NCI Outstanding Investigator Award (R35) | PAR 17 494

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 17 494

The NCI Outstanding Investigator Award (R35), listed under Funding Opportunity Number PAR-17-494, is a National Institutes of Health grant program designed to provide longer-term, more stable support for highly accomplished cancer researchers. It is open to applications in any area of cancer research and is meant for investigators who already have strong track records of productivity and impact. The central idea is to back exceptional scientists with the freedom and runway to pursue ambitious, potentially high-reward research that might be difficult to sustain under shorter, more narrowly defined grant mechanisms.

A key goal of this award is to create space for investigators to take on greater scientific risk. Instead of forcing researchers to stay tightly bound to conservative aims or incremental steps, the R35 is intended to help them be more adventurous, explore new directions, and invest time in developing novel methods or techniques. The expected outcome is research that breaks new ground or pushes previous discoveries into new applications, with the potential to generate major advances in biomedical, behavioral, or clinical cancer research. In practice, this mechanism is aimed at enabling projects that could plausibly lead to breakthroughs, not just steady progress.

Institutional involvement is built into the structure of the opportunity. Rather than being framed solely as an individual investigator-initiated submission, the program anticipates that an institution will nominate established Program Directors/Principal Investigators (PDs/PIs) to apply for the award. This emphasis signals that applicants should be well-established researchers with demonstrated leadership and a compelling record, and it also suggests institutions may play a role in selecting and supporting nominees as part of their research strategy.

Eligibility is broad across many types of organizations. Entities that can apply include state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations (including those other than federally recognized tribal governments); public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and small businesses. The announcement also highlights additional eligible applicant categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions.

At the same time, the FOA draws clear lines around non-U.S. participation. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations and foreign institutions) are not eligible to apply directly, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply. However, foreign components are allowed as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, meaning that while the applicant organization must be eligible and U.S.-based, certain project elements may involve foreign collaborations or activities if they meet NIH policy requirements and are appropriately justified.

From the funding details provided, the opportunity is categorized as discretionary and uses a grant funding instrument. It falls within the Education and Health activity category and is associated with CFDA number 93.393. The listed award ceiling is $600,000, reflecting the upper limit noted in the source data. The original closing date shown is November 28, 2017, and the record creation date is September 28, 2017, which is important context for anyone looking at this specific posting as a historical FOA rather than a currently open competition.

Overall, this R35 opportunity is best understood as an NCI mechanism for sustaining top-tier cancer investigators over a longer horizon, reducing funding uncertainty, and enabling bolder research strategies. It is positioned for established scientists with strong records who can make a convincing case that flexible, stable support will allow them to pursue unusually promising lines of inquiry that could meaningfully shift the cancer research landscape.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NCI Outstanding Investigator Award (R35)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.393.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-09-28.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2017-11-28. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $600,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

Apply for PAR 17 494

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