Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA CA 18 015
The NCI Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP) Research Bases funding opportunity (RFA-CA-18-015) is a National Cancer Institute cooperative agreement (UG1, clinical trial required) that supports organizations serving as "Research Bases" within NCORP, a national, community-focused cancer research network. The central purpose is to expand and strengthen the ability to design and run cancer-related clinical trials and other human subjects studies in real-world community settings, while also ensuring that research addresses prevention, screening, symptom management, survivorship, and how cancer care is delivered. Unlike grants where the awardee operates largely independently, this cooperative agreement structure reflects substantial NCI programmatic involvement, meaning awardees are expected to work closely with NCI to plan, conduct, and oversee the research portfolio.
NCORP as a whole is built to bring high-quality cancer research beyond large academic medical centers and into the places where many patients actually receive care. Within that system, Research Bases function as the scientific and operational hubs. They are responsible for designing and conducting cancer clinical trials and care delivery research studies, coordinating study implementation across participating community sites, and handling core research operations such as data management, statistical analysis, and reporting results. A key element of this announcement is that Research Bases are expected to support studies across the cancer continuum, including cancer prevention, cancer control, screening, and care delivery research, as well as quality-of-life components that may be embedded within treatment trials. In practical terms, this means the funded groups are not only expected to propose and run trials, but also to build the infrastructure and expertise needed to manage multi-site studies and produce analyzable, publishable outcomes.
A major emphasis of NCORP is equitable participation and relevance of research for populations that have historically been underrepresented in clinical studies or that face unique barriers to care. The announcement highlights the expectation that Research Bases incorporate the specific research needs of diverse communities into study design and execution, including adolescents and young adults (AYAs), older adults, racial and ethnic minority groups, sexual and gender minority populations, and rural residents. Beyond simply acknowledging these groups, the program expects intentional efforts to enhance their participation, which typically implies thoughtful eligibility criteria, recruitment strategies, culturally and linguistically appropriate engagement, and site support that makes enrollment feasible for community clinics and their patients.
This FOA also positions NCORP as a bridge to the National Clinical Trials Network (NCTN). One of the program goals is to enhance patient and provider access to treatment and imaging trials run through NCTN by leveraging NCORP's community footprint. Research Bases therefore operate in an ecosystem where they may support or align with NCTN studies and help ensure that patients treated in community settings can access advanced treatment and imaging trials without needing to travel to distant academic centers. At the same time, NCORP explicitly integrates cancer disparities research into the community network, so Research Bases are expected to embed disparity-relevant questions and methods into their trial portfolios and study operations, rather than treating disparities as a separate or optional topic.
Structurally, NCORP is described as having three components, each covered by a separate funding opportunity announcement: NCORP Research Bases (this FOA), NCORP Community Sites, and NCORP Minority/Underserved Community Sites. Research Bases differ from community sites in that they lead the research agenda, develop protocols, coordinate the research network functions tied to those protocols, and serve as the analytic and reporting engine. Community sites, in contrast, are generally the locations where patients are enrolled and study procedures occur. Minority/Underserved Community Sites are similarly focused on enrollment and implementation but with an emphasis on serving populations that are minority or otherwise underserved. The interplay among these components is core to NCORP's model: Research Bases supply study leadership and infrastructure, while sites supply broad access, diversity, and real-world care settings.
From an administrative perspective, the opportunity is offered by the Department of Health and Human Services through the National Institutes of Health, specifically NCI. It is categorized as discretionary funding and uses the cooperative agreement mechanism. Eligible applicants are broad and include various levels of government (state, county, city/township, special districts), public and private institutions of higher education, federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, a range of nonprofit organizations (including both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) entities), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), small businesses, and other entities as described in the full eligibility text. The FOA indicates an expected number of awards of seven. An explicit award ceiling is not specified in the provided summary (listed as 0), which typically means applicants need to consult the full FOA for budget expectations, allowable costs, and any limits or guidance that may be stated elsewhere.
