Applications for Pilot and Exploratory Projects in Palliative Care of Cancer Patients and Their Families

The American Cancer Society is welcoming applications for Pilot and Exploratory Projects in Palliative Care of Cancer Patients and Their Families.

According to ACS, the development of the specialty of palliative medicine is a critical step in addressing the unmet needs of patients with serious illness and their families. Pilot data are typically needed before funding agencies (e.g., NIH, VA, or the American Cancer Society) will consider funding a research project. In an effort to support clinician investigators conducting patient-oriented research in palliative care, the American Cancer Society (ACS), in parallel with the National Palliative Care Research Center (NPCRC), is soliciting applications for pilot/exploratory research grants in palliative care for cancer patients and their families. These grants will generate the pilot data necessary to maximize an investigator's chances of successfully competing for larger grants.

To that end, through this RFA, awarded grants will provide funding for investigators to perform pilot and exploratory research studies with the purpose of testing interventions, developing research methodologies, or exploring novel areas of research in palliative care for cancer patients and their families. A condition of funding is a clearly defined plan as to how the investigator will use the results of the project to develop larger, extramurally funded research projects. This RFA is limited to applications that focus on palliative care research projects for seriously ill cancer patients and their families in three specific areas: exploring the relationship of pain and other distressing symptoms on quality and quantity of life, independence, function, and disability and developing interventions directed at their treatment in patients with advanced and chronic illnesses; studying methods of improving communication between cancer survivors living with serious illness with their families and health care providers; and evaluating models and systems of care for patients living with advanced illness and their families.

Grants of up to $60,000 per year (direct costs) plus 20 percent indirect costs for up to two years will be awarded. Salary support for the Principal Investigator may not exceed 20 percent of the direct costs.

Applications may be submitted by not-for-profit institutions located within the United States, its territories, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Applicants must hold a doctorate degree (MD, PhD, or equivalent) and have a full-time faculty position or equivalent at a college, university, medical school, or other fiscally responsible not-for-profit organization within the United States. Independent investigators at all stages of their career are eligible to apply.

For complete program guidelines and application instructions, see the American Cancer Society website.