Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 20 294
The grant opportunity titled "Core Infrastructure Support for Cancer Epidemiology Cohorts (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" (Funding Opportunity Number PAR-20-294) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) cooperative agreement offered through the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Its main purpose is to provide support for the core infrastructure that keeps established Cancer Epidemiology Cohorts (CECs) functioning effectively over time. Rather than funding new clinical trials or short-term projects, the emphasis is on maintaining and strengthening the foundational systems that allow large population cohorts to continue collecting, managing, and sharing high-quality epidemiologic data and biospecimens that are essential for cancer research.
A central focus of the announcement is sustaining the ongoing, day-to-day core functions of existing cohorts. This typically includes the operational backbone that makes a cohort scientifically valuable and usable: participant follow-up and retention, continued outcomes ascertainment (such as cancer incidence and mortality tracking), maintenance of databases and data systems, biospecimen management, quality assurance processes, and governance structures that enable responsible stewardship of cohort resources. The FOA also explicitly encourages resource sharing with the broader scientific community, signaling that cohorts supported under this mechanism are expected to facilitate access to data, specimens, and related research tools in ways that expand the impact of the cohort beyond the original investigative team.
In addition to infrastructure support, the opportunity encourages methodological research. In the context of cancer epidemiology cohorts, methodological work can include improving exposure assessment, developing or refining statistical and epidemiologic methods for cohort data, enhancing approaches to linking cohort records with external data sources (like cancer registries, electronic health records, environmental data, or claims data), and strengthening methods that increase validity, reproducibility, and utility of cohort-derived findings. The combination of infrastructure maintenance and methods development reflects the idea that long-running cohorts remain most valuable when they are both well-maintained and continuously modernized to keep pace with new scientific questions and analytic techniques.
This funding mechanism is a U01 cooperative agreement, which generally means NCI expects substantial scientific or programmatic involvement during the conduct of the project compared with a standard research grant. Cooperative agreements often involve closer coordination with the funding institute, shared expectations about milestones, and a higher level of collaboration around program goals such as harmonization, data sharing, and integration with broader research efforts. The FOA is also explicitly marked "Clinical Trial Not Allowed," which indicates applications should not propose clinical trials as defined by NIH; the work should remain within observational cohort infrastructure and related methodological research rather than interventional studies.
Eligibility for this opportunity is broad and includes many types of U.S. governmental and non-governmental organizations. Eligible applicants listed include state, county, city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; and federally recognized Native American tribal governments. It also includes public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized tribal governments, nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education under that category), for-profit organizations other than small businesses, and small businesses, as well as other entities. The FOA additionally highlights several categories of other eligible applicants, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions; Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs); Hispanic-serving Institutions; Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs); faith-based or community-based organizations; eligible federal agencies; regional organizations; Indian/Native American tribal governments other than federally recognized; U.S. territories or possessions; and even non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations). This breadth suggests NCI is open to supporting cohort infrastructure wherever strong cohort resources and stewardship capacity exist, including in settings that can broaden representation and improve the generalizability of cancer epidemiology research.
From the source details provided, the opportunity falls under a discretionary funding category and an activity area of education and health, with CFDA number 93.393. The original closing date shown is 2022-04-16, and the creation date is 2020-08-05. Award ceiling and expected awards are not specified in the provided listing, which typically means applicants would need to consult the full FOA text for budget guidance, limits, and program-specific expectations. Overall, the opportunity is designed to protect and extend the value of existing cancer epidemiology cohorts by ensuring their infrastructure remains strong, their resources are accessible for broader scientific use, and their methods continue to evolve in ways that support high-impact cancer population research.Apply for PAR 20 294
- The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Core Infrastructure Support for Cancer Epidemiology Cohorts (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" 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 2020-08-05.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-04-16. (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.
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FAQs: Core Infrastructure Support for Cancer Epidemiology Cohorts (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) (PAR-20-294)
What is the title and funding opportunity number for this grant?
The opportunity is titled "Core Infrastructure Support for Cancer Epidemiology Cohorts (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and the Funding Opportunity Number is PAR-20-294.
Which agency and institute are offering this opportunity?
This is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) cooperative agreement offered through the National Cancer Institute (NCI).
What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?
The main purpose is to support the core infrastructure that keeps established Cancer Epidemiology Cohorts (CECs) functioning effectively over time. The emphasis is on sustaining and strengthening foundational systems that allow large population cohorts to continue collecting, managing, and sharing high-quality epidemiologic data and biospecimens essential for cancer research.
Is this funding meant to create new cohorts?
Based on the provided description, the emphasis is on maintaining and strengthening the infrastructure of established Cancer Epidemiology Cohorts rather than starting new cohorts.
What type of award mechanism is used?