In short, this opportunity funds a small number of organizations to serve as NCORP Research Bases that design, coordinate, and analyze community-based cancer clinical trials and care delivery research, with strong expectations around inclusivity, relevance to diverse and underserved populations, connection to national treatment and imaging trials, and robust data management and reporting. The overall intent is to generate practical, generalizable evidence about cancer prevention and care in the settings where most patients receive treatment, while improving access to trials and embedding cancer disparities research directly into the community research infrastructure.Apply for RFA CA 18 015
- The Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NCI Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP) Research Bases (UG1 Clinical Trial Required)" 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, 93.399.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 13, 2018.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 31, 2018. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 7 candidate(s).
- 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 (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is the NCORP Research Bases funding opportunity (RFA-CA-18-015)?
This opportunity is a National Cancer Institute (NCI) cooperative agreement (UG1) that funds organizations to serve as "Research Bases" within the NCI Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP). Research Bases function as the scientific and operational hubs of a national, community-focused cancer research network.
2) Which agency is offering this funding opportunity?
The opportunity is offered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through the National Institutes of Health (NIH), specifically the National Cancer Institute (NCI).
3) What type of award mechanism is used?
The award uses a cooperative agreement mechanism (UG1). The FOA also notes that a clinical trial is required.
4) What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement?
In a cooperative agreement, the NCI has substantial programmatic involvement. Awardees are expected to work closely with NCI to plan, conduct, and oversee the research portfolio rather than operating entirely independently.
5) What is the central purpose of funding NCORP Research Bases?
The central purpose is to expand and strengthen the ability to design and run cancer-related clinical trials and other human subjects studies in real-world community settings, and to ensure research addresses key topics across the cancer continuum (prevention, screening, symptom management, survivorship, and cancer care delivery).
6) What is NCORP, in practical terms?
NCORP is a national cancer research network designed to bring high-quality cancer research beyond large academic medical centers and into community settings where many patients receive care. It emphasizes research that is feasible and relevant in real-world practice environments.
7) What is a "Research Base" within NCORP?
A Research Base is the scientific and operational hub responsible for leading research within NCORP. Research Bases design and conduct studies, coordinate study implementation across multiple community sites, and provide core operational capabilities such as data management, statistical analysis, and reporting results.
8) How are NCORP Research Bases different from NCORP Community Sites?
Research Bases lead the research agenda, develop protocols, coordinate network functions tied to those protocols, and serve as the analytic and reporting engine. Community Sites are generally where patients are enrolled and study procedures occur.
9) How are NCORP Research Bases different from Minority/Underserved Community Sites?
Minority/Underserved Community Sites focus on enrollment and implementation in settings that serve minority or otherwise underserved populations. Research Bases still provide study leadership, coordination, infrastructure, and analytics; sites provide access to patients and real-world clinical settings.
10) What kinds of research are Research Bases expected to support?
Research Bases are expected to support studies across the cancer continuum, including cancer prevention, cancer control, screening, and care delivery research. They may also support quality-of-life components that can be embedded within treatment trials.
11) Are clinical trials required under this FOA?
Yes. The opportunity is identified as a UG1 cooperative agreement with "clinical trial required."
12) Does this funding only support treatment trials?
No. The description emphasizes a broad portfolio that can include prevention, screening, symptom management, survivorship, and cancer care delivery research, in addition to treatment-related research and quality-of-life components.
13) What operational responsibilities do Research Bases typically carry?
Research Bases are expected to coordinate multi-site study implementation and handle core research operations such as data management, statistical analysis, and reporting results, with the goal of producing analyzable and publishable outcomes.
14) Why is the community setting emphasized in this program?
The program is designed to generate practical, generalizable evidence in the settings where many patients receive care, rather than limiting research to large academic centers.
15) How does NCORP address equitable participation in research?
