Award Programs
Overview
Since awarding our first grant in 1994, the V Foundation has funded over $353 million in research grants. Our Scientific Advisory Committee selects grant recipients through a highly competitive process. We invest in promising people and projects.
Because of highly competitive reviews, V Foundation grant recipients invariably have excellent reputations within the scientific community.
The V Foundation for Cancer Research currently awards five types of grants.
V Scholar Grant
As of 2023, the V Scholar Grant is a three-year grant of $200,000 per year. It supports young tenure-track faculty early in their cancer research careers by funding projects that are either laboratory-based fundamental research or translational research.
Translational Grant
As of 2023, the Translational Grant is a four-year grant of $200,000 per year. These grants support “bench to bedside” research, whose endpoint is often planning or initiation of a clinical trial.
All-Star Grant
The All-Star Grant is a re-investment in previous V Scholar or Translational grant recipients who are invited to apply for a $1,000,000 grant payable over 5 years. Any type of cancer research is permitted. We are looking for the most innovative ideas to improve the cancer landscape for patients. This grant also includes salary support for a mentored post-doctoral fellow, which supports the next generation of cancer researchers.
Designated Grant
The Designated Grant supports basic or translational research at research institutions and may support outstanding research outside our standing list of NCI-Designated cancer centers. The size and duration of these grants varies widely depending on the initiative. To trigger a new stand-alone grant opportunity, $3,000,000 must be raised. Otherwise, the funds are directed to our national foundational programs, the V Scholar and Translational grants. These opportunities change from year to year and are dependent on special fundraising initiatives with donors, sponsors or collaborating foundations to support cancer research.
Mission Grant
Mission grants support educational projects within the V Foundation’s focus to advance research processes such as increasing clinical trial awareness, outreach, and enrollment. The Mission Grant is a smaller grant type (under $100,000 per year).
Grant Process FAQs
The V Foundation for Cancer Research supports research on all types of cancer at all stages of life. We invite the best researchers at the National Cancer Institute’s Designated Cancer Centers and other exceptional research institutions to apply for our V Scholar, Translational and All-Star awards. Research proposals are reviewed and recommended for funding by our Scientific Advisory Committee, a group whose members are leaders in the cancer research field. We also invite Ad Hoc reviewers to provide specific research expertise as needed for some review panels.
Translational Award: The Translational Award is a three-year grant of $200,000 per year. Beginning in 2023, this grant budget will increase to $200,000 per year for four years. These grants support “bench to bedside” research whose endpoint is often planning or initiation of a clinical trial. Translational projects should move a novel strategy from the laboratory to a human clinical trial or use specimens from a clinical trial to develop biomarkers or mechanisms. One Principal Investigator must be designated to apply for this team grant and be responsible for all aspects of the grant.
All-Star Grant
The All-Star Grant is a re-investment in previous V Scholars or Translational grant recipients who are invited to apply for a $1,000,000 grant payable over 5 years. Any type of cancer research is permitted. We are looking for the most innovative ideas to improve the cancer landscape for patients. This grant also includes salary support for a mentored post-doctoral fellow, which supports the next generation of cancer researchers.
Designated Grant: This grant type supports basic or translational research at research institutions and may support outstanding research outside of our standing list of NCI-Designated cancer centers. These are special calls for applications that arise out of donor interest, fundraising events or special funding partnerships with other nonprofit or corporate research funders. The size and duration of these grants vary widely depending on the initiative, but to trigger a stand-alone grant opportunity, $3,000,000 must be raised. These opportunities change from year to year and are dependent on special fundraising initiatives with donors, sponsors or collaborating foundations to support cancer research.
Mission Grant: Mission grants are a smaller grant type (under $100,000 per year). They are made to support projects that are within the mission of the V Foundation but are not usually for the direct support of a research project. For instance, the V Foundation has provided educational grants for clinical trial outreach to create new educational materials, understand barriers to enrollment and support patient navigators that give patients information about clinical trials that may apply to them. These are not research grants per se, but are supportive of research and cancer treatment.