in the NCI-funded research community.
The award’s stated ceiling is $275,000, and there is no cost sharing or matching requirement, which means applicants are not required to provide institutional or third-party funds as a condition of receiving the grant. The FOA was posted on November 25, 2014, with an original and current closing date of November 30, 2017, and it was archived on December 31, 2017. Although archived opportunities are typically no longer accepting applications, these details are still useful for understanding the program’s scope, structure, and the kinds of applicants it was meant to support.
Eligibility is broad and spans many organizational types, reflecting NIH’s interest in drawing candidates from a wide range of research environments. Eligible applicants include public and private institutions of higher education; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations other than small businesses as well as small businesses; and multiple levels of government organizations such as state, county, city or township governments, special district governments, and independent school districts. The FOA also lists public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities, along with Native American tribal governments (federally recognized) and tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments). Beyond these categories, the announcement specifies additional eligible applicants such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs). Faith-based or community-based organizations and eligible federal agencies may also apply. Notably, foreign participation is allowed: non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations and foreign institutions) are eligible to apply, non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are eligible, and foreign components as defined in NIH policy are permitted. This openness broadens the reach of the program while still aligning with the NCI goal of strengthening the cancer research workforce.
From a programmatic standpoint, the key idea is that the grant supports both research and career progression. It is explicitly framed as a bridge for investigators who have finished formal research training but may need additional support to transition into a more sustained, independent research trajectory. By funding an exploratory project, the FOA helps investigators generate the kind of early results and credibility that can improve competitiveness for subsequent larger awards, while also advancing NCI’s broader workforce and equity objectives in basic cancer research.
Administrative details include that the opportunity is associated with CFDA number 93.393 (Cancer Cause and Prevention Research). The sponsoring agency is NIH, and the full archived announcement was available through the NIH Grants Guide at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-15-053.html. For technical issues accessing the announcement or linking to it, the contact provided is the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) Webmaster at FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is this funding opportunity?
The Exploratory Grant Award to Promote Workforce Diversity in Basic Cancer Research (R21) is an NIH National Cancer Institute (NCI) funding opportunity that supports exploratory basic cancer research projects while also working to strengthen and broaden the cancer research workforce by supporting investigators from groups shown to be underrepresented in biomedical, clinical, behavioral, and social sciences.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is PAR-15-053.
Which agency sponsors this opportunity?
The sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health (NIH), specifically the National Cancer Institute (NCI).
What grant mechanism does this opportunity use?
This opportunity uses the NIH R21 exploratory/developmental grant mechanism.
What is the purpose of an R21 in this program?
Within this FOA, the R21 mechanism is positioned as a springboard for early-stage or transitioning investigators. It is intended to support early, novel, or high-risk/high-reward ideas that may not yet have extensive preliminary data, helping investigators develop proof-of-concept results and strengthen future applications for larger, long-term NIH research awards.
What type of research does this FOA support?
The FOA supports exploratory cancer-related research in basic science, with an added emphasis on promoting workforce diversity in the NCI-funded research community.
Is promoting workforce diversity an explicit goal of this program?
Yes. Workforce diversity is an explicit objective of the FOA, and the opportunity is designed to strengthen and broaden the cancer research workforce by supporting investigators from underrepresented groups.
Who is this award intended to help from a career perspective?
The FOA is framed as a bridge for investigators who have completed formal research training but may need additional time, preliminary data, or proof-of-concept results to transition toward a sustained, independent research trajectory and compete for larger NIH awards.
What is the maximum award amount (ceiling)?
The stated award ceiling is $275,000.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement for this opportunity.
What type of grant category is this?
This opportunity falls under the discretionary grant category.
When was the FOA posted?
The FOA was posted on November 25, 2014.
What was the closing date for applications?
The original and current closing date listed for the FOA was November 30, 2017.
Is the funding opportunity still open?
No. The FOA was archived on December 31, 2017, and archived opportunities are typically no longer accepting applications.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA 93.393 (Cancer Cause and Prevention Research).
What organizations are eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad. The FOA lists many eligible applicant types, including a wide range of educational institutions, nonprofits, for-profits, small businesses, and government entities, as well as specific categories of minority-serving institutions and community-based organizations.
Are colleges and universities eligible?
Yes. Eligible applicants include public and private institutions of higher education, including public and state-controlled institutions of higher education.
Are nonprofit organizations eligible?
Yes. Nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status are listed as eligible applicants.
