The V Foundation’s flagship V Scholar Grant supports early-career tenure-track faculty at the very beginning of their independent research careers, providing substantial multi-year funding to pursue basic laboratory or translational cancer research on any adult cancer type. Increasing from $600,000 to $800,000 in 2026 — a 33% increase — the V Scholar is designed to give ambitious junior investigators protected time and resources to develop research programs that can subsequently attract major NIH R01 funding. The award is highly competitive and distributed exclusively through invited NCI-Designated Cancer Centers and select research institutions in the United States and Canada. Institutions hold their own internal competitions and submit one nominee to the V Foundation. The current 2026 general V Scholar cycle is now open for internal institution nominations, with full applications due to the V Foundation in June 2026.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Must hold a full-time tenure-track faculty appointment (Assistant Professor or equivalent) at an NCI-Designated Cancer Center or invited institution in the US or Canada by the nomination deadline
- Must have been appointed to their first full-time Assistant Professor position no more than 5 years prior to the nomination deadline (May 2026)
- Must not be a current or previous V Foundation V Scholar awardee
- Must not have accepted or received notification of an R01 or R01-equivalent award exceeding $750,000 total direct costs at any point in their career
- Research must be either laboratory-based fundamental research or translational research on adult cancer; epidemiology, behavioral science, and health services research are outside scope
- Applicants must be nominated through their institution’s Cancer Center Director’s office — direct applications to the V Foundation are not accepted
Funding Details:
- $200,000/year for 4 years ($800,000 total) — increased for 2026
- Covers direct costs only; no indirect costs funded
- A biostatistical or bioinformatics plan is required in the proposal
Deadline:
- Internal institution nomination deadline: May 2026 (exact internal deadline varies by Cancer Center — contact your Cancer Center Director’s office now)
- Full application to V Foundation: June 2026
- Award notification: September 2026
Where to Go for Further Information:
- V Foundation grant FAQs and cycle calendar
- V Scholar program overview
- Contact: Grants@v.org | Or contact your Cancer Center Director’s office