American Cancer Society-Institutional Research Grants
The American Cancer Society (ACS)-Institutional Research Grant (IRG) is the major source of support at Vanderbilt University for young investigators building cancer research programs. These funds provide seed money to support junior faculty members with an interest in cancer research who do not have national grant support of their own or who have not received prior support from the IRG. The ACS defines junior faculty as investigators at the rank of assistant professor or equivalent who are eligible to apply as a principal investigator for grant support from national agencies. Eligible investigators must be within six years of their first independent faculty appointment. Awards are made for a one-year project period and the maximum allocation is limited to $40,000. If sufficient progress has been made toward the project goals, IRG support may be renewed for an additional year. Funds are available to all schools at Vanderbilt University.
Description of Program
Applications are being solicited for support by the American Cancer Society‐Institutional Research Grant (IRG). These funds are designed to provide seed money to support junior faculty members with an interest in cancer research who do not have external grant support. The ACS defines junior faculty as investigators at the rank of assistant professor or equivalent who are eligible to apply as a principal investigator for grant support from national agencies (e.g., NIH, ACS, NSF). New ACS guidelines allow IRG support to be renewed if the review committee feels that sufficient progress has been made toward the project goals. Eligible investigators must be within six (6) years of their first independent faculty appointment.
Funds are available to faculty from all schools at Vanderbilt University and Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Individual allocations are limited to a maximum of $40,000. The earliest possible start date for this funding cycle will be June 1, 2026 – May 31, 2027.
Deadline for applications is Monday, November 9th by 11:59 pm CST.
For further information, please contact Caroline Hartford at caroline.hartford@vumc.org.
ACS-IRG Important Documents
Description of Program
More information.
Application Instructions
More information.
Application Packet for Fall 2026
More information.