Are for-profit organizations eligible?
Yes. For-profit organizations other than small businesses, as well as small businesses, are included as eligible applicants.
Are government organizations eligible to apply?
Yes. Multiple levels of government organizations are listed as eligible, including state governments, county governments, city or township governments, special district governments, and independent school districts.
Are public housing authorities eligible?
Yes. The FOA lists public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities as eligible applicants.
Are Native American tribal governments or tribal organizations eligible?
Yes. The FOA includes Native American tribal governments (federally recognized) and tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments).
Are minority-serving institutions specifically named as eligible applicants?
Yes. The FOA explicitly lists several categories, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs).
Are faith-based or community-based organizations eligible?
Yes. Faith-based or community-based organizations are listed as eligible applicants.
Are federal agencies eligible to apply?
Yes. The FOA indicates eligible federal agencies may apply.
Is foreign participation allowed?
Yes. Non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations and foreign institutions) are eligible to apply. Non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are eligible, and foreign components (as defined in NIH policy) are permitted.
Where can the archived announcement be found?
The full archived announcement was available through the NIH Grants Guide at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-15-053.html
Who can be contacted for technical issues accessing the announcement?
For technical issues accessing the announcement or linking to it, the FOA provides the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) Webmaster contact: FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV
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Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (PAR 15 053) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| NCI Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award to Promote Diversity (K08) Apply for PAR 15 060 Funding Number: PAR 15 060 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| NCI Mentored Patient Oriented Research Career Development Award to Promote Diversity (K23) Apply for PAR 15 062 Funding Number: PAR 15 062 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| NCI Transition Career Development Award to Promote Diversity (K22) Apply for PAR 15 063 Funding Number: PAR 15 063 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| NCI Mentored Research Scientist Development Award to Promote Diversity (K01) Apply for PAR 15 064 Funding Number: PAR 15 064 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| The NCI Transition Career Development Award (K22) Apply for PAR 15 056 Funding Number: PAR 15 056 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Building on High Impact Basic Neurobiology Through Assay Development Advancing Tools for Therapeutic Discovery (R01) Apply for PAR 15 066 Funding Number: PAR 15 066 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Academic Industrial Partnerships for Translation of Technologies for Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment (R01) Apply for PAR 15 075 Funding Number: PAR 15 075 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Integration of Infectious Diseases and Substance Abuse Intervention Services for Individuals Living with HIV (R01) Apply for RFA DA 15 013 Funding Number: RFA DA 15 013 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $3,000,000 |
| Cutting Edge Basic Research Awards (CEBRA) (R21) Apply for PAR 15 079 Funding Number: PAR 15 079 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $125,000 |
| Innovative Molecular Analysis Technologies for Cancer Research (R21) Apply for RFA CA 15 002 Funding Number: RFA CA 15 002 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $2,000,000 |
| Innovative Technologies for Cancer Relevant Biospecimen Science (R21) Apply for RFA CA 15 004 Funding Number: RFA CA 15 004 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Advanced Development and Validation of Emerging Molecular Analysis Technologies for Cancer Research (R33) Apply for RFA CA 15 003 Funding Number: RFA CA 15 003 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| Advanced Development and Validation of Emerging Technologies for Cancer Relevant Biospecimen Science (R33) Apply for RFA CA 15 005 Funding Number: RFA CA 15 005 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| Drug Abuse Prevention Intervention Research (R21) Apply for PA 15 080 Funding Number: PA 15 080 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Drug Abuse Prevention Intervention Research (R03) Apply for PA 15 081 Funding Number: PA 15 081 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $50,000 |
| Drug Abuse Prevention Intervention Research (R01) Apply for PA 15 082 Funding Number: PA 15 082 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative Development, Optimization, and Validation of Novel Tools and Technologies for Neuroscience Research (STTR) (R41/R42) Apply for PAR 15 090 Funding Number: PAR 15 090 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative Development, Optimization, and Validation of Novel Tools and Technologies for Neuroscience Research (SBIR) (R43/R44) Apply for PAR 15 091 Funding Number: PAR 15 091 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Exploratory/Developmental Grants Program for Basic Cancer Research in Cancer Health Disparities (R21) Apply for PAR 15 092 Funding Number: PAR 15 092 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Basic Cancer Research in Cancer Health Disparities (R01) Apply for PAR 15 093 Funding Number: PAR 15 093 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $250,000 |
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