Grant Program


The 2024-25 Grant Program is now open! Five different award categories are available, with varying number of awards and funding amounts per category. Full information on each award category is below. All questions and inquiries should be directed to: mncctn@umn.edu.

We are also holding Zoom info sessions on the Grant Program on the following dates:

  • Thursday, November 16, 2023 at Noon
  • Friday, December 15, 2023 at 8:30 AM
  • Monday, January 8, 2024 at Noon

If you are interested in attending a Zoom info session, please reach out to mncctn@umn.edu to be added to the calendar invitation and receive the Zoom link.

Award Categories

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Community Site Awards

Community Site Awards

Full RFA Document

Submit LOI on InfoReady

These awards aim to broaden the depth and reach of clinical trials offered to cancer patients in Greater Minnesota. For 2024-25 funding cycle up to two grants will be awarded, each with a maximum award amount of $125,000 per grant. MNCCTN intends to award one grant each for Version A and Version B of the Community Site Awards, but may award any combination of versions as applications warrant. Awardees will be expected to work in partnership with the MNCCTN HUB team on development and implementation of the study. 

Proposed trials should be written specifically to be implemented across all MNCCTN’s community sites in Minnesota. 

  • Version A is open only to applicants from MNCCTN clinical partners. 
    • Essentia Health
    • Sanford Health
    • Metro-Minnesota Community Oncology Research Consortium (MMCORC)
    • Mayo Clinic Health System
    • M Health Fairview
  • Version B is open to all MNCCTN partners; research or clinical. 
    • Clinical partners as listed above
        and
    • Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota
    • Mayo Clinic Cancer Center
    • The Hormel Institute

Proposal Requirements

Proposed projects must be cancer-related.

  • Trials can involve any point in the spectrum of cancer care including prevention, screening, cancer control, and survivorship. Therapeutic trials proposed should be Phase 2 or Phase 3.

Proposed projects must be interventional

  • Both treatment interventional and non-treatment interventional trials will be considered
  • Data/specimen registries or observational only studies will not be considered
  • Projects that could be considered Quality Improvement will not be funded. Proposed projects should not be oriented to site-specific operations to develop local administrative or logistical capabilities. 

Proposed projects must consider and leverage the unique characteristics of MNCCTN.

  • Specifically, enroll Greater Minnesota residents.

Proposed projects are expected to be able to be implemented across all MNCCTN Partner sites. 

  • Single site or single Partner projects will not be considered for this Community Site Award regardless of any future broader implementation. (Consider applying for the Single Site Pilot award.)  
  • Awardees are expected to work with the HUB team and MNCCTN sites to ensure the project can be implemented as broadly as possible across network sites.
  • Projects that are centrally conducted by study teams without significant involvement of the research personnel at MNCCTN sites are unlikely to be funded. MNCCTN prioritizes studies that make full use of the skills and local capabilities at our sites. Questions about what meaningful engagement looks like or the capabilities of MNCCTN sites can be addressed at the Informational Sessions or with the HUB team well in advance of application deadlines. 

Projects that are currently enrolling or are in the process of being funded will NOT be considered. 

Application Process & Deadlines

Letter of IntentA letter of Intent (LOI) must be submitted electronically via InfoReady. Letters of Intent are mandatory and due by Sunday, January 21, 2024 at 5:00 PM. Applicants may submit only one concept proposal as the PI. There is no limit on the number of proposals for faculty as collaborators. Applicants may not submit the same concept proposal to more than one MNCCTN funding mechanism. The LOI may reference planned collaboration(s) with other institution(s); however, none of the awarded funds will be transferred to these institutions.

LOI will be reviewed by the MNCCTN HUB team. Invitations to submit full proposals will be sent by February 2, 2024.

For more information on proposal requirements, timeline, review criteria, and more, view the full RFA document.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Justice (DEIJ) Award

DEIJ Award

Full RFA Document

Submit LOI on InfoReady

The DEIJ award funds a research project that is designed to address the cancer burden in a population or community historically underrepresented in cancer clinical research within the state of Minnesota. This funding is intended for researchers, collaborations, clinical sites, etc. that already have a well-developed research idea and plan.

For the 2024-25 cycle, one grant will be awarded, with a maximum award amount of $125,000. 

The MNCCTN HUB team is available to provide a variety of support to awardees and their study teams as needed. Awardees will be expected to work in partnership with the MNCCTN HUB team on development and implementation of the study as the project necessitates.

Applicants to this award are not required to be MNCCTN Partners. This RFA is open to current MNCCTN research and clinical partners as well as unaffiliated applicants. If an applicant would like to be paired with an academic investigator, please indicate so in the Letter of Intent.

