Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center

The Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center (Massey) has a rolling call for pilot research applications for inter-institutional collaborations with between two institutions. This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) outlines the priorities and guidelines for 2025.

Purpose

• Provide pilot funding for new concepts in cancer-related research, including but not limited to: discovery, diagnosis, treatment, prevention and control, and survivorship.
• Address the most immediate cancer needs of Massey catchment areas including central and eastern Virginia including the cause or reversal of cancer disparities.
• Catalyze discoveries by fostering transdisciplinary and translational collaborations among researchers and clinicians.
• Produce preliminary data to serve as a foundation for future applications to the NCI, other NIH institutes, and/or other agencies or foundations that use a peer review process. 
• Develop and submit collaborative team science application within 2 years of receiving the award.

Eligibility

• Only applications submitted by Multiple Principal Investigators (MPIs) are eligible; each institution should be represented in the MPI leadership. For MPIs, at least one PI must be from each eligible institution and hold a full-time faculty appointment at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). 
• VCU based applicants are required to be an NCI Cancer Center Support Grant (CCSG)-eligible Research Member (please verify with Massey Administration before applying by contacting Alex Haynes, haynesa4@vcu.edu).
• Effort between MPIs from different institutions must be comparable, and both MPIs must contribute to the overall project in similar magnitude. 
• An individual may submit only one application as PI or MPI per year. An individual is allowed to be a co- investigator, consultant, or mentor on multiple submissions. A faculty member currently funded in the role of PI or MPI by a Massey pilot research award is not eligible to submit an application to this opportunity unless their current award will end by the scheduled start date.

Award Information

• The Research Development Inter-Institutional Collaboration Pilot Awards represents a partnership commitment between Massey and the other applicant organization which will provide a dollar-for-dollar match up to $75,000 per project.
• This mechanism aims to support collaborative projects between faculty investigators at Massey and partner institution who are engaged in cancer research. Applications must include Multiple Principal Investigators (MPIs), with both MPIs being comparable in scope and contributing equally to the overall project.
• Total awards are dependent upon available funding. The number of awards and the award amount may increase or decrease each year dependent upon the budget and philanthropic funding available in any given year.
• The number of awards and the award amount may increase or decrease each year dependent upon the scientific merit of the projects submitted for review and the priorities established for this NOFO.
• Projects are expected to be completed within the specific total project period not to exceed 2 years.  
• Budget requests may not exceed direct costs of $75,000 per institution or $150,000 combined. Funding is allocated by institution (Massey and the partner institution) and must be utilized to support the awarding organization’s related costs as outlined on the budget.
• Projects that do not adhere to these guidelines will be disqualified from administrative and scientific review.
• Sub-contracts to institutions not affiliated with Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center

2025 Priorities

The primary focus of this funding opportunity is to select cancer-related research proposals that exemplify collaborative, team scientific methodologies.

• Projects that genuinely demonstrate transdisciplinary, interdisciplinary, or translational approaches to addressing cancer-related research question(s). 
• Projects that utilize Massey-supported shared resources, especially those applicants who have collaborated with one or more Massey-supported shared resource directors to optimize the full capabilities or innovative capabilities of a shared resource.

This Notice of Funding Opportunity Announcement (NOFO) is to support multi-project pilots designed develop preliminary data for larger NCI multi-project (P01/P50/U54 etc.) type submissions. PI(s) are required to submit a Statement of Intent (rolling call) which will be reviewed by Massey’s Executive Committee and select applicants will be invited to submit a full application within eight weeks.

Purpose

• This mechanism is meant to encourage the development of team-based initiatives by providing support for linked Multi-Project applications (e.g., P50, P01, U54).
• For Multi-Project applications: At the time of submission, well-established scientific teams and projects are expected, with an anticipated NCI/NIH submission timeline within 12-24 months of receipt of Massey pilot funds. An Internal Advisory Board (IAB) must already be established and have met at least once prior to Statement of Intent submission. A Letter of Support is required from the IAB Chair summarizing feedback from their latest meeting.
• Total project period may not exceed 2 years.
• Combined budget for direct costs for the total project period may not exceed $200,000 and can be split across multiple components (research projects, cores, etc).
• In addition to scientific progress, it is expected that there will be significant progress in the administration and organization of the planned extramural grant application throughout the duration of this award. The release of year 2 funds will be contingent on the following steps being accomplished during year 1 of funding:

1. Pre-application consultation meeting with the NCI/NIH.
2. Convening of an External Advisory Board and submission of their report.
3. Engagement with the Office of Community Outreach and Engagement to incorporate Massey Community        Champions into the project development.
4. Presentation on progress with Massey’s Senior Leadership Committee.

