Cancer Research Education Grants Program – Research Experiences (R25 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
🏛 National Institutes of Health (HHS-NIH11)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Jun 17, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for educational institutions and research organizations that want to develop and deliver research training and educational activities in cancer research. The program supports structured, pre-doctoral and post-doctoral research training experiences and career development activities, excluding clinical trial design. Eligible applicants include accredited U.S. colleges, universities, medical schools, research institutions, and nonprofit organizations with research capacity. Activities funded include mentored research experiences, summer research programs, short-term research courses, and research skills development workshops. Projects must target individuals at various career stages (students, early-career researchers, career-changers) and aim to build a diverse cancer research workforce. The grant supports curriculum development, trainee stipends, mentor support, and program evaluation.
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Program description
The NIH Research Education Program (R25) supports research education activities in the mission areas of the NIH. The over-arching goal of this NCI R25 program is to support educational activities that complement and/or enhance the training of a workforce to meet the nations biomedical, behavioral and clinical research needs.
To accomplish the stated over-arching goal, this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) will support creative educational activities with a primary focus on Research Experiences. Applications are encouraged that propose innovative, state-of-the-art programs that address the cause, diagnosis, prevention, or treatment of cancer, rehabilitation from cancer, or the continuing care of cancer patients and the families of cancer patients.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
- 501(c)(3) Public Charity
- City / Municipal Government
- Colleges (all higher ed)
- County Government
- Nonprofits
- Private University
- Public Authority
- Public K-12 School
- Public University
- Small Business (SBA-defined)
- Special District
- State Government
- Tribal Nation
- Tribal Organization
Demographic focus
How to apply
Application links
Required documents
- SF-424 (R&R) form and cover letter
- Project narrative (typically 6–10 pages) describing educational goals, curriculum, and training activities
- Detailed budget and budget narrative for the full project period
- Institutional commitment letter from the department chair or institutional research office
- Biographies and current CVs of senior personnel and key mentors
- Letters of support/commitment from mentors and collaborating institutions
- Evidence of institutional resources (facilities, equipment, library access)
- Diversity plan or recruitment and retention strategy
- Preliminary data or pilot results demonstrating feasibility (if available)
- Evaluation plan with specific metrics and data collection methods
- Trainee recruitment and selection plan
Program contact
- 👤 National Institutes of Health
- 📧 grantsinfo@nih.gov
- 📞 301-402-2541
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 93.398 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$23,853,515
-
$22,820,040
-
$17,454,036
-
$15,407,472
-
$14,832,927
-
$14,410,208
-
$14,234,718
-
$14,219,981
-
$13,766,537
-
$13,734,930
Top States by Funding
- CA 14 awards $114.6M
- MA 10 awards $104.9M
- TX 9 awards $102.7M
- NY 9 awards $65.8M
- NC 6 awards $62.1M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 93.398). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $228,173,992 | |
| 2025 | $213,201,522 | |
| 2026 est. | $135,455,000 |
FAQ
Who is eligible to apply for this R25 cancer research education grant?
Accredited U.S. colleges, universities, medical schools, research institutions, nonprofits with research capacity, and other organizations with the ability to develop and deliver research education programs. International organizations are generally not eligible unless they have formal U.S. partnerships.
What types of research training and education can be funded?
Structured pre- and post-doctoral research training experiences, summer research programs, short-term research courses, workshops on research methodology, mentored research projects, and career development activities. Clinical trial design and clinical trial-specific training are not allowed under this mechanism.
What are typical funding amounts and project periods?
R25 grants typically award $50,000–$150,000 annually (amounts vary by program year and availability), with project periods commonly spanning 3–5 years. Actual funding levels are set in the Notice of Funding Opportunity.
How competitive is this grant, and what makes applications stand out?
This is a moderately competitive program. Strong applications demonstrate clear learning objectives, experienced mentors, demonstrated capacity to recruit and retain diverse trainees, evidence of career outcomes tracking, and alignment with NIH cancer research priorities.
When is the application due, and what is the typical timeline?
The next deadline is January 7, 2027. NIH typically releases funding opportunity announcements several months before the deadline. Allow 2–3 months for the full application process including internal review and institutional sign-off.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Prioritize diversity and inclusion: Include specific strategies to recruit and support underrepresented groups in cancer research, such as first-generation students, minority researchers, and individuals from underserved communities. NIH emphasizes building a diverse research workforce.
- Emphasize measurable learning outcomes: Clearly define what trainees will learn and how you will assess competency in research skills. Include specific learning objectives for each educational activity and explain how success will be measured.
- Demonstrate mentor quality and commitment: Highlight the qualifications, research productivity, and mentoring experience of senior personnel. Include letters of commitment from mentors showing their genuine engagement and time allocation.
- Build in longitudinal career tracking: Develop a mechanism to track trainee outcomes (publications, presentations, career placement in research fields) for at least 2–3 years post-training. This evidence of impact significantly strengthens competitiveness.
- Connect to cancer research needs: Align your program with current NIH cancer research priorities (e.g., precision oncology, health disparities in cancer, cancer prevention). Show how your trainees will contribute to addressing significant gaps in the cancer research pipeline.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications often fail because they lack specific, measurable learning outcomes and clear assessment methods—NIH reviewers want to see exactly what trainees will know and be able to do. Another common weakness is insufficient evidence of institutional commitment and mentor engagement; reviewers look for concrete time commitments, funding support, and buy-in from leadership. Additionally, many applications underemphasize diversity and inclusion strategies or fail to explain how the program will actively recruit and support underrepresented groups in cancer research.
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