This week, OncoDaily features ten competitive oncology grants fueling innovation across cancer research and care. From correlative biology in childhood leukemias to translational sarcoma studies and clinical advances in radiation oncology, these awards are accelerating progress.
Whether aimed at empowering early-career investigators, fostering breakthroughs in immunotherapy and radiation, or advancing precision approaches in lung and prostate cancer, these opportunities are designed to open new frontiers. Together, they represent a major push to support discovery, collaboration, and impact across the oncology community.
1. The Jeffrey Pride Foundation Integrated Correlative Biology Awards
Four one-year correlative biology awards (USD 100,000 each) administered by the Children’s Oncology Group (COG) Foundation and funded by The Jeffrey Pride Foundation, supporting projects in acute lymphoblastic leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, Hodgkin lymphoma, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Eligibility Criteria:
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Applicant must be a COG member based at an active COG member institution, with research directly related to COG.
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Letter of approval required from the relevant Disease Committee Chair and Vice Chair of Biology confirming biospecimen availability.
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Projects using banked biospecimens must comply with COG Policy BPC-003; funding may be withheld until the standard request per BPC-003 is completed.
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Awardees are expected to present results at a future COG meeting and at least one Jeffrey Pride Foundation fundraising event in Chicago.
Funding Details:
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Amount/term: USD 100,000 total for 1 year; no indirect/overhead costs.
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Reporting: interim progress reports ~ every 6 months; final report due within 90 days of award end.
Deadline:
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Applications due via ProposalCentral by October 29, 2025, 11:59 p.m. (EDT).
Where to go for further information:
- Application portal and templates: ProposalCentral.
- Questions: [email protected].
2. Radiation Oncology Institute RFP: Optimizing Combination Radiation Therapy and Immunotherapy
Annual ROI (the ASTRO Foundation) request for proposals to catalyze high-priority research on how to effectively combine radiation therapy and immunotherapy to improve patient outcomes, generate tangible deliverables (e.g., decision tools, educational materials, abstracts/manuscripts), and position projects for follow-on funding.
Eligibility Criteria:
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Qualified individuals from institutions/organizations in the radiation oncology community; pre-doctoral students are not eligible.
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Residents and postdoctoral fellows require a faculty mentor.
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The institution managing funds must be a qualified 501(c)(3) or U.S. government-sponsored university, or the Canadian equivalent; others should contact ROI to identify a qualifying institution before LOI submission.
Funding Details:
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Typical budget: up to USD 50,000 total over 2 years; larger budgets considered up to a firm cap of USD 100,000.
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No indirect/overhead costs permitted.
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Projects may run up to 2 years; second-year funding is contingent on an approved interim report.
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Projects must start August 1, 2026 and end no later than July 31, 2028.
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Priority for efficient, high-impact proposals aligned with ROI’s mission and producing practical outputs for the field.
Deadline:
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Letter of Intent (required): November 17, 2025, 5:00 p.m. ET.
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Full proposal invitations: December 2025.
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Full proposal (by invitation): February 17, 2026, 5:00 p.m. ET.
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Notification of awards: April 2026.
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Award start date: August 1, 2026.
Where to go for further information:
- Application portal: ProposalCentral → “Grant Opportunities” → filter by “ASTRO and ROI”; complete required LOI and, if invited, full proposal components (abstracts, relevance statement, 4-page project description, budget/justification, biosketches, letters of support, and required e-signatures).
3. ASTRO-PCF Young Investigator Award
The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) and ASTRO collaborate to provide the Young Investigator Award, supporting early-career researchers committing their careers to prostate cancer research in radiation oncology.
Eligibility Criteria:
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Applicants must generally be 35 years or younger.
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Eligible applicants include postdoctoral fellows or recently appointed junior faculty.
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Applicants must be radiation oncologists, radiation or cancer biologists, or radiation physicists.
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Awardees are required to attend the PCF Annual Scientific Retreat and Young Investigator Forum throughout the award.