Eligibility

• Only applications submitted by wells established multiple principal investigator teams are eligible. The contact PI of the pilot must be a NCI Cancer Center Support Grant (CCSG)-eligible Research Member (please verify with Massey Administration before applying by contacting Alex Haynes, haynesa4@vcu.edu).
• Effort between MPIs from must be comparable and well defined in multiple projects and all MPIs must contribute to the overall project in similar magnitude. 
• An individual may submit only one application as PI or MPI per year. An individual is allowed to be a co- investigator, consultant, or mentor on multiple submissions. A faculty member currently funded in the role of PI or MPI by a Massey pilot research award is not eligible to submit an application to this opportunity unless their current award will end by the scheduled start date.

Award Information

• The Massey Team Science Awards budget requests may not exceed $200,000 and two years of funding
• Applications must include Multiple Principal Investigators Teams.
• Total awards are dependent upon available funding. The number of awards and the award amount may increase or decrease each year dependent upon the budget and philanthropic funding available in any given year.
• Projects are expected to be completed within the specific total project period not to exceed 2 years.  
• Projects that do not adhere to these guidelines will be disqualified from administrative and scientific review.

The Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center (Massey) and the American Cancer Society (ACS-IRG) would like to announce the ACS Institutional Research Grant (ACS-IRG) for early-stage investigators (ESI) at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and Virginia State University (VSU) to conduct cancer-related research projects.

Investigator Eligibility

• Only early-stage faculty members are eligible for an ACS-IRG pilot award. Early-stage Investigators are faculty within six years of their first independent faculty appointment or equivalent (e.g., Assistant Professor, Research Assistant Professor). An individual who is currently an Instructor/Postdoctoral Trainee, but will be appointed as an Assistant Professor by the award date is also eligible (a letter from the Department Chair is required).
• The applicant does not have to be a tenure track faculty member.
• The applicant must be an independent investigator.
• Investigators who have already received a peer-reviewed national research grant are not eligible to apply ($250,000+/year). NIH and other types of Career Development awards do not count as peer-reviewed national research grants for this purpose.
• Citizens, non-citizen nationals, and permanent residents of the United States and its possessions or territories are eligible. Recipients are not required to be US citizens; however, they must hold a visa that will allow them to remain in the US long enough to complete the ACS-IRG pilot project.
• Investigators who have previously been funded through the ACS-IRG and who have not obtained national funding for their research may request an additional year of ACS-IRG funding. In order to obtain the second-year funding, the research must be performed on the same project. New specific aims can be proposed, but it must be a continuation of the original project with the same title. The ACS-IRG review committee will require and review a progress report when considering the application for continued funding.
• Each applicant is required to consult with a biostatistician as part of the proposal to assist with design and statistical methods if applicable. Please contact Dr. Nolan Wages (wagesn@vcu.edu), director of the Massey Biostatistics Shared Resource, as soon as possible or visit the Biostatistics Shared Resource.
• The Office of Community Outreach and Engagement is readily available to assist research investigators who would like to engage a community champion in the development of their proposal. Community engagement is increasingly being required by external funding agencies and is highly recommended. Please contact Dr. Maria Thomson (cancerchamps@vcu.edu) to set an appointment for your consultation.

Research Project Criteria

• The ACS-IRG funds innovative cancer research projects that have the potential for future peer-reviewed funding.
• Research projects currently funded through a national research grant will not be accepted.
• A letter must be provided from a mentor who will provide guidance for the proposed research.

Funding Limits

• An applicant PI can request up to $50,000 for their project.
• Sub-contracts to institutions not affiliated with Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center

Award Period

• The proposed award period for the ACS-IRG grant will be one year. If awardee receives external funding, ACS-IRG funding must be relinquished by external funding award date.

Submission Guidelines

• Funding Opportunity Announcement Release Date (October 15, 2025).
• Applicants should submit a non-binding letter of intent (LOI) by (December 1, 2025). This will assist the administration in preparing for reviewer assignments. Please use the LOI form provided via the submittable platform.
• All completed applications will be due on January 15, 2025.
• All applications must include the items below, in order as listed.
• All applications must be submitted using the Submittable platform.
• The application PDF uploads should be formatted in 11 pt. Arial font (main text); 9pt. Arial font (figures, legends and tables).

1. ACS-IRG Cover Page and Required Forms

2. Biosketches—Use NIH Biosketch. Include any present or recently completed research support. Include biosketches of collaborators and mentors. Guidelines can be found on the NIH website (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/forms/biosketch.htm) - uploaded as a PDF to Submittable

3. Research Strategy

• Specific Aims—Limit 1 Page - uploaded as a PDF to Submittable
• Research Strategy—Limit 6 Pages uploaded as a PDF to Submittable

 i. Significance

• Identify the importance of the problem or critical barrier to progress in the field that the proposed project addresses.
• Describe whether the prior research that served as the key support for the proposed project is rigorous?
• Identify how the proposed project will improve scientific knowledge, technical capability, and/or clinical practice in one or more broad fields.
• Identify how the concepts, methods, technologies, treatments, services, or preventative interventions that drive this field will be changed if the proposed aims are achieved.

