Funding Call for Community Oncology Research Program (US)

Deadline: 18-Sep-2026

The NCI Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP) Academic Community Sites funding opportunity supports academic-led consortia that connect academic centers with community health systems to:

Increase generalizability and dissemination of clinical-trial results.
Improve access to cancer clinical trials and human-subject research in community settings.
Engage diverse patients and at-risk populations in cancer control, prevention, treatment, and care-delivery studies.
Embed quality-of-life and cancer-control studies within treatment trials.

Funding and scale

Estimated total program funding: USD 73,000,000.
Number and size of awards: determined by NCI priorities and application quality (see Notice of Funding Opportunity for limits).
Eligible applicants: a broad set of entities including nonprofit organizations, public and private institutions, government bodies, tribal organizations, educational institutions, small and larger businesses, and others as specified in the FOA.

Semantic SEO terms

NCORP Academic Community Sites, NCI grants, community-based cancer research, clinical trials access, cancer control research, cancer prevention studies, care delivery research, community oncology, research consortium, quality of life studies, health equity in research, diverse clinical trial enrollment.

Key concepts explained

NCORP: A National Cancer Institute program that integrates community hospitals, oncology practices, and academic centers to conduct cancer clinical and population-based research outside traditional academic trial settings.
Academic Community Site: An NCORP component led by an academic institution that manages a network of affiliated community hospitals, oncology clinics, and healthcare facilities to run NCI-sponsored clinical trials and research studies.
Generalizability: Ensuring research findings apply to diverse patient populations by enrolling participants from varied community settings.
Community engagement: Strategies to involve patients, caregivers, and local stakeholders to boost recruitment, retention, and relevance of research.
Embedded studies: Cancer-control, quality-of-life, or care-delivery research conducted alongside standard treatment trials to gather broader outcomes.

Who should apply?

Academic medical centers or research institutions capable of leading a consortium.
Consortia that include community hospitals, oncology practices, public hospitals, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), tribal healthcare providers, VA or DoD facilities (if eligible), and other community-based sites.
Applicants must demonstrate infrastructure to coordinate multi-site studies, regulatory compliance, data management capacity, and community-engagement strategies.

Why this matters

Expands clinical-trial access to patients who receive care in community settings, reducing geographic and systemic barriers.
Improves equity and diversity in clinical research by including underrepresented populations.
Enhances real-world evidence and increases the external validity of cancer research.
Builds local research infrastructure and workforce capacity in community healthcare systems.

Priority research areas

Cancer prevention, screening, and control interventions.
Cancer treatment trials and supportive care research.
Care-delivery and implementation science studies that improve outcomes in real-world settings.
Quality-of-life, symptom-management, and survivorship research embedded within treatment trials.
Studies focused on historically underserved, rural, or minority populations.

Required capabilities and infrastructure

Institutional research infrastructure: IRB arrangements, clinical research offices, regulatory compliance systems.
Clinical trial operations: site initiation, patient recruitment and retention strategies, eligibility screening, data capture, and adverse-event reporting.
Data management: secure data systems, interoperability with NCI data standards, and staff trained in electronic data capture.
Biostatistics and evaluation capacity: rigorous study design, sample-size justification, and analytic plans.
Community-engagement frameworks: patient advisory boards, culturally competent recruitment, and outreach plans.
Credentialed investigators and trained clinical research staff across lead and affiliate sites.

How to apply — step-by-step

Read the FOA (Funding Opportunity Announcement): Download and review eligibility, required attachments, budget limits, submission dates, and review criteria.
Confirm eligibility: Verify applicant organization type and any specific exclusion or inclusion criteria in the FOA.
Build the consortium: Secure participation agreements (MOUs) with community hospitals, oncology practices, and healthcare partners.
Document infrastructure: Prepare evidence of IRB arrangements, clinical-trial operations, staffing, data systems, and prior research experience.
Develop research and operations plans:
- Scientific plan outlining research agenda and priority trials to support.
- Operations plan for site activation, training, monitoring, and quality assurance.
- Community engagement strategy and recruitment/retention methods.
Prepare required attachments:
- Letters of support/MOUs from affiliates.
- Organizational charts, biosketches, facilities descriptions.
- Data-management plans and HIPAA compliance documentation.
- Budget justification and staffing plan.
Complete application forms: Use grants.gov/NIH/assistance portals as specified in FOA.
Submit by deadline: Ensure all institutional certifications, registrations (SAM, eRA Commons), and signatures are current.
Respond to post-submission requests: Provide clarifications or supplemental materials if requested during peer review.
If awarded: Implement activities, participate in NCI reporting, and coordinate with NCORP Research Bases and Community Sites.

