Cancer Control Research in Persistent Poverty Areas (U54 Clinical Trial Optional) | RFA CA 22 015

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA CA 22 015

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity titled "Cancer Control Research in Persistent Poverty Areas (U54 Clinical Trial Optional)" (RFA-CA-22-015; CFDA 93.393) is a discretionary cooperative agreement designed to strengthen cancer prevention and control research capacity in U.S. communities experiencing persistent poverty. The central idea is to invest in sustained, place-based research programs that are built and carried out by transdisciplinary teams working hand-in-hand with local communities and clinical partners. Rather than supporting a single isolated project, the U54 structure is meant to help applicants develop a coordinated research program that can grow over time, address real-world barriers to cancer prevention and care, and produce findings that are practical for implementation in the settings where poverty-related disparities are most entrenched. The "clinical trial optional" designation means applicants may propose studies that include clinical trials if appropriate, but clinical trials are not required.

The purpose of the FOA is twofold. First, it provides resources to cover the time and effort needed for cross-sector teams to collaboratively build a cancer prevention and control research program that specifically focuses on populations living in persistent poverty areas. This emphasizes collaboration with both communities and clinics, signaling that NIH expects meaningful partnership with people and institutions on the ground, not just academic-led research conducted at a distance. Second, it explicitly prioritizes training and career development for junior investigators, with the goal of creating a pipeline of researchers who are equipped to do high-quality, community-engaged cancer control work in underserved, low-resource contexts. In practice, this implies that competitive proposals will likely show not only what research will be done, but also how new investigators will be mentored, supported, and positioned to continue this work long after the award period ends.

The long-term goal is capacity building: strengthening the ability of persistent poverty areas to generate, test, and implement cancer prevention and control strategies that reduce inequities. The FOA is grounded in the recognition that persistent poverty is associated with structural barriers that can worsen cancer outcomes, such as limited access to screening and timely treatment, fewer preventive services, transportation challenges, under-resourced clinics, and broader social determinants that influence risk and survivorship. NIH is therefore aiming to foster research that leads to implementable programs and practices in communities, with an emphasis on reducing the cancer burden while also helping alleviate the effects of persistent poverty through better-designed interventions, partnerships, and service delivery approaches.

As a cooperative agreement, the U54 mechanism typically involves substantial scientific or programmatic involvement from NIH staff compared with a standard grant. While applicants still lead the work, the cooperative agreement format generally signals an expectation of ongoing coordination, shared problem-solving, and alignment with program goals. This often fits initiatives that are trying to build networks, create shared infrastructure, or accelerate implementation of evidence-based approaches across multiple local partners.

Eligibility is broad and includes many domestic entity types: state, county, city/township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; Native American tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (outside higher education); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other organizations. The FOA also calls out additional eligible applicants such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, Indian/Native American Tribal Governments other than federally recognized, and U.S. territories or possessions. At the same time, the opportunity is strictly domestic in its funding reach: non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations and foreign institutions) are not eligible to apply; non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible; and foreign components as defined by NIH policy are not allowed.

The opportunity was created on March 8, 2022, and the original closing date listed is July 6, 2022. Award ceiling and expected number of awards are not specified in the provided source data, which typically means applicants would need to consult the full FOA text for budget limits, project period length, and any caps on direct costs. Overall, this FOA is best understood as an NIH effort to seed durable, community-centered cancer control research and training ecosystems in places where persistent poverty contributes to preventable cancer disparities, with a strong emphasis on partnerships, implementation relevance, and developing the next generation of investigators committed to this work.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Cancer Control Research in Persistent Poverty Areas (U54 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.393.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2022-03-08.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-07-06. (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 22 015

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