National Cancer Institute Program Project Applications (P01 Clinical Trial Optional) | PAR 18 290

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 18 290

The National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is soliciting investigator-initiated Program Project Grant (P01) applications under the funding opportunity titled "National Cancer Institute Program Project Applications (P01 Clinical Trial Optional)" (Funding Opportunity Number: PAR-18-290). This opportunity supports large, multi-component research programs that bring together several interrelated projects under one coordinated umbrella, with the goal of making progress on an overarching cancer-focused scientific theme. The "clinical trial optional" designation means applicants may propose studies that include clinical trials, but a clinical trial is not required; programs can be basic, translational, clinical, population-based, or any combination of these approaches as long as they are well integrated.

The scientific scope is intentionally broad and is meant to accommodate many areas across the cancer research continuum. Proposed programs may focus on cancer biology and mechanisms, prevention strategies, methods and technologies for diagnosis, development or optimization of treatments, and cancer control research (including implementation, survivorship, and health services-related questions). The FOA emphasizes that a wide range of study types are appropriate, which encourages teams to build programs that may span laboratory discovery through translational development and, where relevant, testing or evaluation in patient or community settings. What matters most is that the overall program is coherent and that the combined projects generate added value beyond what the same projects would accomplish if funded and run independently.

A key structural requirement is that each P01 application must include at least three distinct research projects plus an Administrative Core. The three (or more) projects are expected to be scientifically linked and mutually reinforcing, sharing a common central theme, focus, and/or overall objective. The Administrative Core is required to provide leadership, coordination, governance, communication, and operational management across the entire program. In a typical P01 structure, the Administrative Core is where applicants describe how the program will be managed day-to-day, how decisions will be made, how progress will be tracked, how conflicts will be resolved, and how shared resources or cross-project activities will be coordinated to keep the program aligned with its central theme. While the FOA text provided highlights the Administrative Core explicitly, P01 programs often also include additional scientific or shared resource cores when needed; however, the non-negotiable minimum described here is three research projects and the Administrative Core.

Eligibility is broad and includes many organization types that commonly apply for NIH grants. Eligible applicants include state, county, city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized tribal governments; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in those categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The FOA also explicitly notes additional eligible applicant categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), eligible federal agencies, faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, Indian/Native American Tribal Governments other than federally recognized entities, and U.S. territories or possessions.

The foreign eligibility rules are specific. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign institutions) are not eligible to apply as the primary applicant organization. At the same time, non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are eligible, and foreign components are allowed as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement. In practical terms, this means a U.S.-based applicant can include substantial and legitimate international collaboration or work performed abroad when it is scientifically justified, but an entirely foreign organization cannot serve as the main applicant for this particular FOA.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding and uses the NIH grant mechanism. It sits within the health and education funding activity category and is associated with CFDA numbers 93.393, 93.394, 93.395, 93.396, and 93.399, which correspond to NIH/NCI research and related assistance programs. The record you provided lists an original closing date of 2020-05-07 and a creation date of 2017-10-30. No award ceiling or expected number of awards is specified in the provided source data, which often indicates that budgets and award counts may depend on scientific merit, programmatic priorities, and available appropriations rather than a single fixed cap stated in the summary.

Overall, this FOA is designed for research teams with a strong, unified cancer research vision that requires multiple coordinated projects to achieve meaningful progress. Competitive applications typically demonstrate why a program project structure is necessary, how the projects are tightly integrated around a single central theme, and how the Administrative Core will actively enable collaboration, efficiency, and scientific synergy across the program.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "National Cancer Institute Program Project Applications (P01 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.393, 93.394, 93.395, 93.396, 93.399.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-10-30.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-05-07. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

Apply for PAR 18 290

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: