Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA CA 27 021
The Sustained Support for Informatics Technologies for Cancer Research and Management (U24 Clinical Trial Optional) opportunity (RFA-CA-27-021) is a National Institutes of Health cooperative agreement aimed at keeping proven, widely used cancer informatics tools and resources running effectively while ensuring they continue to evolve with the needs of the cancer research community. Rather than funding brand-new tool creation, the focus here is on long-term operations and sustainment of existing high-value informatics resources that already demonstrate real-world impact. The overall goal is to strengthen how cancer-related data and knowledge are acquired, managed, analyzed, and shared across the full cancer research spectrum, including basic cancer biology, diagnostics and treatment, early detection, risk assessment and prevention, and cancer control and epidemiology.
This NOFO sits within the National Cancer Institute’s Informatics Technology for Cancer Research (ITCR) program, which supports informatics across the technology lifecycle. In that lifecycle, this specific solicitation targets the sustainment phase: the practical, ongoing work required to keep a resource reliable, scientifically relevant, and useful to researchers over time. Applicants are expected to make a clear case for why the resource warrants continued support, what benefits it has already delivered to cancer research, and how continued maintenance and incremental modernization will keep advancing the field. Because this is a cooperative agreement (U24), recipients should also expect substantial programmatic involvement from NIH/NCI compared with a standard grant, reflecting an emphasis on stewardship, accountability, and alignment with community needs.
A strong application is expected to show convincing evidence that the technology has already had significant impact on cancer research and that the proposed sustainment plan will continue to drive progress. The NOFO emphasizes that successful projects must go beyond simply keeping a tool online; they should include thoughtful plans for maintaining quality, reliability, usability, and scientific relevance as data types, workflows, and research priorities shift. The resource should be positioned as a community-facing asset, not a one-off project used only by the developers or a small circle of collaborators.
End-user support is a core requirement. Applicants need robust plans for documentation, training, outreach, and other activities that help researchers adopt and correctly use the resource. This typically means practical deliverables like user guides and tutorials, onboarding materials, helpdesk or support workflows, webinars or workshops, and communication channels that keep users informed about updates. Just as important, the NOFO expects clear and credible processes for engaging users on an ongoing basis so the resource can respond to emerging needs. That might include user groups, advisory boards, feedback loops, surveys, issue tracking, community calls, or co-development pathways that ensure the tool remains aligned with real research problems and stays relevant to the communities it serves.
The scope of supported resources is broad, covering informatics technologies that enable discovery biology, population-based studies, and clinical or translational research. What matters most is demonstrated adoption and value to cancer research, plus a realistic, well-structured plan for continued operations and improvement. In other words, the emphasis is on sustainment of mature resources with a track record, not on speculative development.
From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary funding opportunity using the cooperative agreement funding instrument, within the health funding activity category. The CFDA program numbers listed are 93.393, 93.394, 93.395, 93.396, and 93.399. The application due date is October 19, 2026. The expected number of awards is 2, and the listed award ceiling is $600,000 (as provided in the opportunity summary).
Eligibility is broad and includes many organization types such as state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other eligible entities. International participation is explicitly allowed: non-U.S. organizations may apply, non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are eligible, and foreign components (as defined by NIH policy) are permitted.
Overall, this NOFO is best understood as a sustainment and stewardship program for cancer informatics infrastructure that the community already relies on. It prioritizes demonstrated impact, dependable operations, strong user support and training, and continuous community engagement so that established tools remain durable, modern, and scientifically valuable across the evolving cancer research landscape.Apply for RFA CA 27 021
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Sustained Support for Informatics Technologies for Cancer Research and Management (U24 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.393, 93.394, 93.395, 93.396, 93.399.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-05-21.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-10-19. (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.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 2 candidate(s).
- 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.
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FAQs: Sustained Support for Informatics Technologies for Cancer Research and Management (U24 Clinical Trial Optional) (RFA-CA-27-021)
What is this funding opportunity?
This opportunity, titled Sustained Support for Informatics Technologies for Cancer Research and Management (U24 Clinical Trial Optional) (RFA-CA-27-021), is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) cooperative agreement focused on sustaining proven, widely used cancer informatics tools and resources so they continue operating effectively and evolve with the cancer research community.
What is the main purpose of the award?
The main purpose is long-term operations and sustainment of existing high-value informatics resources that already demonstrate real-world impact, with an emphasis on maintaining reliability, usability, quality, and scientific relevance as the field changes.
