Cancer Research Education Grants Program - Research Experiences (R25 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PAR 21 067

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 21 067

The Cancer Research Education Grants Program - Research Experiences (R25 Clinical Trial Not Allowed), funding opportunity number PAR-21-067, is a discretionary grant program run by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), specifically aligned with the National Cancer Institute (NCI). It sits under the NIH Research Education Program (R25), which is designed to support structured educational activities that strengthen and expand the nations biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research workforce. In practical terms, this opportunity is meant to fund well-designed education programs that help people build cancer research skills and move into, or advance within, research-related careers. The emphasis in this particular announcement is on research experiences, meaning hands-on, mentored, and thoughtfully organized opportunities that immerse participants in cancer-focused research environments rather than purely classroom-based instruction.

The core purpose is workforce development in areas tied directly to cancer, including the causes of cancer, methods for diagnosis, prevention strategies, treatment approaches, rehabilitation after cancer, and the ongoing care of cancer patients as well as support for their families. Competitive applications are expected to be innovative and state-of-the-art, which usually translates into programs that reflect current scientific methods and emerging technologies, incorporate modern research practices, and provide participants with meaningful, supervised research engagement. The overall intent is not simply to provide information, but to create training and educational experiences that complement existing training pipelines and address gaps in the preparation of future researchers and research-informed professionals.

A key restriction is captured in the title: clinical trials are not allowed under this FOA. That generally means applicants need to design education and research experience activities that do not propose conducting NIH-defined clinical trials as part of the grant-supported work. Programs can still focus on clinical and translational cancer topics in an educational sense, and they can provide research experiences in many settings, but the funded activities cannot include running a clinical trial within the scope of the award.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations and governmental entities. Eligible applicants listed include state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; Native American tribal governments that are federally recognized; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (when not an institution of higher education); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other entities that meet NIH eligibility rules. The announcement also explicitly calls out additional eligible applicant categories often associated with broadening participation and community engagement, such as 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), along with faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions.

On the foreign eligibility side, the rules are specific. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply. However, foreign components, as NIH defines them in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed. In other words, the applicant organization must be domestic and eligible, but certain well-justified foreign collaborations or components can be included if they fit NIH policy and are proposed appropriately.

In terms of administrative details provided in the source data, the program is categorized under Education and Health, with CFDA number 93.398. The funding instrument type is a grant. The opportunity record shows an original closing date of 2021-08-26 and a creation date of 2020-11-17. The award ceiling and expected number of awards are not specified in the provided excerpt, which typically means applicants would need to consult the full FOA text and any associated NIH budget guidance to understand anticipated funding levels, project period limits, and allowable costs for the education and research experience activities they propose.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Cancer Research Education Grants Program - Research Experiences (R25 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.398.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2020-11-17.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-08-26. (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 21 067

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