Funding Details:
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Award amount: USD 225,000 over 3 years.
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Indirect costs (institutional overhead) are not supported.
Deadline:
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Application deadline: March 2026.
Where to go for further information:
- Apply via the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) website.
4. ASTRO-AAPM Physics Residents/Postdoctoral Fellows Seed Grant
ASTRO and the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) jointly fund this seed grant to support physics-related research in radiation oncology and help advance the careers of medical physics residents and postdoctoral fellows.
Eligibility Criteria:
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Applicants must hold a PhD (or equivalent).
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Must be a postdoctoral fellow or medical physics resident.
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Must be a member of both ASTRO and AAPM.
Funding Details:
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Award amount: USD 50,000 for 1 year.
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Up to two awards are anticipated.
Deadline:
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Application deadline: March 18, 2026.
Where to go for further information:
- Apply through the AAPM website.
5. ASTRO-LUNGevity Residents/Fellows in Radiation Oncology Seed Grant
ASTRO and the LUNGevity Foundation jointly offer this award to foster the research careers of residents and fellows in radiation oncology working on basic, translational, or clinical research related to lung cancer.
Eligibility Criteria:
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Applicants must be enrolled in a U.S. residency or fellowship in radiation oncology at the time of application.
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Projects must be relevant to lung cancer research.
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Applicants may also be considered for the general ASTRO Residents/Fellows Seed Grant.
Funding Details:
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Award amount: USD 50,000 for 1 year.
Deadline:
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Application deadline: January 26, 2026.
Where to go for further information:
- Apply via ProposalCentral.
6. ASTRO Residents/Fellows in Radiation Oncology Seed Grant
ASTRO offers seed grants to support residents and fellows developing projects with potential to advance the radiation oncology field.
Eligibility Criteria:
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Applicants must be enrolled in a U.S. residency or fellowship in radiation oncology at the time of application.
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Projects may focus on any area of research in radiation oncology.
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Lung cancer–related projects may also be considered for the ASTRO–LUNGevity Seed Grant.
Funding Details:
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Award amount: USD 50,000 for 1 year.
Deadline:
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Application deadline: January 26, 2026.
Where to go for further information:
- Apply via ProposalCentral.
7. ACS-ASTRO Felix Feng, MD Clinician Scientist Development Award
This award honors Dr. Felix Feng and supports a practicing radiation oncologist pursuing impactful research questions across the cancer continuum, as part of the joint ACS–ASTRO CSDA program.
Eligibility Criteria:
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Practicing radiation oncologists only.
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Must propose research relevant to improving health across the cancer continuum.
Funding Details:
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Award amount: USD 729,000 over 3–5 years.
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Structured under the same mechanism as the ASTRO–ACS CSDA.
Deadline:
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Application deadline: December 1, 2025.
Where to go for further information:
- Apply via ACS application portal.
8. SWOG/Hope Foundation Impact Award
Funding program from The Hope Foundation for Cancer Research to spark novel, high-impact SWOG studies using resources from completed SWOG trials or directly translatable to upcoming SWOG/NCTN clinical trials. Awards up to 250,000 total cost for up to two years; indirects capped at 25%.
Eligibility Criteria:
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Any SWOG member investigator eligible for NIH funding.
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Basic science applicants must partner with a clinician as Co-PI.
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If using SWOG specimens/data: include support statements from the relevant Committee Chair and Committee Statistician; submit a TM Proposal form.
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Awards are made to institutions (non-profits; universities/colleges/hospitals/labs; state/local units; eligible federal agencies; domestic or foreign organizations).
Funding Details:
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Up to 250,000 total cost per project, spent over up to 2 years.
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Indirect costs are included and limited to 25%.
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Smaller feasibility projects that enable future SWOG trials are encouraged.
Deadline:
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LOI due January 15 at 5:00 p.m. ET. Full application by invitation. Award period June 1 – May 31.