The FOA emphasizes intentional efforts to ensure research is relevant to and inclusive of populations that have historically been underrepresented in clinical studies or face barriers to care. This includes designing and executing studies with the needs of diverse communities in mind and enhancing participation.
16) Which populations are specifically highlighted as priorities for inclusion?
The announcement highlights adolescents and young adults (AYAs), older adults, racial and ethnic minority groups, sexual and gender minority populations, and rural residents.
17) What kinds of approaches are implied for improving participation of underserved or underrepresented groups?
While the summary does not prescribe a fixed set of methods, it indicates expectations around intentional efforts such as thoughtful eligibility criteria, recruitment strategies, culturally and linguistically appropriate engagement, and site support that makes enrollment feasible for community clinics and their patients.
18) How does this program relate to cancer disparities research?
NCORP explicitly integrates cancer disparities research into the community network. Research Bases are expected to embed disparity-relevant questions and methods into their trial portfolios and study operations rather than treating disparities as a separate or optional topic.
19) What is the relationship between NCORP and the National Clinical Trials Network (NCTN)?
NCORP is positioned as a bridge to NCTN. One goal is to enhance patient and provider access to NCTN treatment and imaging trials by leveraging NCORP's community footprint, helping patients access advanced trials without needing to travel to distant academic centers.
20) What role might a Research Base play with respect to NCTN studies?
Research Bases operate in an ecosystem where they may support or align with NCTN studies and help ensure that community-based patients can access treatment and imaging trials through the broader national clinical trials infrastructure.
21) How many awards are expected under this funding opportunity?
The FOA indicates an expected number of awards of seven.
22) Is there an award ceiling or maximum budget listed in the provided summary?
No explicit award ceiling is specified in the provided summary (it is listed as 0). This typically means applicants need to consult the full FOA for budget expectations, allowable costs, and any limits or guidance that may be stated elsewhere.
23) What is the funding category for this opportunity?
The opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding.
24) Who is eligible to apply based on the information provided?
Eligibility is described as broad and includes various levels of government (state, county, city/township, and special districts), public and private institutions of higher education, federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, nonprofit organizations (including both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) entities), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), small businesses, and other entities as described in the full eligibility text.
25) What is the main value a funded Research Base is expected to deliver?
A funded Research Base is expected to deliver leadership and infrastructure for designing, coordinating, and analyzing community-based clinical trials and human subjects studies, producing results that are practical, generalizable, and publishable, while improving access to trials and embedding disparities-focused research directly into community research operations.
26) How do Research Bases and community sites work together in NCORP?
The model is collaborative: Research Bases provide study leadership, protocol development, coordination, and analytics, while community sites provide broad access to patients, diversity of participants, and real-world care environments where studies are implemented.
27) What outcomes is this program ultimately trying to achieve?