Proposal Requirements

Proposed projects must be cancer-related.

  • Trials can involve any point in the spectrum of cancer care including prevention, screening, cancer control, and survivorship. Therapeutic trials proposed should be Phase 2 or Phase 3.

Proposed projects must be interventional

  • Both treatment interventional and non-treatment interventional trials will be considered
  • Data/specimen registries or observational only studies will not be considered
  • Projects that could be considered Quality Improvement will not be funded. Proposed projects should not be oriented to site-specific operations to develop local administrative or logistical capabilities. 

Projects must specifically address a cancer burden in a population or community historically underrepresented in cancer clinical research. 

Projects must take place within Minnesota and intend to recruit Minnesotan residents. 

  • Projects funded by this award are not limited to a rural setting.
  • Projects do not have to be available to open at current MNCCTN sites. 

Projects that are currently enrolling or are in the process of being funded will NOT be considered. 


Application Process & Timeline

Letter of IntentA letter of Intent (LOI) must be submitted electronically via InfoReadyLetters of Intent are mandatory and due by Sunday, January 21, 2024 at 5:00 PM. Applicants may submit only one concept proposal as the PI. There is no limit on the number of proposals for faculty as collaborators. Applicants may not submit the same concept proposal to more than one funding mechanism. The LOI may reference planned collaboration(s) with other institution(s); however, none of the awarded funds will be transferred to these institutions.

LOI will be reviewed by the MNCCTN HUB team. Invitations to submit full proposals will be sent by February 2, 2024.

For more information on proposal requirements, timeline, review criteria, and more, view the full RFA document.

Single Site Pilot Award

Single Site Pilot Award

Full RFA Document

Submit LOI on InfoReady

This award aims to develop a research concept specifically developed for, or originating from, a community site from the planning and development through the piloting phase. Projects should have the intent to develop into a multi-site clinical trial and successful projects will be eligible for additional funding. 

For the 2024-25 funding cycle, up to one will be awarded with a maximum award amount of $50,000. 

This award is open to applicants from MNCCTN clinical partners only:

  • Essentia Health
  • Sanford Health
  • Metro-Minnesota Community Oncology Research Consortium (MMCORC)
  • Mayo Clinic Health System
  • M Health Fairview

Please reach out to the HUB with any questions regarding whether you are eligible to apply for this award.

Proposal Requirements

Proposed projects must be cancer-related.

  • Trials can involve any point in the spectrum of cancer care including prevention, screening, cancer control, and survivorship. Therapeutic trials proposed should be Phase 2 or Phase 3.

Proposed projects must be interventional.

  • Both treatment interventional and non-treatment interventional trials will be considered.
  • Data/specimen registries or observational only studies will not be considered.
  • Projects that could be considered Quality Improvement will not be funded. Proposed projects should not be oriented to site-specific operations to develop local administrative or logistical capabilities. 

Proposed projects should consider and leverage the unique characteristics of MNCCTN.

  • Specifically, enroll Greater Minnesota residents

Proposed projects are expected to be implemented at a single MNCCTN site, or across a single Partner’s sites only, and must be designed with the intention of future implementation network-wide.

Projects that are currently enrolling or are in the process of being funded will NOT be considered.

Application Process & Deadlines

Letter of IntentA letter of Intent (LOI) must be submitted electronically via InfoReady. Letters of Intent are mandatory and due by Sunday, January 21, 2024 at 5:00 PM. Applicants may submit only one concept proposal as the PI. There is no limit on the number of proposals for faculty as collaborators. Applicants may not submit the same concept proposal to more than one funding mechanism. The LOI may reference planned collaboration(s) with other institution(s); however, none of the awarded funds will be transferred to these institutions.

LOIs will be reviewed by the MNCCTN HUB team. Invitations to submit full proposals will be sent by February 2, 2024.

For more information on proposal requirements, timeline, review criteria, and more, view the full RFA document.

Discovery & Planning Grant

Discovery & Planning Grant

Full RFA Document

Submit proposal on InfoReady

This award offers funding to develop a community-driven research concept by partnering with an identified community to learn about their cancer-related needs and, working collaboratively with the community, develop potential strategies to address those needs. The completion of the project should result in a collaboratively developed research proposal that could be pilot tested with the identified community. Successful projects may employ many strategies including local data collection, background research, and coalition building. 

For the 2024-25 funding cycle, up to two will be awarded, each with a maximum award amount of $15,000 per grant. This award is open to applicants from all of MNCCTN’s clinical and research partners.
 

