Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA CA 13 024
Apply for RFA CA 13 024
- The National Institutes of Health in the education health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Research Answers to NCIs Provocative Questions Group E (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 93.399 Cancer Control.
- This funding opportunity was created on Sep 30, 2013 and posted on Sep 30, 2013.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 20, 2014. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education For profit organizations other than small businesses Special district governments Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) City or township governments Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Private institutions of higher education Small businesses Independent school districts State governments Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities County governments.
- 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:
Research Answers to NCI's Provocative Questions - Group E (R01) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Cancer Institute (NCI) grant opportunity that funds investigator-driven cancer research projects aimed at answering a defined set of "provocative questions." In plain terms, NCI curated a list of specific puzzles, contradictions, and under-explored observations in cancer research, then invited the research community to tackle them head-on with creative, high-impact ideas. The intent is not to cover every NCI priority or to function like a broad omnibus cancer research program. Instead, it is designed to push researchers to focus on areas that NCI believes are both important and comparatively neglected, where fresh thinking could unlock meaningful progress.
This opportunity uses the R01 mechanism, meaning it supports a discrete, hypothesis-driven (or strongly concept-driven) research project with clear aims, a well-justified approach, and the kind of depth and rigor typically expected of an NIH R01. The emphasis in the announcement is on innovation and problem solving: applicants are expected to propose research that directly addresses one or more of the NCI "provocative questions" in this Group E set. While the summary text in the listing does not enumerate the individual questions, the framing makes it clear that the questions themselves are the central organizing feature of the FOA, and that successful applications would align tightly with them rather than simply presenting general cancer research.
The FOA sits within NIH's broader cancer-related funding landscape and is associated with multiple CFDA program areas, reflecting the wide range of scientific directions a provocative question might lead to. The CFDA numbers listed span cancer cause and prevention (93.393), detection and diagnosis (93.394), treatment (93.395), biology (93.396), and control (93.399). That mix signals that proposals could be basic, translational, clinical, population-based, or implementation-oriented, as long as they are genuinely responsive to the specific provocative questions highlighted by NCI. In practice, that means a project might focus on mechanisms of tumor development, resistance and relapse, immune interactions, early detection strategies, behavioral or environmental drivers, or cancer control interventions, provided the project is designed around the particular paradox or research gap NCI called out.
Administratively, this is a discretionary grant opportunity with no cost sharing or matching requirement, which removes a common barrier for applicants who might otherwise need institutional or partner funds to qualify. The opportunity was posted on September 30, 2013, with an original and current closing date of June 20, 2014, and it was archived on July 21, 2014. Those dates matter mainly for historical context now, but they also show this was a time-bounded solicitation intended to concentrate attention and submissions within a specific window.
Eligibility is broad and includes a wide cross-section of organizations that typically participate in NIH funding. Eligible applicants include public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (including 501(c)(3) and those without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations (including small businesses, with the exception that the listing specifies "other than small businesses" as well as "small businesses" separately, indicating both categories can be eligible depending on NIH policy and the FOA specifics), and multiple levels of government such as state governments, county governments, city or township governments, special district governments, independent school districts, and public housing authorities or Indian housing authorities. The eligibility language also explicitly welcomes organizations serving specific populations and missions, 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). Faith-based and community-based organizations are included as eligible as well, which is relevant for projects that might involve community-engaged research, outreach, cancer prevention, or control strategies.
A notable feature is the clear openness to international participation. 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 are allowed as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement. That matters because many provocative cancer research questions can benefit from unique populations, specialized expertise, distinctive datasets, or international collaborations that are not easily replicated within one country. The FOA structure suggests NCI was willing to support the best ideas regardless of geography, so long as applicants meet NIH requirements and the science strongly addresses the provocative question targets.
For applicants looking for the authoritative details, NCI directed users to the full FOA text hosted in the NIH grants guide (RFA-CA-13-024), which would include the exact list of Group E provocative questions, responsiveness criteria, review considerations, budgets and project period limits typical for R01s, and any special submission instructions. The contact listed for access or linking issues is the NIH Office of Extramural Research webmaster (FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV), which indicates that technical support, rather than a programmatic scientific contact, is what was provided in the summary listing.
Overall, the core idea of this grant opportunity is simple but demanding: bring forward a solid, R01-caliber research plan that is both imaginative and rigorous, and use it to explain or resolve a cancer research problem that NCI deliberately labeled as provocative because it has resisted easy answers or has not drawn enough focused effort.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the "Research Answers to NCI's Provocative Questions - Group E (R01)" opportunity?
It is a National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Cancer Institute (NCI) funding opportunity that supports investigator-driven cancer research projects specifically designed to answer a defined set of NCI "provocative questions" in the Group E set. These questions are intentionally framed around puzzles, contradictions, and under-explored observations in cancer research where fresh ideas could lead to meaningful progress.
What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?
