Institutional Research Grants (IRG)

About this funding opportunity

2X GIFT MATCH: Your gift will be doubled. Donate Now.

Back

Research We Fund: Extramural Discovery Science (EDS) Apply for a Research Grant

[x] - Grant Types

[x] - ACS Professor Award Arizona (AZ) Discovery Boost Grants (DBG) ASTRO-ACS Clinician Scientist Development Grant (CSDG) Clinician Scientist Development Grant (CSDG) Discovery Boost Grants (DBG) HEALED Gold Medal RFA To Support Mind-Body-Spirit Wellness in Cancer Survivors Institutional Research Grants Mission Boost Grants (MBG) Postdoctoral Fellowships Research Scholar Grants RFA: Extramural Discovery Science Accelerator Award RFA: Leukemia Exploration and Prevention Grant Program (LEAP) TheoryLab Collaborative (TLC) Grant RFA: Cancer Health Research Centers (CHERCs) RFA: Biology to Prevention Award (CRUK) RFA: ACS - Fanconi Cancer Foundation Discovery Boost Grant RFA: American Cancer Society Catalyst Awards RFA: American Cancer Society - Flatiron Real-World Data Impact Award RFA: Yosemite-American Cancer Society Award Extramural Grants Department Staff Contacts Definition of Research Areas FAQs: ACS Extramural Discovery Science and Grant Application Submissions Extramural Priority Research Areas Our Grant Process Summer 2026 Grant Cycle: Summary of Changes American Cancer Society Research Events EDS: Our Research Programs

[] - Career Growth and Research Excellence Program

[] - ACS Professor Cancer Detection and Experimental Therapeutics (PF-CDET) Institutional Research Grants (IRG) Cell Biology and Immunology (PF-CBI) Clinical and Population Sciences (PF-CPS) Molecular Biology and Biochemistry (PF-MBB) Biochemistry and Immunology of Cancer Program

[] - DNA Mechanisms in Cancer (DMC) PRC Immunology and Blood Cell Development (IBCD) PRC RNA Mechanisms in Cancer (RMC) PRC Tumor Biochemistry and Endocrinology (TBE) PRC Mission Boost Grants (MBG) PRC Cell Biology and Preclinical Cancer Research Program

[] - Cancer Cell Biology (CCB) PRC Cancer Detection and Progression (CDP) PRC Experimental Therapeutics (ET) PRC Metastasis and Microenvironment (MM) PRC Clinical and Population Sciences Program

[] - Cancer Prevention and Health Promotion (CPHP) PRC Treatment, Palliative Care, and Survivorship Research (CTPS) Etiology, Screening, and Early Detection (ESED) Healthcare Outcomes, Policy, and Systems Research (HOPS) Peer Review Committees (PRCs)

[] - Discovery Scientific Council Community Research Partner Participation American Cancer Society Professors Nobel Laureates and the American Cancer Society American Cancer Society-Jiler Professors & Fellows Conference Institutional Research Grants Grant Overview

Institutional Research Grants are awarded to institutions as block grants, providing seed money for newly independent investigators to initiate cancer research projects.

The intent is to support these junior faculty in initiating cancer research projects so they can obtain preliminary results that will enable them to compete successfully for national research grants. Principal Investigator Eligibility

You are eligible to submit a proposal as the IRG PI if you: Have the rank of Associate or Full Professor at an eligible institution Demonstrate a track record of extramural cancer research funding and peer-reviewed publications Demonstrate a track record of mentoring junior investigators Have significant administrative/leadership experience (i.e., deputy director/chair or director/chair of a program, center, or department)

New IRGs will be $120k per year for 4 years, (for a total of $480k).

For new applications, applicants may request up to $120,000 per year for 4 years. The funds may be distributed at the discretion of the IRG review committee with respect to the number of pilot grants awarded each year, a minimum of 3 and maximum of 6 pilot awards, with a minimum of $20,000 and maximum of $60,000. The number and amounts of pilot grants do not have to remain the same year-over-year during the 4-year grant.

Renewal IRGs will be $100K per year for 4 years (for a…

Topic areas: Life Sciences and Health, General and Cross-cutting R&D.

Funding amount

This grant provides Varies in funding.

Deadline

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis; there is no single fixed deadline.

Who can apply

This opportunity is open to the following applicant types:

• Not specified by the program.

Eligibility

The program did not publish a separate eligibility statement. See the official opportunity page for the full eligibility criteria.

Agency

Institutional Research Grants (IRG) is administered by American Cancer Society (ACS), listed via American Cancer Society.