9. AACR Anna D. Barker Basic Cancer Research Fellowship
Two-year, mentored postdoctoral/clinical research fellowship supporting basic cancer research. Provides USD 110,000 total to support fellow salary/benefits and essential research expenses; open to applicants worldwide working under a qualified mentor at an academic/medical/research institution.
Eligibility Criteria:
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Doctoral degree (PhD, MD, MD/PhD, or equivalent); not currently a candidate for another doctoral degree.
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At the start of term (July 1, 2026), hold a mentored position titled postdoctoral fellow, clinical research fellow, or equivalent (future positions must be confirmed and not contingent on this grant).
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Most recent doctoral degree (or, for MDs, most recent doctoral degree or completion of medical residency—whichever is later) conferred within the past three years (allowances for well-justified leave).
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Work under a mentor at an academic/medical/research institution anywhere in the world; visa must cover the project term if applicable.
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AACR membership in good standing by the LOI deadline (nonmembers must apply for membership by the LOI deadline; associate membership has no annual dues; endorsements may be required).
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Not eligible: employees/subcontractors of U.S. government entities or for-profit industry; postdocs conducting research in a U.S. government laboratory; investigators currently/previously at instructor/assistant professor rank or higher (limited MD exception for instructors who are truly postdoctoral fellows).
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Only one AACR grant may be held at a time; only one LOI to this mechanism per cycle; current AACR grantees may apply only if their grant ends before July 1, 2026.
Funding Details:
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Total: USD 110,000 over 2 years to support salary/benefits; funds may also be used for non-personnel research expenses (e.g., supplies, small equipment, publication charges) directly related to the project.
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Required activities: attendance at the AACR Annual Grantee Recognition Event (2026) and the AACR Grantee Summit (grant funds may support attendance).
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Tobacco industry restriction: applicants/mentors funded by the tobacco industry are ineligible; accepting such funding during the term terminates the grant.
Deadline:
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Letter of Intent: November 4, 2025, 1:00 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time; applicants notified of LOI decision January 2026.
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Invited Full Application: March 3, 2026, 1:00 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time.
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Notification of Award: May 2026.
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Start of Grant Term: July 1, 2026.
Where to go for further information:
- Apply via ProposalCentral.
- Program inquiries (email only): [email protected].
10. AACR-QuadW Foundation Sarcoma Research Fellowship in Memory of Willie Tichenor
This one-year AACR-QuadW fellowship supports postdoctoral or clinical research fellows advancing translational or clinical sarcoma research with clear, near-term impact for patients. Ideal for early-career scientists focused on personalized therapies, biomarker-driven studies, and novel tools to uncover mechanisms and targets in sarcoma.
Eligibility Criteria:
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Doctoral degree (PhD, MD, MD/PhD, or equivalent); not currently pursuing an additional doctoral degree.
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As of July 1, 2026: in a mentored role (postdoctoral fellow, clinical research fellow, or equivalent).
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Most recent doctoral degree conferred on/after July 1, 2021; for MDs, on/after completion of medical residency if later.
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Work under a mentor at an academic/medical/research institution worldwide.
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No citizenship restrictions; applicants must have appropriate visa status to complete the term.
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AACR membership in good standing required. Nonmembers must apply for AACR membership by the letter of intent deadline and secure a nominator who is an Active AACR member ([email protected] for help). Lapsed members must be in good standing by the application deadline.
Funding Details:
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Amount: 60,000 USD total for 1 year (salary/benefits; portion may support non-personnel research costs such as supplies, equipment, relevant publication fees, and other project expenses).
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Term: 1 year; Start date July 1, 2026.
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Restrictions: Funds may not support clinical practice with patients or indirect costs.
Deadline:
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Application due: November 18, 2025, 1:00 PM U.S. Eastern Time.
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Decision date: March 2026.
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Start of grant term: July 1, 2026.
Where to go for further information:
- Apply via ProposalCentral.
- Program details.
- Questions: AACR Research and Grants Administration ([email protected]) and AACR Membership ([email protected]).
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