University of Vermont Cancer Center Pilot Project
Request for Proposals - Pilot, Pre-Pilot, and Mini-Pilot Grants
Calendar Year 2027
The UVM Cancer Center (UVMCC) will provide funding for Pilot, Pre-Pilot, and Mini-Pilot grants to support cancer-related projects that are based in basic science, behavioral, clinical, computational, epidemiological, preventive, or translational research and that have the potential to lead to future extramural funding. Applications for all pilots will be evaluated using the following criteria:
- Quality of science (50%)
- Likelihood that the project will lead to success in future applications for significant extramural funding and impactful peer-reviewed publications (25%)
- Inter-programmatic proposal, use of shared resources (25%)
Eligibility
- Applicants for Pilots and Pre-Pilots must be UVMCC members.
- Mini-Pilots are restricted to UVM faculty who are not UVMCC Full or Associate members
- Applicants who have received UVMCC pilot award funding in the prior two years or those with current awards are ineligible.
- Individual faculty may participate in only one grant submission.
Funding
- Award amounts will range from $15,000 - $50,000 depending on pilot type.
- Available awards include two (2) Pilots, two (2) Pre-Pilots, and one (1) Mini-Pilot.
Details
- Applications are due by 11:59pm on Friday, October 9, 2026
- All applications should be submitted through InfoReady at https://go.uvm.edu/2027pilots
- First-time users please see account registration instructions at lower left of log-in page. If you are affiliated with the University of Vermont, please use your uvm.edu email to create a single sign-on account.
- Proposals will undergo an initial administrative review to confirm eligibility and then will undergo full scientific review by a designated committee.
- Award notifications will be sent out by the end of November and pilot funding will begin on January 1, 2027.
- For additional application guidelines, please visit: https://go.uvm.edu/2027pilots
Questions?
For questions, please contact the UVMCC Grants Team.
Request for Proposals: American Cancer Society – Institutional Research Grant Pilot Project Awards
General
Request for Proposals: American Cancer Society – Institutional Research Grant Pilot Project Awards
University of Vermont Cancer Center (UVMCC) and
MaineHealth Cancer Care Network (MHCCN)
Institutional Cancer Research and Career Development Program
The University of Vermont Cancer Center (UVMCC) in collaboration with the MaineHealth Cancer Care Network (MHCCN) will provide funding for a pilot award through the American Cancer Society (ACS) – Institutional Research Grant (IRG) program. This program supports the development of early-stage investigators by providing funding opportunities, mentorship, and resources to facilitate impactful cancer research and to help establish independent research careers.
Eligibility
Applicants must be junior investigators who do not yet have an R01 or equivalent grant and who are within six years of their first independent research or faculty appointment.
Funding
One $40,000 pilot award is available.
Details
- Applications are due by 11:59pm on Friday, October 9, 2026
- All applications should be submitted through InfoReady at https://go.uvm.edu/acsirg-fall26
- First-time users please see account registration instructions at lower left of log-in page. If you are affiliated with the University of Vermont, please use your uvm.edu email to create a single sign-on account.
- Proposals will undergo an initial administrative review to confirm eligibility and then will undergo full scientific review by a designated committee.
- Award notifications will be sent out by the end of November and pilot funding will begin in December 2026.
- For additional application guidelines, please visit: https://go.uvm.edu/acsirg-fall26
- Applicants needing assistance in identifying mentors for the research should contact the UVMCC Director Randall.Holcombe@med.uvm.edu or the Associate Director for Cancer Research Education and Training Coordination Alan.Howe@med.uvm.edu.
Questions?
For questions, please contact the UVMCC Grants Team.
UVM Cancer Center Summer Student Fellowships in Cancer Research
General Information
Application process for 2024 has closed. Please check back in Spring 2025 for information on Summer 2025 program.
The UVM Cancer Center is supporting Summer Student Fellowships in Cancer Research. Under this program students will receive a stipend of $3,000 for cancer-related basic, clinical/translational, or population science research conducted over an 8-12 week period under the mentorship of a UVM Cancer Center Full, Associate, Clinical or Core Clinical Member (see directory of Cancer Center membership at: https://uvmcommunity.uvm.edu/portal/uvmcc_members)
Eligibility
Eligible candidates are medical students, nursing students and graduate students in LCOM, CNHS or the UVM Graduate College (masters or doctoral levels). Students with alternative salary or stipend support for the summer are not eligible for this program.
