The ACS Discovery Boost Grant is a relatively newer funding mechanism designed to fill a critical gap in the cancer research funding landscape: supporting exploratory, high-risk, and potentially high-reward research that may not yet have sufficient preliminary data to compete for traditional investigator-initiated grants. It is open to researchers at any career stage and across all areas of cancer research. The DBG is intended to help investigators generate the pilot data, test feasibility, or validate methodologies needed to pursue larger and longer-term funding. It complements rather than duplicates the ACS Research Scholar Grant, which requires a more developed body of preliminary work. ACS also releases special RFAs in specific disease or topic areas alongside the standard DBG call.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Open to independent investigators at any career stage who hold a faculty appointment (or equivalent independent position) at a US non-profit academic institution, hospital, or research center
- US citizen or non-citizen with appropriate visa/immigration status at time of application
- Research must be cancer-focused across any area of the cancer research continuum
- Postdoctoral researchers and those without an independent position are not eligible
- Applicants may concurrently hold other ACS grants provided there is no scientific or budgetary overlap
Funding Details:
- Up to $135,000 in direct costs per year for up to 2 years ($270,000 total direct costs maximum)
- Up to 10% allowable indirect costs
- Covers personnel, supplies, small equipment, travel, and other allowable research expenses
Deadline:
- June 1, 2026 (applications now available on ProposalCentral)
- December 1, 2026 cycle also exists
Where to Go for Further Information:
- Grant overview
- Contact: grants@cancer.org
- Eligibility questions: grant.eligibility@cancer.org