 ii. Innovation

• Describe how the application challenges and seeks to shift current research or clinical practice paradigms.
• Describe any novel theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation or interventions to be developed or used, and any advantage over existing methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions.
• Describe any refinements, improvements, or new applications of theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions.

 iii. Approach

• Describe the overall strategy, methodology, and analyses to be used to accomplish the specific aims of the project. Include how the data will be collected, analyzed, and interpreted.
• Describe and address the potential problems.
• Describe any strategy to establish feasibility, and address the management of any high-risk aspects of the proposed work if the project is in the early stages of development.
• Address any procedures, situations, or materials that may be hazardous to other research associates and identify the precautions to be taken.
• Describe the preliminary studies, data, and or experience pertinent to this application.
• Identify the potential problems, alternative strategies, and benchmarks for success anticipated to achieve the aims. Include a description of future directions for your research, as well as a project timeline.

 iv. Environment

• Describe how the scientific environment in which the project will be completed will contribute to the probability of success.
• Describe how the project benefits from unique features of the scientific environment and/or subject populations?

4. Literature Citations

5. Budget and Budget Justification—The applicant should use the budget table provided. Please include a separate budget justification PDF document with written justification for each category of expenses. (See Allowable and Non-allowable expenditures below). Budget Justifications can be uploaded as a PDF to Submittable.

6. Mentor Letter—Please provide a letter of support from the mentor outlining their qualifications and prior mentor experience. Mentors should outline a plan that describes the nature of the supervision and mentoring that will occur during the proposed project period. Mentor letters can be uploaded as a PDF to Submittable.

7. Progress Report—For those applicants who are submitting for a second year of funding, include a progress report from year one. Progress Reports can be uploaded as a PDF to Submittable.

8. Resubmissions—There is no limit in the number of times that a grant may be resubmitted as long as the PI remains eligible. All investigators who resubmit a previous application must include a description of revisions made based on the feedback received (maximum 1 page). Resubmission feedback can be uploaded as a PDF to Submittable.

The Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center (Massey) has a call for pilot research funding for Massey investigators who apply to the NCI and receive a promising score but miss funding pay line; mechanism is key strategy to continuing to grow the cancer focus within the VCU community of scientists. The requirements are outlined in this NOFO.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

Purpose

• Provide pilot funding for new concepts in cancer-related research, including but not limited to: discovery, diagnosis, treatment, prevention and control, and survivorship.
• Address the most immediate cancer needs of Massey’s catchment area (central and eastern Virginia) including the cause or reversal of cancer disparities.
• Catalyze discoveries by fostering transdisciplinary and translational collaborations among researchers and clinicians.
• Produce preliminary data to provide a basis for future applications to the NCI, other NIH institutes, or other peer-reviewing agencies or foundations. 

Investigator Eligibility

This award is for Massey Research Members who apply to the NCI which receives a promising score but not recommended for funding. These applications have a high probability for funding in an A1 submission.  Criteria for funding includes:

• NCI R01 Renewal (Type 2) Applications with a percentile of 25 and lower will be considered for funding up to $50,000 based on the strength of the plan to address the critiques.
• NCI R01 New applications (Type I) Applications with a percentile of 25 and lower or a score of 30 or lower for special study sections will be considered for funding up to $50,000 based on the strength of the plan to address the critiques..

Award Information

• Total awards are dependent upon available funding. The number of awards and the award  amount may increase or decrease each year dependent upon the Massey budget and philanthropic funding available in any given year.
• The number of awards and the award amount may  increase or decrease each year dependent upon scientific merit of the projects submitted for review and the priorities established for any released NOFO.
• Projects are expected to be completed within the specific budget period.  No cost extensions will only be granted in highly exceptional circumstances. Projects will be monitored quarterly for scientific progress and expenditures, and the PI will be expected to account for any inactivity in any given quarter.
• Projects must have compliance approvals (e.g., IRB, IACUC) in place within 90 days of receipt of the Notice of Award or funding may be rescinded.  The official start date of the award and the release of funding will begin once the compliance approvals have been submitted. 

Funding Limits

• Applicant(s) can request up to $50,000 for their project, but may be asked to amend their budget if the budget requested is not fully justified.

Award Period

• The award period for the Massey Catalyst Award is 12 months.

Review Process

• The Massey Scientific Steering Committee (SSC) will review the application materials and determine whether the project will be funded through the Catalyst Award. The application process ensures the applicant has provided all of the necessary application materials, is eligible and in good standing within Massey and the project truly aligns with Massey's goals and priorities.
• The SSC will provide a recommendation to the Massey Director who is responsible for the final decision.
• The SSC will monitor the project’s progress and review the annual progress reports. Awardees may be asked to present the progress and/or outcomes of their pilot projects in Massey program meetings/retreats, center retreats, or at an Massey Scientific Steering Committee meeting.