PAR-23-276
Cancer Research Education Grants Program - Courses for Skills Development (R25 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
Summary
Cancer Research Education Grants Program – Courses for Skills Development (R25)
Research Focus & Contribution
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) seeks to support innovative, state-of-the-art educational courses that build workforce capacity in cancer research, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and patient care. This R25 Education Projects mechanism funds structured courses—delivered in-person, online, or hybrid formats—designed to teach practical research skills and knowledge grounded in biomedical, behavioral, and clinical cancer research findings. The program targets graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, early-career scientists, and health professionals involved in cancer research or health information dissemination. Courses must be cancer-focused, completed within a 12-month instructional period, and offered annually throughout the grant period. The intended outcome is enhanced professional competency and workforce readiness to advance the NCI mission in cancer cause, diagnosis, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and continuing care.
At-a-Glance
- Who can apply: Institutions (academic, nonprofit, government, for-profit) proposing courses for graduate/postdoctoral students, early-career researchers, or health professionals; clinical trials not allowed.
- Funding & project length: Up to $300,000 direct costs/year; maximum 5-year project period.
- Award/mechanism: R25 grant (education projects); new, renewal, and resubmission applications accepted.
- Key dates: Application due dates January 25, May 25, September 25, 2024–2026 (rolling cycles); expiration January 8, 2027.
- Best fit for: Cancer research educators designing skill-development courses in oncology, epidemiology, biostatistics, clinical trial methodology, health disparities, or translational research for mid-career or advanced learners.
Key Facts
Deadline
Thu, January 7, 2027
Posted
Fri, September 29, 2023
Award / Year (direct costs)
$300,000
Max Total
$1,500,000
Max Duration
5 years
Keywords
Research Areas
Gotchas (8)
Course must be offered during EACH year that R25 support is requested; if development precludes this in year 1, applicant must apply to companion PAR-23-278 instead
95%
Source Text
“The course must be offered during each year that R25 support is requested. If the time required to develop the course would preclude this during the first year of support, applicants should instead consider applying for the companion funding opportunity, PAR-23-278, Cancer Research Education Grants Program - Curriculum or Methods Development (R25).”
All instructional activities must be completed within a 12-month period; applications proposing activities extending beyond 12 months will be considered non-responsive
98%
Source Text
“All instructional activities must be completed within a 12-month period. Activities to evaluate the professional impact of the course on the participants may continue indefinitely, as feasible. [...] Proposed course activities are not completed within a 12-month period. [listed as non-responsive characteristic]”
PD/PI salary support capped at 3.0 person months (25% full-time) effort per year; total personnel and consultant costs cannot exceed $150,000 per year
97%
Source Text
“Salary support for the PD/PI (or combination of multiple PD(s)/PI(s)) may not exceed 3.0 person months (25% full-time) effort per year. The total Direct Costs for all personnel and consultants involved in the project may not exceed $150,000 per year.”
Costs to support full-time participants (40 hours/week for continuous 12-month period) are not allowable; R25 is not intended as substitute for NRSA institutional training programs
96%
Source Text
“Because the R25 program is not intended as a substitute for an NRSA institutional training program (e.g.,T32), costs to support full-time participants (supported for 40 hours/week for a continuous, 12-month period) are not allowable.”
Course must be intended for individuals above undergraduate level and involved in providing health care or disseminating health information; courses for undergraduate or lower-level students are non-r
95%
Source Text
“Proposed course is intended for students at or below the undergraduate level or for individuals who are not involved in providing health care or disseminating health information.”
Evaluation plan cannot collect data from individuals other than course participants (e.g., supervisors, patients); doing so may require IRB approval and is not appropriate for education programs
93%
Source Text
“Proposed Evaluation Plan describes collecting data from individuals other than course participants, such as their supervisors or patients, which is not considered appropriate for an education program and may require IRB approval at participants' institutions.”
Proposed course cannot be an adaptation of a current or previous NCI R25-funded course focusing on a different target population; such applications will be non-responsive
92%
Source Text
“Proposed course is an adaptation of a current or previous NCI R25-funded course that focuses on a different target population.”
Participant costs are restricted and cannot be re-budgeted to non-participant costs; must be itemized separately in budget
94%
Source Text
“Participant costs must be itemized in the Participant/Trainee Support Costs (Section E) of the requested budget and sufficient justification must be provided. Participant costs are restricted and cannot be re-budgeted to non-participant costs.”