The overall intent is to strengthen community-based cancer research capacity, improve access to trials, ensure relevance to diverse and underserved populations, and generate evidence about prevention and cancer care delivery in settings where most patients are treated.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Education, Health
Next opportunity: Bloede Dam; Monitoring and Assessment of the Dam Removal; Hurricane Sandy
Previous opportunity: Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 Cooperating Technical Partners (CTP) Program - Region 8
Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for RFA CA 18 015
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (RFA CA 18 015) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Approaches to Identify and Care for Individuals with Inherited Cancer Syndromes (U01 Clinical Trial Required) Apply for RFA CA 19 017 Funding Number: RFA CA 19 017 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| HIV/AIDS High Priority Drug Abuse Research (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for PAS 18 915 Funding Number: PAS 18 915 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Fusion Oncoproteins in Childhood Cancers (FusOnC2) Consortium (U54 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA CA 19 016 Funding Number: RFA CA 19 016 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $1,600,000 |
| Administrative Supplements to Cancer Center Support Grants to Strengthen the Research, Training, and Outreach Capacity of the Geographic Management of Cancer Health Disparities Program (Admin Suppl - Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PA 18 934 Funding Number: PA 18 934 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| The National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network (UG1 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA DA 19 008 Funding Number: RFA DA 19 008 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| NLM Grants for Scholarly Works in Biomedicine and Health (G13 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PAR 19 032 Funding Number: PAR 19 032 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $50,000 |
| Administrative Supplements to Cancer Center Support Grants to Strengthen NCI-Supported Community Outreach Capacity through Community Health Educators of the National Outreach Network (Admin Suppl Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PA 19 035 Funding Number: PA 19 035 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $125,000 |
| Immuno-Oncology Translation Network (IOTN): Immuno-engineering to Improve Immunotherapy (i3) Centers (U54 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA CA 19 013 Funding Number: RFA CA 19 013 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $900,000 |
| HEAL Initiative: Justice Community Opioid Innovation Network (JCOIN) Coordination and Translation Center (U2C Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA DA 19 024 Funding Number: RFA DA 19 024 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $2,500,000 |
| HEAL Initiative: Justice Community Opioid Innovation Network (JCOIN) Methodology and Advanced Analytics Resource Center (U2C Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA DA 19 023 Funding Number: RFA DA 19 023 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $2,500,000 |
| NCI Pathway to Independence Award for Outstanding Early Stage Postdoctoral Researchers (K99/R00 - Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA CA 19 029 Funding Number: RFA CA 19 029 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| NCI Pathway to Independence Award for Outstanding Early Stage Postdoctoral Researchers (K99/R00 - Independent Clinical Trial Required) Apply for RFA CA 19 030 Funding Number: RFA CA 19 030 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Advanced Development and Validation of Emerging Biospecimen Science Technologies for Basic and Clinical Cancer Research (R33 Clinical Trials Not Allowed) Apply for RFA CA 19 022 Funding Number: RFA CA 19 022 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| Innovative Biospecimen Science Technologies for Basic and Clinical Cancer Research (R21 Clinical Trials Not Allowed) Apply for RFA CA 19 021 Funding Number: RFA CA 19 021 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Advanced Development and Validation of Emerging Molecular and Cellular Analysis Technologies for Basic and Clinical Cancer Research (R33 Clinical Trials Not Allowed) Apply for RFA CA 19 020 Funding Number: RFA CA 19 020 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| Innovative Molecular and Cellular Analysis Technologies for Basic and Clinical Cancer Research (R21 Clinical Trials Not Allowed) Apply for RFA CA 19 019 Funding Number: RFA CA 19 019 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Revisions for Incorporation of Novel NCI-Supported Technology to Accelerate Cancer Research (P50 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA CA 19 027 Funding Number: RFA CA 19 027 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $150,000 |
| Revisions for Incorporation of Novel NCI-Supported Technology to Accelerate Cancer Research (U54 Clinical Trials Optional) Apply for RFA CA 19 025 Funding Number: RFA CA 19 025 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $150,000 |
| Revisions for Incorporation of Novel NCI-Supported Technology to Accelerate Cancer Research (P01 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA CA 19 026 Funding Number: RFA CA 19 026 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $150,000 |
| Revisions for Incorporation of Novel NCI-Supported Technology to Accelerate Cancer Research (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA CA 19 023 Funding Number: RFA CA 19 023 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $150,000 |
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Inside Our Applicants Portal
Access Applicants Portal
- Grants Repository - Access current and historic funding opportunities with ease. Thousands of funding opportunities are published every week. We can help you sort through the database and find the eligible ones to apply for.
- Applicant Video Guides - The grant application process can be challenging to follow. We can help you with intuitive video guides to speed up the process and eliminate errors in submissions.
- Grant Proposal Wizard - We have developed a network of private funding organizations and investors across the United States. We can reach out and submit your proposal to these contacts to maximize your chances of getting the funding you need.
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Learn More
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "RFA CA 18 015", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.