Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA CA 12 021
Apply for RFA CA 12 021
- The National Institutes of Health in the education health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Research Answers to NCIs Provocative Questions Group D (R01)" 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 93.394 Cancer Detection and Diagnosis Research 93.395 Cancer Treatment Research 93.396 Cancer Biology Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Sep 21, 2012 and posted on Sep 21, 2012.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 20, 2013. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: Special district governments Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Small businesses Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Independent school districts Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities For profit organizations other than small businesses Private institutions of higher education County governments City or township governments Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education State governments Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than 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 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.
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
Opportunity Summary:
The grant opportunity titled "Research Answers to NCI's Provocative Questions - Group D (R01)" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-CA-12-021) was issued by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) under the National Institutes of Health. It supports investigator-initiated research projects using the R01 grant mechanism, with the central goal of pushing the cancer research community to tackle a defined set of difficult, underexplored problems. The program is framed around the NCI Provocative Questions initiative, which presents carefully selected questions meant to highlight specific paradoxes or stubborn gaps in knowledge where progress has lagged, not because the issues are unimportant, but because they may be complex, risky, or outside the usual mainstream lines of inquiry. In practical terms, applicants are expected to propose rigorous, well-justified studies that directly engage with one or more of these provocative questions and use innovative approaches that can produce clear, interpretable advances.
This FOA is not intended to represent the entire cancer research agenda of NCI. Instead, it functions more like a targeted challenge: it identifies a shortlist of research questions that NCI believes deserve concentrated attention and invites the field to bring new ideas, methods, or conceptual frameworks to them. The emphasis is on sound and innovative research strategies, meaning the work should be both methodologically credible and creatively designed to break through a barrier that has limited prior progress. The overarching theme is problem-solving in cancer research, especially in areas that historically may not have received enough focus or where conventional thinking has not been sufficient to resolve the underlying scientific paradox.
Administratively, this is a discretionary grant opportunity categorized under education and health-related research activities. It aligns with several cancer-related CFDA program areas, including cancer cause and prevention research (93.393), cancer detection and diagnosis research (93.394), cancer treatment research (93.395), and cancer biology research (93.396). That spread signals that projects could fit across the cancer research continuum, from basic biology and mechanisms to translational and clinical implications, as long as the proposal is anchored to the specific provocative questions designated for this group and meets the expectation of addressing a clearly defined challenge in an impactful way.
The opportunity does not require cost sharing or matching funds, which generally reduces barriers for applicants who may not have institutional resources to contribute additional project costs. Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations and governmental units, such as state, county, city or township governments, special district governments, and independent school districts, as well as public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities. It also includes public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not higher education institutions in those categories), for-profit organizations (including small businesses and other for-profits), and Native American tribal governments (both federally recognized and other tribal entities). The FOA also explicitly allows a wide range of additional applicants, including historically underserved and mission-specific institutions such as HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, tribally controlled colleges and universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian serving institutions, and AANAPISI institutions. Importantly, it also permits non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations), along with regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions, which signals that NCI was open to strong ideas regardless of geography when the science aligns with the provocative questions.
Key dates indicate the FOA was posted and created on September 21, 2012, with an original and current closing date of June 20, 2013, and an archive date of July 21, 2013. That means this specific announcement is no longer active, but it remains a useful reference for understanding how NCI structured this particular round of Provocative Questions funding and what it emphasized in terms of research ambition and focus. Anyone trying to understand the original full requirements, the exact list of Group D provocative questions, and the application instructions would need to consult the archived NIH Grants Guide page linked in the announcement.
For support issues related to accessing the full announcement or problems linking to it, the listed contact was the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) Webmaster at FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV, reflecting that technical access questions were routed through NIH OER rather than a scientific program contact in the summary information provided here.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the official title of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Research Answers to NCI's Provocative Questions - Group D (R01)."
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FOA number)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is RFA-CA-12-021.
Which agency issued this FOA?
This FOA was issued by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) under the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?
The central goal is to push the cancer research community to tackle a defined set of difficult, underexplored problems framed as NCI "Provocative Questions." Applications are expected to propose rigorous, well-justified studies that directly engage one or more of these questions and use innovative approaches to produce clear, interpretable advances.
What are the NCI Provocative Questions?
The Provocative Questions initiative presents carefully selected research questions that highlight specific paradoxes or stubborn gaps in knowledge where progress has lagged. The emphasis is on areas that may be complex, risky, or outside mainstream lines of inquiry, rather than areas that are unimportant.
Is this FOA meant to cover NCI's full cancer research agenda?
No. The FOA is framed as a targeted challenge that identifies a shortlist of questions NCI believes deserve concentrated attention, rather than representing the entire cancer research agenda.
What grant mechanism does this opportunity use?
This opportunity supports investigator-initiated research projects using the R01 grant mechanism.
What type of research approach does NCI emphasize for this FOA?
The FOA emphasizes sound and innovative research strategies. That means the proposed work should be methodologically credible and creatively designed to break through barriers that have limited prior progress on the selected provocative question(s).
Do proposed projects need to address a specific set of questions?
Yes. Projects are expected to be anchored to the specific "Group D" provocative questions designated for this FOA and to address a clearly defined challenge in an impactful way.
What research areas or domains can proposals fall under?
Projects can fit across the cancer research continuum, from basic biology and mechanisms through translational and clinical implications, as long as the proposal is tied to the designated provocative questions for this group.
How is this opportunity categorized administratively?
It is described as a discretionary grant opportunity under education and health-related research activities.
Which CFDA program areas does this FOA align with?