The mechanism is a U01 cooperative agreement.
What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement (U01)?
A U01 cooperative agreement generally means NCI expects substantial scientific or programmatic involvement during the conduct of the project compared with a standard research grant. It often involves closer coordination with the institute, shared expectations about milestones, and collaboration around program goals such as harmonization, data sharing, and integration with broader research efforts.
Are clinical trials allowed under this opportunity?
No. The announcement is explicitly marked "Clinical Trial Not Allowed," meaning applications should not propose clinical trials as defined by NIH. The work should remain within observational cohort infrastructure and related methodological research rather than interventional studies.
What kinds of activities are considered core infrastructure support for a cancer epidemiology cohort?
The description highlights day-to-day core functions of existing cohorts, such as participant follow-up and retention, continued outcomes ascertainment (for example, cancer incidence and mortality tracking), maintenance of databases and data systems, biospecimen management, quality assurance processes, and governance structures for responsible stewardship of cohort resources.
Does the opportunity support outcomes ascertainment and tracking?
Yes. Continued outcomes ascertainment is specifically noted, including tracking cancer incidence and mortality.
Does the opportunity support participant follow-up and retention?
Yes. Participant follow-up and retention are explicitly listed as part of the ongoing, day-to-day core functions the program aims to sustain.
Does the opportunity support maintaining data systems and databases?
Yes. Maintenance of databases and data systems is specifically included as part of the cohort operational backbone.
Does the opportunity support biospecimen management?
Yes. Biospecimen management is described as a core function supported by this opportunity.
Are quality assurance processes part of the supported infrastructure?
Yes. Quality assurance processes are explicitly mentioned among the core functions that help keep a cohort scientifically valuable and usable.
Does the FOA address governance and stewardship of cohort resources?
Yes. Governance structures enabling responsible stewardship of cohort resources are highlighted as a core infrastructure component.
Is resource sharing expected?
Yes. The FOA explicitly encourages resource sharing with the broader scientific community and signals that supported cohorts are expected to facilitate access to data, specimens, and related research tools to expand the cohort's impact beyond the original investigative team.
What kinds of methodological research are encouraged?
The opportunity encourages methodological work such as improving exposure assessment; developing or refining statistical and epidemiologic methods for cohort data; enhancing approaches for linking cohort records with external data sources (including cancer registries, electronic health records, environmental data, or claims data); and strengthening methods that increase validity, reproducibility, and utility of cohort-derived findings.
Can projects include linking cohort data to external data sources?
Yes. The description explicitly mentions improving approaches to linking cohort records with external sources such as cancer registries, electronic health records, environmental data, or claims data.
Is this opportunity focused on short-term research projects?
No. The emphasis is on maintaining and strengthening ongoing cohort infrastructure over time rather than funding short-term projects.
What is the overall goal of combining infrastructure maintenance with methods development?
The description indicates that long-running cohorts remain most valuable when they are both well-maintained and continuously modernized to keep pace with new scientific questions and analytic techniques.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes many U.S. governmental and non-governmental organizations, as well as non-U.S. entities. Eligible applicants listed include state, county, city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; and federally recognized Native American tribal governments.
Are nonprofits eligible to apply?
Yes. The listing includes nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education under that category).
Are for-profit organizations eligible to apply?
Yes. The eligibility list includes for-profit organizations other than small businesses, and also includes small businesses.
Are tribal entities eligible to apply?
Yes. The list includes federally recognized Native American tribal governments, and also includes Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized tribal governments, and Indian/Native American tribal governments other than federally recognized.
Are U.S. territories or possessions eligible?
Yes. U.S. territories or possessions are explicitly listed among other eligible applicants.
Are foreign (non-U.S.) organizations eligible?
Yes. The listing explicitly states that non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations) are eligible.
Are minority-serving institutions and similar organizations highlighted as eligible?
Yes. The FOA highlights categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions; Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs); Hispanic-serving Institutions; Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs); as well as faith-based or community-based organizations.
Are federal agencies eligible to apply?
Yes. Eligible federal agencies are listed among the other eligible applicants.
What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The CFDA number provided is 93.393.
How is the funding category and activity area described?
The opportunity is described as falling under a discretionary funding category and an activity area of education and health.
What are the key dates provided for this opportunity?
The creation date shown is 2020-08-05, and the original closing date shown is 2022-04-16.
Is the award ceiling provided?
No. The award ceiling is not specified in the provided listing.
Is the expected number of awards provided?
No. The expected number of awards is not specified in the provided listing.
Where should applicants look for budget limits and other detailed requirements?
Because award ceiling and expected awards are not specified in the provided listing, applicants would typically need to consult the full FOA text for budget guidance, limits, and program-specific expectations.
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