The purpose is to concentrate research effort on areas NCI considers important but comparatively neglected, by encouraging creative, high-impact projects that directly address one or more of the designated provocative questions. It is not meant to function as a broad, general cancer research program.
What does "Provocative Questions" mean in this context?
In this program, "provocative questions" refers to a curated list developed by NCI that highlights specific scientific paradoxes, contradictions, and gaps in cancer research. Applicants are expected to tackle these questions head-on with innovative and rigorous studies.
Are the specific Group E provocative questions listed in the summary information?
No. The summary description does not enumerate the individual Group E questions. The authoritative source for the exact questions is the full Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) text referenced as RFA-CA-13-024 in the NIH grants guide.
What grant mechanism is used for this opportunity?
This opportunity uses the NIH R01 mechanism, which typically supports a discrete research project with clear aims and a well-justified, rigorous approach. The project is generally expected to be hypothesis-driven or strongly concept-driven, consistent with typical NIH R01 expectations.
What level of project rigor and structure is expected?
The expectation is an "R01-caliber" application: a focused project with clear objectives, strong scientific premise, an appropriate study design, and a compelling approach. The program emphasizes both innovation and problem solving, but within the depth and rigor associated with an R01.
Does the proposed research need to directly address a provocative question?
Yes. The provocative questions are described as the central organizing feature of the FOA, and successful applications are expected to align tightly with one or more of the NCI Group E questions rather than presenting general cancer research.
Is this opportunity intended to cover all NCI research priorities?
No. The program is explicitly described as not designed to cover every NCI priority and not intended to operate like a broad omnibus cancer research solicitation. It is intentionally focused on the defined provocative questions.
What scientific areas of cancer research are relevant to this FOA?
The FOA is positioned to support a wide range of directions as long as the work is responsive to the provocative questions. The description indicates proposals could be basic, translational, clinical, population-based, or implementation-oriented, provided they are built around the specific paradox or gap identified by NCI.
Which CFDA program areas are associated with this opportunity?
The listing references multiple CFDA areas spanning cancer research domains: cancer cause and prevention (93.393), detection and diagnosis (93.394), treatment (93.395), biology (93.396), and control (93.399). This mix suggests the provocative questions can cut across many types of cancer research and intervention strategies.
Does the opportunity require cost sharing or matching funds?
No. The opportunity is described as having no cost sharing or matching requirement.
When was this opportunity posted, and what were the closing dates?
The opportunity was posted on September 30, 2013. The original and current closing date is listed as June 20, 2014. It was archived on July 21, 2014.
What does it mean that the opportunity is archived?
Based on the provided information, "archived" indicates it is a historical, time-bounded solicitation that is no longer active for submissions under the listed dates. The dates are mainly relevant for historical context.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes many organization types commonly eligible for NIH funding. The listing includes public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (including 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)), for-profit organizations, small businesses, and other for-profit entities. Multiple government entities are also listed as eligible.
Which government entities are included as eligible applicants?
The eligibility language includes state governments, county governments, city or township governments, special district governments, independent school districts, and public housing authorities or Indian housing authorities.
Are minority-serving institutions specifically included?
Yes. The eligibility language explicitly welcomes 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. The eligibility description includes faith-based and community-based organizations, which may be relevant for community-engaged research, outreach, prevention, or cancer control strategies, as long as the project aligns with the provocative questions.
Can non-U.S. (foreign) organizations apply?
Yes. The opportunity is described as open to international participation: 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 are allowed as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.
Are foreign components allowed within a U.S.-based application?
Yes. The listing states that foreign components are allowed as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, and it also notes that non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are eligible.
Why would international participation be relevant for this program?
The provided description notes that many provocative cancer research questions could benefit from unique populations, specialized expertise, distinctive datasets, or international collaborations that may not be easily replicated within one country.
Where can applicants find the full and authoritative FOA details?
NCI directed users to the full FOA text hosted in the NIH grants guide, referenced as RFA-CA-13-024. The full FOA would include the exact list of Group E questions, responsiveness criteria, review considerations, and any special submission instructions.
Who is listed as the contact for technical issues related to the FOA link or access?
The contact listed for access or linking issues is the NIH Office of Extramural Research webmaster: FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV.
Is a scientific or programmatic contact provided in the summary listing?
No. The summary listing describes a technical support contact (the NIH Office of Extramural Research webmaster) rather than providing a programmatic scientific contact.
What kinds of projects might fit, based on the summary description?
The summary suggests that projects could address mechanisms of tumor development, resistance and relapse, immune interactions, early detection strategies, behavioral or environmental drivers, or cancer control interventions, as long as the project is designed around the specific provocative question(s) NCI identified.
What is the key takeaway for applicants based on the summary?
The core expectation is a solid, rigorous, and imaginative R01-style research plan that is tightly aligned to one or more Group E provocative questions, aiming to explain or resolve a problem NCI considers provocative because it has resisted easy answers or has not received enough focused effort.
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