The FOA aligns with several cancer-related CFDA program areas: cancer cause and prevention research (93.393), cancer detection and diagnosis research (93.394), cancer treatment research (93.395), and cancer biology research (93.396).
Does this grant require cost sharing or matching funds?
No. The opportunity does not require cost sharing or matching funds.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes many U.S.-based organizations and governmental units (including state, county, city or township governments; special district governments; and independent school districts), public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not higher education institutions in those categories), and for-profit organizations (including small businesses and other for-profits).
Are tribal governments and tribally affiliated institutions eligible?
Yes. Eligibility includes Native American tribal governments (both federally recognized and other tribal entities). The FOA also explicitly allows tribally controlled colleges and universities, along with other mission-specific and historically underserved institutions.
Are historically underserved or mission-specific institutions explicitly included?
Yes. The FOA explicitly allows applicants such as HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, tribally controlled colleges and universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian serving institutions, and AANAPISI institutions.
Can foreign (non-U.S.) organizations apply?
Yes. The FOA permits non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations), indicating NCI was open to strong ideas regardless of geography when aligned with the provocative questions.
Are regional organizations, federal agencies, or U.S. territories eligible to apply?
Yes. The FOA permits regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions.
What were the key dates for this FOA?
The FOA was posted and created on September 21, 2012. The original and current closing date was June 20, 2013. The archive date was July 21, 2013.
Is this funding opportunity still active?
No. Based on the provided dates and archive status, this specific announcement is no longer active.
Where would an applicant find the full requirements and the exact list of Group D provocative questions?
The summary indicates that anyone needing the original full requirements, the exact list of Group D provocative questions, and the application instructions would need to consult the archived NIH Grants Guide page linked in the announcement.
Who should be contacted for technical issues accessing the full announcement?
For support issues related to accessing the full announcement or problems linking to it, the listed contact is the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) Webmaster at FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV.
Does the provided summary include a scientific or program contact for research questions?
No. The information provided lists a technical access contact (NIH OER Webmaster) rather than a scientific program contact.
What kind of outcomes or contributions does NCI appear to be seeking from funded projects?
Based on the description, NCI is seeking projects that deliver clear, interpretable advances by applying innovative approaches to hard, underexplored problems and scientific paradoxes captured in the Provocative Questions framework.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Education Health
Next opportunity: Research Answers to NCIs Provocative Questions Group D (R21)
Previous opportunity: Research Answers to NCIs Provocative Questions Group C (R21)
USGrants.org Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for RFA CA 12 021
[Watch] how do funding administrators access proposals?
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (RFA CA 12 021) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Research Answers to NCIs Provocative Questions Group D (R21) Apply for RFA CA 12 022 Funding Number: RFA CA 12 022 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPOREs) in Human Cancer for Years 2013 and 2014 (P50) Apply for PAR 12 296 Funding Number: PAR 12 296 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Drug Abuse Aspects of HIV/AIDS (R01) Apply for PA 12 293 Funding Number: PA 12 293 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Drug Abuse Aspects of HIV/AIDS (R03) Apply for PA 12 294 Funding Number: PA 12 294 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $50,000 |
| Drug Abuse Aspects of HIV/AIDS (R21) Apply for PA 12 295 Funding Number: PA 12 295 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Mechanism for Time Sensitive Drug Abuse Research (R21) Apply for PAR 12 297 Funding Number: PAR 12 297 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Cancer Center Support Grants (CCSGs) for NCI designated Cancer Centers (P30) Apply for PAR 12 298 Funding Number: PAR 12 298 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| FY 2013 American Schools and Hospitals Abroad (ASHA) Program Worldwide Apply for APS ASHA 13 000001 Funding Number: APS ASHA 13 000001 Agency: Agency for International Development Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $2,000,000 |
| NLM Grants for Scholarly Works in Biomedicine and Health (G13) Apply for PAR 13 014 Funding Number: PAR 13 014 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $50,000 |
| Prescription Drug Abuse (R01) Apply for PA 13 015 Funding Number: PA 13 015 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Prescription Drug Abuse (R21) Apply for PA 13 016 Funding Number: PA 13 016 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Early Stage Innovative Molecular Analysis Technology Development for Cancer Research (R21) Apply for RFA CA 13 001 Funding Number: RFA CA 13 001 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Validation and Advanced Development of Emerging Molecular Analysis Technologies for Cancer Research (R33) Apply for RFA CA 13 002 Funding Number: RFA CA 13 002 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| Early Stage Development of Innovative Technologies for Biospecimen Science (R21) Apply for RFA CA 13 003 Funding Number: RFA CA 13 003 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Validation and Advanced Development of Emerging Technologies for Biospecimen Science (R33) Apply for RFA CA 13 004 Funding Number: RFA CA 13 004 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| Limited Competition Palliative Care Research Co Operative (PCRC) (U24) Apply for RFA NR 13 004 Funding Number: RFA NR 13 004 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Utilizing the PLCO Biospecimens Resource to Bridge Gaps in Cancer Etiology and Early Detection Research (U01) Apply for PAR 13 036 Funding Number: PAR 13 036 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Exceptional Unconventional Research Enabling Knowledge Acceleration (EUREKA) for Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System (R01) Apply for RFA NS 13 007 Funding Number: RFA NS 13 007 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| AIDS and Cancer Specimen Resource (ACSR) (UM1) Apply for RFA CA 13 005 Funding Number: RFA CA 13 005 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Drug Discovery for Nervous System Disorders (R01) Apply for PAR 13 048 Funding Number: PAR 13 048 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Subscribe to Leads
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "RFA CA 12 021", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.