Evaluation criteria (typical)

Scientific and technical merit: relevance and quality of proposed research activities.
Organizational capacity: demonstrated leadership, infrastructure, and prior trial performance.
Community reach: ability to recruit diverse and representative patient populations.
Operations and management plan: feasibility, staffing, and quality-control processes.
Data quality and integrity: robust data-management and monitoring procedures.
Partnerships and sustainability: strength of consortium agreements and long-term viability.

Common application mistakes and tips

Mistake: Weak consortium documentation. Tip: Provide signed MOUs and clear letters of commitment that define roles, resources, and timelines.
Mistake: Insufficient recruitment plan for diverse populations. Tip: Include targeted outreach, community advisory boards, and metrics for enrollment of underrepresented groups.
Mistake: Poorly defined data systems. Tip: Describe data flow, security measures, and alignment with NCI standards.
Mistake: Underestimating operational costs. Tip: Budget realistically for staffing, training, monitoring, and site activation.
Mistake: Missing registrations or expired certifications. Tip: Confirm SAM, eRA Commons, and institutional approvals well before the deadline.
Tip: Highlight prior community-based research successes and measurable outcomes.
Tip: Show coordination plans with NCORP Research Bases and other NCORP components.

Post-award responsibilities

Compliance with NCI reporting requirements: progress reports, financial reports, and performance metrics.
Data sharing per NCI policies and federal regulations.
Participation in NCORP-wide governance, meetings, and training activities.
Quality assurance: allow site monitoring, audits, and adherence to trial protocols.
Dissemination: share results with community partners, patients, and broader scientific audiences.

FAQ — Frequently Asked Questions

Who can be the lead applicant for an Academic Community Site?
- Typically an academic medical center or research institution with demonstrated capacity to lead a multi-site community consortium. Check the FOA for any specific lead-organization rules.
Can tribal organizations or VA/DoD facilities participate?
- Yes—tribal organizations and certain government facilities are often eligible as affiliates or collaborators. Verify FOA eligibility rules for government entities.
How does NCORP differ from NCTN (National Clinical Trials Network)?
- NCORP focuses on community-based delivery of trials and community-focused studies (cancer control, care delivery, prevention), while NCTN emphasizes multi-site treatment trials often led by academic cooperative groups. NCORP also links community sites to NCI trials and Research Bases.
What evidence demonstrates “community reach”?
- Signed MOUs with community hospitals/clinics, historical accrual data, demographic reach tables, and community advisory board documentation.
Are there minimum accrual or performance expectations?
- Performance metrics and accrual expectations will be defined in award terms and NCORP performance agreements. Applicants should propose realistic accrual goals and demonstrate past performance.
Is patient engagement required?
- Yes. Robust patient and community engagement strategies are required to improve recruitment, retention, and relevance of research.
What data standards must applicants follow?
- Applicants must align with NCI data standards and federal privacy regulations (HIPAA). Data-management plans should describe secure data capture, transmission, and storage.

Examples of strong proposal elements (illustration)

An academic center partners with 12 community hospitals and 8 oncology practices, each with signed MOUs, a centralized data-coordinating center, and a community advisory board that co-designs recruitment materials.
A detailed recruitment plan targeting rural and minority populations, with mobile enrollment units and telehealth consent options.
Budget includes full-time regional research coordinators, training workshops for site staff, and a centralized quality-assurance nurse.

Conclusion

The NCI NCORP Academic Community Sites opportunity funds academic-led consortia that extend cancer clinical trials and research into community settings to increase equity, generalizability, and access. Competitive applicants combine strong institutional infrastructure, clear consortium agreements, robust community engagement, realistic accrual and data plans, and alignment with NCORP research priorities.

For more information, visit Grants.gov.