Application Details
An application should be submitted jointly by the student and mentor and should include the following:
- Brief description of the proposed research project (one page)
- Description of the student’s current position, qualifications, role in the project and how participation will further the student’s career goals (no more than one page)
- Mentor’s NIH style biosketch
Applications will be reviewed by the University of Vermont pilot award committee and must be submitted at https://uvm.infoready4.com/#competitionDetail/1863406
Mentor Information
Students wishing to participate who need assistance in identifying a mentor should contact one of the research program leaders for guidance.
Each mentor may submit only one application. Similarly, each student may submit only one application. Funding is available for up to 13 projects for the summer of 2022.
Each mentor of a funded proposal will receive $1000 for project related expenses.
Questions?
Questions? Please contact crtec@med.uvm.edu
Past Awardees
Clinical Investigator Development Initiative (CIDI)
General Information
The University of Vermont Cancer Center (UVMCC) will provide support of 25% effort for 2 years (at NIH cap) for one clinician to facilitate productivity and career development as clinician investigators.
UVMCC seeks to promote the development of investigator-initiated cancer-focused interventional (non-observational) clinical trials, and enrollment to cancer clinical trials overall, in order to provide the best opportunities for patients with or at risk for cancer. Academic development and assistance of clinician investigators supports this goal.
Eligibility
Faculty scientist or assistant professor faculty, (or associate professor faculty within the first two years at rank) who are engaged in human subjects research and are UVM Cancer Center members, are eligible to apply.
Funding
Successful candidates will be awarded funds to support 25% of faculty effort (at NIH cap) for 2 years to engage in cancer-focused scholarly activity. Successful candidates will also be provided with $50,000 for costs associated with utilization of the UVMCC Clinical Trials Office (CTO) or other costs, including but not limited to study-related laboratory testing, statistics, community outreach and survey costs.
Questions?
For questions, please contact the UVMCC Grants Team.
Clinical Investigator-Initiated Therapeutic Trial Opportunity (CIITTO)
General Information
The University of Vermont Cancer Center (UVMCC) will provide support of 20% effort for a clinician to facilitate productivity and career development as a clinician investigator.
UVMCC seeks to promote the development of investigator-initiated cancer-focused therapeutic clinical trials in order to provide the best opportunities for patients with cancer. Academic development and assistance of clinician investigators supports this goal.
Eligibility
Faculty level (assistant, associate or full professor) UVM Cancer Center members with UVM Medical Center medical staff privileges are eligible to apply.
Funding
Successful candidates will be awarded funds to support 20% of faculty effort to engage in cancer-focused scholarly activity. Awardees will also receive $20,000 to support regulatory, data management and clinical research coordination through the UVMCC Clinical Trials Office.
Questions?
For questions, please contact the UVMCC Grants Team.
Investigator-Initiated Therapeutic Trial Incentive (IITTI)
General Information
The University of Vermont Cancer Center (UVMCC) will provide support of $15,000 for therapeutic trial proposals for up to 2 investigators. These funds will support regulatory, data management and clinical research coordination through the UVMCC Clinical Trials Office.
UVMCC seeks to promote the development of investigator-initiated cancer-focused therapeutic clinical trials in order to provide the best opportunities for patients with cancer. Academic development and assistance of clinician investigators supports this goal.
Eligibility
Faculty level UVM Cancer Center members who are licensed providers in the State of Vermont are eligible to apply.
Funding
Successful candidates will be awarded $15,000 to cover UVMCC Clinical Trials Office costs associated with trial implementation and conduct of new therapeutic investigator-initiated trials.
Questions?
For questions, please contact the UVMCC Grants Team.
Industry Trialist Awards
General Information
The University of Vermont Cancer Center will provide 10% salary support of for one individual to serve as Master Trialist for the UVM Cancer Center. Support will be provided for two consecutive one-year terms, with evaluation of productivity after year 1 to assess for continued year 2 support.
UVMCC seeks to promote enrollment to therapeutic and other interventional clinical trials in order to provide the best opportunities for patients with cancer. Academic development and assistance of clinician investigators supports this goal.
Eligibility
Faculty level (assistant, associate or full professor) UVM Cancer Center members who have UVM Medical Center medical staff privileges are eligible to apply
Funding
The University of Vermont Cancer Center will provide 10% salary support of for one individual to serve as Master Trialist for the UVM Cancer Center. Support will be provided for two consecutive one-year terms, with evaluation of productivity after year 1 to assess for continued year 2 support.
Questions?
For questions, please contact the UVMCC Grants Team.