Proposal Requirements

  • Proposed projects must be cancer-related and based in Minnesota.
  • Proposed projects must identify intended community groups, organizations, or other stakeholders for the planning.  Outline a clear plan for meaningful partner engagement in the project, including the development of the research proposal.
  • Proposed projects will result in the development of a research proposal that can be piloted with the identified community.
  • Proposed projects must include a plan for sharing planning and project findings with key community partners and stakeholders. 
  • Proposed projects that are currently underway or are in the process of being funded will not be considered.

 

Application Process & Deadlines

Proposal Submission. Full proposals are due by Sunday, March 24, 2024 at 5:00 PM. Proposals will be submitted electronically via InfoReady. Budgets must be submitted in the template provided in InfoReady. Applicants may submit only one concept proposal as the PI. There is no limit on the number of proposals for faculty as collaborators. The proposal may reference planned collaboration(s) with other institution(s); however, none of the awarded funds will be transferred to these institutions.

Proposals will be reviewed by members of the Masonic Cancer Center’s Community Impact Board and MNCCTN’s Trial Review Subcommittee who will make recommendations to the MNCCTN Steering Committee.  Applicants will have a chance to review feedback from these groups and potentially address it in an application revision.  The MNCCTN Steering Committee will make the final funding decision. All applicants will be notified of their funding status by June 18, 2024.

For more information on proposal requirements, timeline, review criteria, and more, view the full RFA document.

Literature Review Scholarship (Applications Accepted on a Rolling Basis)

Literature Review Scholarship

Full RFA Document

Application

This award aims to provide access to the scholarly journals and background materials needed in order to develop a research concept to begin to develop a protocol. MNCCTN will award up to 5 Literature Review Scholarships (Scholarship) on an ongoing and as needed basis to MNCCTN team members at our Partner and site locations (up to 3) or individuals at non-MNCCTN organizations that are providing clinical services serving Minnesotans (up to 2). The scholarship will provide the awardee with a 12 month “Person of Interest” account at the University of Minnesota which provides access to UMN Library resources. Library resources include online books and journals, in-person library access on all campuses, and research librarian assistance.
 

Application Requirements & Process

Research concepts must be cancer-related and can involve any point in the spectrum of cancer care including prevention, screening, cancer control, and survivorship. Applicants must be from MNCCTN Partner organizations or affiliated with an organization that provides cancer-related services and or care to Minnesotans and which does not provide access to comprehensive scholarly journals and resources.
 

Applications are open and will be reviewed and awarded on an on-going basis. No more than 5 awards will be awarded at any given time. 4 awards are currently available. Applications consist of: 

  • Letter of Interest (1 page max.)

    • Describe the cancer-related topic, protocol concept, research plan, and need for library access

    • Outline the short and long-term goals of the project

  • Letter of Support (1 page max.)

    • Demonstrating knowledge of and support for the protocol concept from either 

      • Applicant’s MNCCTN Operations Committee member or site Principal Investigator 

      • The applicant’s supervisor

    • Contact Information: Full name, address, phone number, date of birth, and email

For further details and information, view the full RFA document.

Frequently Asked Questions

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How do I submit?

Except for the Literature Review award, all Letters of Intent and Applications will be entered through UMN's InfoReady system. The Literature Review application is via SmartSheets. Links to submit for each award are available in the award descriptions above.

Can I submit a study to enroll participants at X-site?

Maybe, but it depends on the award. Funding is available only for studies enrolling in Minnesota. Reach out to us for more information.

Who is eligible to apply?

Applications will be judged based on applicant experience and not on credentials. All qualified and appropriate applicants will be considered.

What has been funded in the past?

Five studies have been funded so far. More information on each study is available in the section below.

What does the grant actually pay for?

Depends on the grant, the full RFA documents for each award (linked in the award descriptions above) should explain this. If there are questions, reach out to us at mncctn@umn.edu.

This is exciting, but I'm not ready to submit this year, will these funds be available next year?

Awards will be offered semi-regularly, but some may not be offered every year.

For awards requiring collaboration with community partners, is there a definition for what this means?

Each RFA document has more information. No strict definition, but expectation is that these studies are community-driven and awards will be reviewed on the plan for the engagement of the community.

Are there definitions for what MNCCTN considers Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, or Justice focused?

Generally, this is considered by us to be those who are historically underrepresented in cancer clinical research. This is relatively broad, but the application should include significance of the study to the intended population.

My proposal might be considered quality Improvement or administrative in nature, what should I do?

Quality improvement or administrative-related studies will not be funded. If your idea is in a grey area, email us to discuss details at mncctn@umn.edu.

I have an idea but no idea how to write a protocol or set up a statistical design, what do I do?

Resources and support can be provided. Reach out to us at mncctn@umn.edu if this will be required.