Is this opportunity meant to fund brand-new tool development?
No. The focus is not on creating brand-new tools. It targets sustainment of mature resources with a track record of adoption and value to cancer research, along with incremental modernization to keep them useful over time.
Which NIH/NCI program does this NOFO fall under?
This NOFO is within the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Informatics Technology for Cancer Research (ITCR) program, which supports informatics across the technology lifecycle. This specific solicitation targets the sustainment phase of that lifecycle.
What does "sustainment phase" mean in the context of ITCR?
In this context, sustainment refers to the practical, ongoing work required to keep an established informatics resource reliable, scientifically relevant, and useful to researchers over time, including maintenance and incremental modernization rather than speculative development.
What kinds of research areas does this opportunity support?
The goal is to strengthen how cancer-related data and knowledge are acquired, managed, analyzed, and shared across the full cancer research spectrum, including basic cancer biology, diagnostics and treatment, early detection, risk assessment and prevention, and cancer control and epidemiology.
What types of informatics resources are in scope?
The scope is broad and includes informatics technologies that enable discovery biology, population-based studies, and clinical or translational research. The key factor is demonstrated adoption and value to cancer research, paired with a realistic plan for continued operations and improvement.
What is the funding instrument for this award?
This is a cooperative agreement (U24). That structure reflects an emphasis on stewardship, accountability, and alignment with community needs.
What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement (U24)?
As a U24 cooperative agreement, recipients should expect substantial programmatic involvement from NIH/NCI compared with a standard grant. This is tied to the program's focus on active stewardship, ongoing accountability, and ensuring the resource stays aligned with community needs.
Are clinical trials required?
The opportunity is labeled "Clinical Trial Optional," indicating that proposing a clinical trial is not required under this notice of funding opportunity based on the information provided.
What makes an application strong for this NOFO?
A strong application is expected to show convincing evidence that the technology has already had significant impact on cancer research and that the proposed sustainment plan will continue to drive progress. It should go beyond simply keeping a tool online by addressing quality, reliability, usability, and scientific relevance as data types, workflows, and research priorities shift.
What evidence of impact is expected?
Applicants are expected to make a clear case for why the resource warrants continued support, including what benefits it has already delivered to cancer research. The emphasis is on demonstrated real-world impact and adoption rather than potential future value alone.
Does the resource need to be community-facing?
Yes. The resource is expected to be positioned as a community-facing asset, not a one-off project used only by the developers or a small circle of collaborators.
Is user support required?
Yes. End-user support is described as a core requirement, with expectations for robust plans that help researchers adopt and correctly use the resource.
What kinds of user support activities are expected?
Examples mentioned include documentation, training, outreach, and practical deliverables such as user guides and tutorials, onboarding materials, helpdesk or support workflows, webinars or workshops, and communication channels to keep users informed about updates.
How should applicants engage the user community over time?
The NOFO expects clear and credible processes for ongoing user engagement so the resource can respond to emerging needs. Examples include user groups, advisory boards, feedback loops, surveys, issue tracking, community calls, and co-development pathways.
Is simply keeping a tool online enough?
No. The NOFO emphasizes that successful projects must go beyond basic uptime and include plans to maintain and improve quality, reliability, usability, and scientific relevance as the field evolves.
What is the application due date?
The application due date listed is October 19, 2026.
How many awards are expected?
The expected number of awards is 2.
What is the maximum award amount?
The listed award ceiling is $600,000, as provided in the opportunity summary.
What is the funding activity category?
This is described as a discretionary funding opportunity within the health funding activity category.
Which CFDA program numbers are associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA program numbers listed are 93.393, 93.394, 93.395, 93.396, and 93.399.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes (as listed) state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits (501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other eligible entities.
Are international (non-U.S.) organizations eligible?
Yes. International participation is explicitly allowed: non-U.S. organizations may apply, non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are eligible, and foreign components (as defined by NIH policy) are permitted.
What is the overall goal of the program?
The overall goal is to strengthen how cancer-related data and knowledge are acquired, managed, analyzed, and shared across the cancer research spectrum by sustaining and stewarding informatics infrastructure that the community already relies on.
What is the central theme of this NOFO in plain terms?
This NOFO is best understood as a sustainment and stewardship program for cancer informatics tools and resources that are already widely used. It prioritizes demonstrated impact, dependable operations, strong training and user support, and continuous community engagement so established tools remain durable, modern, and scientifically valuable.
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