Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA CA 21 012

This NIH/National Cancer Institute (NCI) funding opportunity, RFA-CA-21-012, supports grant revisions to existing NCI-funded P50 Specialized Center awards, with clinical trials allowed but not required. The basic idea is that only centers that already hold an active NCI P50 can apply, and the proposed work must be submitted as a revision application to that parent P50 rather than as a brand-new, standalone project. The goal is to speed up cancer research progress inside these established centers by adding a new, NCI-supported technology that can meaningfully extend or strengthen one or more of the center's ongoing projects.

A key requirement is that the new technical approach or instrument being added must come from the NCI Innovative Molecular Analysis Technologies (IMAT) program. In practice, that means the revision should not simply be a routine expansion of the current scope; it should clearly describe how incorporating an IMAT-developed tool, platform, assay, computational method, or other advanced analytic capability will either expand the original research questions or accelerate progress toward the parent study's aims. The FOA is designed to encourage independent validation of emerging IMAT technologies in real-world cancer research settings, helping demonstrate robustness, usefulness, and broader readiness for adoption by the relevant research communities.

Another central theme of the announcement is interdisciplinary collaboration. Because IMAT technologies often sit at the intersection of engineering, molecular measurement, computation, and cancer biology, the FOA emphasizes using the P50 center structure to bring together different scientific skill sets to integrate and test these methods in high-impact cancer research workflows. The intended outcome is not only new scientific findings within the P50 projects, but also stronger evidence that the IMAT-supported technology is suitable, reliable, and scalable for broader use.

In terms of eligibility, the announcement lists a wide range of eligible applicant organization types that NIH commonly allows, including state and local governments, public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit and for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), and small businesses, as well as certain tribal entities and public housing authorities. It also highlights additional eligible categories such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and other community-based or regional organizations. However, the practical gating factor is that the applicant must be a currently funded NCI P50 specialized center seeking a revision to that active award.

The FOA also draws a clear line on foreign involvement. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization. At the same time, foreign components, as NIH defines them in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed, meaning a U.S. applicant can include certain foreign collaborations or activities as part of the project when they meet NIH rules and are well-justified.

Administratively, this is a discretionary grant opportunity from NIH in the Education and Health activity area, associated with CFDA number 93.394. The opportunity was created on 2020-11-24 and listed an original closing date of 2021-09-29. The announcement does not specify an award ceiling or expected number of awards in the provided source text, which typically means applicants would need to consult the full FOA and related NIH guidance for budget expectations, constraints, and programmatic priorities.

  • The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Revision Applications for Incorporation of Novel NCI-Supported Technology to Accelerate Cancer Research (P50 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
  • Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.394.
  • This funding opportunity was created on 2020-11-24.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-09-29. (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 RFA CA 21 012

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FAQs: NIH/NCI RFA-CA-21-012 (P50 Specialized Center Revision to Add IMAT Technology)

What is this funding opportunity (RFA-CA-21-012) intended to support?

This NIH National Cancer Institute (NCI) opportunity supports revision applications to existing NCI-funded P50 Specialized Center awards. The purpose is to speed cancer research progress within established centers by adding a new, NCI-supported technology that meaningfully extends or strengthens one or more ongoing P50 projects.

Is this for new standalone projects, or changes to an existing award?

This is specifically for a revision to an active, currently funded NCI P50 Specialized Center award. The work must be submitted as a revision application to the parent P50, not as a brand-new standalone project.

Who is eligible to apply?

The practical eligibility requirement is that the applicant must already hold an active NCI-funded P50 Specialized Center award and must be seeking a revision to that active award. The announcement also lists many organization types NIH commonly allows (for example, governments, universities, nonprofits, for-profits other than small businesses, and small businesses), but the key gating factor remains: an active NCI P50 Specialized Center award is required.

Do clinical trials have to be included?

Clinical trials are allowed but not required under this opportunity.

What kind of new work is expected in the revision?

The revision should add a new technical approach or instrument that can extend or strengthen one or more ongoing projects in the parent P50. It should not be a routine expansion of the current scope; it should clearly explain how the addition expands research questions or accelerates progress toward the parent study's aims.

What is the required source of the technology being added?

A key requirement is that the new technical approach or instrument must come from the NCI Innovative Molecular Analysis Technologies (IMAT) program. Examples described in the announcement include an IMAT-developed tool, platform, assay, computational method, or other advanced analytic capability.

Why does the FOA emphasize IMAT technologies specifically?

The FOA is designed to encourage independent validation of emerging IMAT technologies in real-world cancer research settings. The intent is to build evidence of robustness, usefulness, and readiness for broader adoption by the relevant research communities.

What does "independent validation" mean in the context of this FOA?

Based on the description provided, it means testing and evaluating IMAT-developed technologies within established cancer research workflows (such as those already operating within the P50 center). The goal is to demonstrate performance and practicality beyond the original technology development setting.

What role does interdisciplinary collaboration play in this opportunity?

Interdisciplinary collaboration is a central theme. Because IMAT technologies often sit at the intersection of engineering, molecular measurement, computation, and cancer biology, the FOA emphasizes using the P50 center structure to integrate and test these methods through teams with different scientific skill sets.

What outcomes is NCI trying to achieve through these revisions?

The intended outcomes include (1) accelerating or expanding scientific progress within one or more ongoing P50 projects and (2) generating stronger evidence that the IMAT-supported technology is suitable, reliable, and scalable for broader use.

Are foreign organizations eligible to apply as the applicant?

No. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization. Non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply as the applicant.

Can a U.S. applicant include foreign collaborations or activities?

Yes. Foreign components, as NIH defines them in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed. This means a U.S. applicant can include certain foreign collaborations or activities when they meet NIH rules and are well-justified.

What types of U.S. organizations are listed as eligible in the announcement?

The announcement lists a broad range of eligible applicant organization types, including state and local governments; public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofit and for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; certain tribal entities; and public housing authorities. It also highlights categories such as HBCUs, Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and other community-based or regional organizations. However, an active NCI P50 Specialized Center award is still the practical requirement to apply under this FOA.

Which NIH institute is sponsoring this opportunity?

The sponsoring institute is the NIH National Cancer Institute (NCI).

What is the activity area and grant type described?

It is described as a discretionary grant opportunity in the Education and Health activity area.

What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?

The opportunity is associated with CFDA 93.394.

When was this opportunity created, and what was the listed closing date?

The opportunity was created on 2020-11-24 and listed an original closing date of 2021-09-29.

Does the provided information state an award ceiling or the expected number of awards?

No. The provided source text does not specify an award ceiling or an expected number of awards. Applicants would typically need to consult the full FOA and related NIH guidance for budget expectations, constraints, and programmatic priorities.

How should applicants think about budget expectations based on the provided text?

The provided text does not include budget limits or award counts. In practice, that means budget expectations and constraints are not available from the excerpt alone and would require reviewing the full FOA and applicable NIH policies.

What makes a proposed revision a better fit than a routine scope expansion?

The revision is expected to clearly justify how incorporating an IMAT-developed technology will either expand the original research questions or accelerate progress toward the parent P50 aims, rather than simply adding more of the same activities already underway.

Can the technology be a computational method, or does it have to be a physical instrument?

The announcement indicates the technology can include a tool, platform, assay, computational method, or other advanced analytic capability, as long as it originates from the NCI IMAT program and is integrated in a way that strengthens or extends the parent P50 research.

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