Who funds cancer research?

We count 1,362 funded cancer projects, active between 2018 and 2034, from 8 funders. The most came from EU · ERC (388 projects), EU · MSCA (273 projects) and NIH · NCI (161 projects). The median award is $2.4M, across the 1,307 of 1,362 projects that list an amount.

Funded projects

1,362

Funders

8

Median award

$2.4M

Open calls now

67

Top funders of cancer research

Projects whose title or summary mentions cancer. Median award: of the projects that list an amount, in US dollars; “—” when fewer than 3 do.

Open cancer funding calls

67 open calls mention cancer today; the 12 most on-topic are listed.

• Secondary Analysis and Integration of Existing Data to Elucidate Cancer Risk and Related Outcomes (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
  National Institutes of HealthUp to $350,000Deadline: November 6, 2026 ·
  Real odds: About 1 in 8 funded (13% · NIH R01-equivalent grants, all NIH institutes, FY2025)
• Advanced Development and Validation of Emerging Technologies for Basic and Clinical Cancer Research (R33 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
  National Institutes of HealthUp to $300,000Deadline: November 10, 2026 ·
• Early-Stage Innovative Technology Development for Basic and Clinical Cancer Research (R61 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
  National Institutes of HealthUp to $150,000Deadline: November 10, 2026 ·
• Secondary Analysis and Integration of Existing Data to Elucidate Cancer Risk and Related Outcomes (R21 Clinical Trials Not Allowed)
  National Institutes of HealthUp to $200,000Deadline: November 17, 2026 ·
  Real odds: About 1 in 9 funded (11% · NIH R21 (exploratory/developmental), all NIH institutes, FY2025)
• The Bosarge Family Foundation-Waun Ki Hong Scholar Award for Regenerative Cancer Medicine
  American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)Up to $120,000Deadline: November 18, 2026 ·
• DoW Rare Cancers Idea Development Award
  Defense Health Agency Contracting Activity - DHACANot specifiedDeadline: November 18, 2026 ·
• DoW Rare Cancers Resource and Community Development Award
  Defense Health Agency Contracting Activity - DHACANot specifiedDeadline: November 18, 2026 ·
• DoW Breast Cancer, Breakthrough Award Levels 1 and 2
  Defense Health Agency Contracting Activity - DHACANot specifiedDeadline: November 18, 2026 ·
• DoW Breast Cancer, Clinical Research Extension Award
  Defense Health Agency Contracting Activity - DHACANot specifiedDeadline: November 18, 2026 ·
• AACR-Lustgarten Foundation Career Development Award for Pancreatic Cancer Research, in Honor of John Robert Lewis
  American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)Up to $300,000Deadline: November 20, 2026 ·
• AACR-Lustgarten Foundation Career Development Award for Pancreatic Cancer Research, in honor of Ruth Bader Ginsburg
  American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)Up to $300,000Deadline: November 20, 2026 ·
• AACR-Kids Beating Cancer Margaret Guedes Monosomy 7 Legacy Cancer Research Grant
  American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)Up to $300,000Deadline: December 1, 2026 ·

Real odds

• About 1 in 8 funded · 13% · NIH R01-equivalent grants, all NIH institutes, FY2025 · NIH Data Book, report 29
• About 1 in 9 funded · 11% · NIH R21 (exploratory/developmental), all NIH institutes, FY2025 · NIH Data Book, report 202

Published success rates for the programs behind the open calls above: the share of applications the funder funded, program-wide, not for this topic.

Forecast: announced, not open yet

15 forecast calls on cancer. Funders publish forecasts before a call opens; you can't apply to these yet, and dates can change.

• ForecastAssay Validation of High Quality Markers for Clinical Studies in Cancer (UH2/UH3 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
  National Institutes of HealthNot specifiedExpected to open February 16, 2026
• ForecastCancer Center Support Grants (CCSGs) for NCI-designated Cancer Centers (P30 Clinical Trial Optional)
  National Institutes of HealthNot specifiedExpected to open November 1, 2026
• ForecastCanine Cancer Immunotherapy Network (K9CIN; U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
  National Institutes of HealthNot specifiedExpected to open November 25, 2026
• ForecastSingle Source: Coordinating Center (CC) for the Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) Consortium (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
  National Institutes of HealthNot specifiedExpected to open November 25, 2026
• ForecastLimited Competition: NIMHD Initiative for Improving American Indian and Alaska Native Cancer Outcomes (U19 - Clinical Trial Optional)
  National Institutes of HealthNot specifiedExpected to open November 25, 2026
• ForecastCancer Prevention and Control Programs for State, Territorial, and Tribal Organizations
  Centers for Disease Control - NCCDPHPNot specifiedExpected to open December 7, 2026
• ForecastPromoting Cancer Surveillance Workforce, Education, and Data Use
  Centers for Disease Control - NCCDPHPNot specifiedExpected to open January 5, 2027
• ForecastAdvanced Development and Validation of Emerging Technologies for Basic and Clinical Cancer Research (R33 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
  National Institutes of HealthUp to $300,000Expected to open January 15, 2027

Funded cancer projects

A sample, latest start first, at most three per program.

• Centromere Dynamics: Bridging Fundamental Mechanisms and Agricultural Innovation
  Wellcome · £2,062,441 · ends 2034
• Harmful R-loops: from molecular mechanisms to human disease
  Wellcome · £2,037,970 · ends 2034
• Harnessing Comparative Genomics to Uncover the Principles of Somatic Evolution and Healthy Ageing
  Wellcome · £1,252,960 · ends 2034
• MRC CoRE in Restorative Immunology
  UKRI · MRC · £21,647,682 · ends 2033
• (1/2) Statins to Prevent Cancer Associated Venous Thromboembolism (STAT-CAT): CCC
  NIH · NHLBI · $3,566,116 · ends 2032
• MWCCS UAB/UMMC Clinical Research Site
  NIH · NHLBI · $3,315,025 · ends 2032
• ECOG-ACRIN Network Group Operations Center
  NIH · NCI · $9,405,328 · ends 2032
• COG NCTN Network Group Operations Center
  NIH · NCI · $28,393,333 · ends 2032
• Children's Oncology Group Statistics and Data Center
  NIH · NCI · $11,113,171 · ends 2032
• FUNCTIONAL PRECISION MEDICINE AND RESPONSE ASSAYS
  NIH · Office of the Director · $72,167,416 · ends 2031

How we count

Funded projects come from public award records (NIH RePORTER, NSF, EU CORDIS, UKRI Gateway to Research, Wellcome, the Gates Foundation, DOE, NASA and USDA NIFA) whose title or summary matches “cancer”. NIH lists each budget year separately; one project counts once. Amounts are as the funder lists them; medians use only projects that list one, in US dollars. Open calls and forecasts are from our listings of October 28, 2026. A project can mention a topic without being mainly about it, so treat the counts as a guide to who funds the area.