Exploratory Grant Award to Promote Workforce Diversity in Basic Cancer Research (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PAR 24 039

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 24 039

The Exploratory Grant Award to Promote Workforce Diversity in Basic Cancer Research (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed), PAR-24-039, is a National Cancer Institute (NCI) funding opportunity under the National Institutes of Health (NIH) designed to strengthen and diversify the basic cancer research workforce. The program focuses on recruiting and supporting junior investigators and Early Stage Investigators who come from groups that are nationally underrepresented across the biomedical, behavioral, clinical, and social sciences. In practical terms, the grant is meant to help promising investigators establish or strengthen an independent research direction in basic cancer research, generate key preliminary data, and build the track record needed to compete for larger, longer-term research project grants later on.

A central purpose of this announcement is to function as a bridge for investigators who have finished their research training but may need additional time, resources, and momentum to assemble a more substantial application (for example, a future R01 or similar major award). Because it uses the NIH R21 mechanism, the emphasis is typically on exploratory, high-impact, early-stage work rather than fully mature projects, allowing investigators to test new ideas, develop novel approaches, and demonstrate feasibility in a focused way. As the title states, clinical trials are not allowed under this FOA, meaning the proposed work must remain outside the scope of clinical trial activity and should be structured accordingly.

The opportunity is categorized as a discretionary grant within the Education and Health activity area and is associated with CFDA number 93.393. The maximum award amount listed is $275,000 (award ceiling). While the expected number of awards is not specified in the provided data, applicants should generally assume a competitive, peer-reviewed NIH process where funding depends on scientific merit, program priorities, and available appropriations.

Eligibility is broad across U.S.-based organizations and governmental units. Eligible applicants include state, county, city or township governments, special district governments, and independent school districts, as well as public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education. Various tribal entities are eligible, including federally recognized Native American tribal governments and Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized tribal governments. The FOA also allows nonprofit organizations (both with and without 501(c)(3) status) and for-profit organizations other than small businesses, as well as small businesses and other unspecified eligible entity types. In addition, the announcement explicitly highlights a range of institution types often involved in workforce diversity efforts, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs). It also notes eligibility for faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, and eligible federal agencies, along with U.S. territories or possessions.

At the same time, the FOA draws clear boundaries around foreign involvement. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations) are not eligible to apply. Non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply. Foreign components, as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are not allowed. Taken together, these restrictions mean the applicant organization and the supported work must be firmly situated within eligible U.S. domestic settings without foreign components as part of the project.

Key administrative details included in the posting are that the funding instrument type is a grant, the opportunity was created on 2023-11-01, and the original closing date listed is 2026-11-17. Overall, this FOA is best understood as an NCI-supported entry point for underrepresented investigators in basic cancer research to launch or accelerate independent research programs, produce compelling early results, and transition more successfully to larger NIH research awards, while staying explicitly outside the clinical trial domain and within strictly domestic eligibility limits.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Exploratory Grant Award to Promote Workforce Diversity in Basic Cancer Research (R21 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 2023-11-01.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-11-17. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $275,000.00 in funding.
• 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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