Cancer Control Research in Persistent Poverty Areas (U54 Clinical Trial Optional)

Scientific/research contact:
Shobha Srinivasan, PhD
240.276.6938
ss688k@nih.gov

Peer review contact:
Referral Officer, National Cancer Institute
240.276.6390
ncirefof@dea.nci.nih.gov

Financial and grants management contact:
Crystal Wolfrey
240.276.6277
wolfreyc@mail.nih.gov

The National Cancer Institute provides funding for the development of U54 Specialized Research Centers that consist of transdisciplinary, collaborative teams of institutions, clinics, communities, and tribes. Centers will provide support to early career investigators and develop a cancer prevention and control research program that focuses on, and serves, populations living in persistent poverty areas. Preference will be given to applications that include rural persistent poverty census tracts within the scope of their research.

Applicants must propose at least two research projects, with at least one being an intervention project. Research projects should aim to:

• Build institutional, clinic, and community research capacity by identifying priorities and resources
• Develop strategic plans collaboratively
• Create goal-oriented research projects that include career enhancement and skill development, and expand the leadership base to be more diverse and inclusive
• Provide ongoing and sustainable support for institutional/clinic staff including support for collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data they collect
• Build trust with institutions, clinics, communities, and networks
• Create partnerships with community-affiliated clinics or hospitals; state offices of health; area health education centers; state health associations; primary care networks or associations; departments of health, education, or human services; and other community organizations
• Engage with clinic partners, community advisors, and other relevant stakeholders

Projects should focus on investigating the effects of poverty and its associated factors at the structural and institutional levels, including, but not limited to:

• Residential segregation
• Institutional/systemic racism based on race, ethnicity, and/or gender
• Interrelated factors inherent to the economy such as employment, income, and education inequality

Eligible applicants include

• Public, private, and state controlled institutions of higher education
• Nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status
• For-profit organizations and small businesses
• State, county, city, township, and special district governments
• Federal and state recognized tribal governments
• Eligible agencies of the federal government
• Eligible agencies of U.S. Territories and possessions

Award ceiling: $1,500,000 per year
Project period: 5 years
Estimated number of awards: 5
Estimated total program funding: $10,000,000

Links to the full announcement, application instructions, and the online application process are available through grants.gov.

While not required, potential applicants are encouraged to email a letter of intent to Shobha Srinivasan, PhD by June 6, 2022.