RFA: Cancer Health Equity Research Centers

Community engagement is vital for successful implementation and should be central to the development of the CHERC. The description of the CHERC should clearly present the center’s overall scientific agenda, magnitude of the health inequity(ies) being addressed, thematic connections across presented research, and how the CHERC achieves more as a unit, than as independently conducted projects.

There are many examples of health inequities affecting the population in the United States. ACS has identified the following priority areas (additional topics may be considered with appropriate justification by the applicant):

• Rural Communities/Access to Health
• Early Onset Cancers
• Racial/Ethnic Disparities - American Indian/Alaskan Native, Black, Asian, Hispanic, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
• Immigrant Populations
• Sexual/Gender Minorities
• Age-specific Needs (pediatrics, adolescents/young adults, older adults)
• Environmental Justice (radon, climate change)
• Physical and Mental Disabilities

This RFA is a call for solution-based research addressing cancer health disparities that will enable fair and just opportunities to prevent, detect, and survive cancer for everyone. Due to the complexities associated with the social and structural drivers of health that are responsible for cancer inequalities, we encourage multilevel models and research that address these interrelated factors. Applicants should demonstrate their ability to reach populations of interest and describe how the proposed methodologies will produce meaningful results.

In support of its overall mission, the CHERC should establish a Supportive Core that is managed and coordinated by the Principal Investigator (PI). The Supportive Core should include operational and scientific activities designed to develop, promote, and enhance the scientific agenda of the CHERC, creating an optimal environment to address health equity research. Acceptable activities may include developing commonly used methods and tools, sharing resources, collaborations, facilitating relevant mentoring and training, pilot projects, community engagement, and disseminating research findings. Proposed evaluation metrics to monitor the progress and successes of the Core should be included in the application. 

Eligibility

All applicants must be independent researchers at eligible US academic institutions or nonprofits. Applicants from underrepresented groups and Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) are encouraged to apply. Previous CHERC awardees are permitted to submit applications for competitive renewals. Awardees are limited to one renewal.

The Center’s PI must have a strong track record of addressing cancer health equity as evidenced by extramural cancer research funding, mentoring junior investigators, publications in peer-reviewed journals, and administrative/leadership experience.

Project Budget and Subaward Mechanism(s)

These awards support a total budget of $4.07M ($3.7M direct costs plus 10% indirect costs) for a 4-year project period that includes research subawards and CHERC Supportive Core activities. The PI may propose any combination of subawards and Core costs as long as they do not exceed specified budget limits. There is no designated budget cap for the CHERC Supportive Core, but all activities must be included in the budget justification.

Research subawards include the following ACS research grant mechanisms:

Clinician Scientist Development Grants (CSDGs) provide support for protected time to allow faculty who are involved with patient care to develop as independent clinician scientists through mentoring and research training. Applicants cannot have an independent research program or R-level funding at the time of application. CSDG applicants can propose 3- or 4-year projects, at $135,000 direct costs per year. If this subaward is at a secondary institution, 8% indirect costs per year may be claimed by the secondary institution.

Research Scholar Grants (RSGs) provide support to independent, self-directed researchers for 4 years at $215,000 per year direct costs. To be eligible, subaward PIs must have a full-time faculty position and a doctoral degree. If this subaward is at a secondary institution, 10% indirect costs may be claimed by the secondary institution. For this RFA, faculty may have any rank. The research must be multi-level and involve 2 or more social determinants of health.

Note: As of 2025, individual postdoctoral fellowships are no longer included as part of this award, but postdocs are encouraged to apply through our standard PF mechanism. 

Postdoctoral fellows may be included in the Center or the subaward budgets as personnel.

Letter-of-Intent Process 

A letter-of-intent (LOI) process will be used for selecting investigators to submit a full application. LOIs are only required for new submissions.

Applicants and the research team are strongly encouraged to discuss their application with the ACS program office prior to submitting an LOI.

See CHERC LOI Instructions

Expectations for Full Applications

If the LOI is approved, the PI will be given access to the application materials. Required application components for the CHERC and the subawards can be found in the CHERC Instructions document. CHERC Policies and Instructions will be posted March 2025.

Application Review

An independent and competitive peer review of all grant applications will be conducted. Reviewers will evaluate proposals based on the relevance to cancer equity, scientific rigor, investigator team and environment, innovation, and the potential impact on the local community.

Questions: Interested applicants are encouraged to contact Dr. Joanne Elena at joanne.elena@cancer.org.