Revision Applications for Incorporation of Novel NCI-Supported Technology to Accelerate Cancer Research (P01 Clinical Trial Optional) | RFA CA 20 024

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA CA 20 024

Revision Applications for Incorporation of Novel NCI-Supported Technology to Accelerate Cancer Research (P01 Clinical Trial Optional) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Cancer Institute (NCI) funding opportunity (RFA-CA-20-024; CFDA 93.394) designed specifically for teams that already hold an active NCI P01 Program Project Grant. Rather than funding brand-new P01s, this announcement supports revision applications (previously called competing revisions) that add a clearly defined expansion to the parent P01. The central expectation is that the revision will speed up or strengthen progress on the existing P01 by bringing in a new technology or technical approach that was developed with support from NCI's Innovative Molecular Analysis Technologies (IMAT) program. In practical terms, the revision should show how an IMAT-developed instrument, platform, assay, analytic method, or comparable innovation will be incorporated into one or more projects within the P01 to either broaden the original research questions or accelerate the parent study's trajectory.

A major goal of the announcement is to incentivize independent validation of emerging IMAT technologies. That emphasis matters because many novel tools look promising in early development settings but still need rigorous testing in independent, real-world research environments before broader communities will adopt them. This FOA is meant to bridge that gap by encouraging P01 teams to use their established scientific infrastructure, samples, expertise, and collaborative networks to evaluate whether an IMAT-supported technology is robust, reproducible, and genuinely useful for cancer research applications. By doing so, the program aims to move technologies closer to being "ready" for wider use, while also helping the parent P01 deliver results faster or answer questions that were not feasible under the original methods.

The opportunity also sits within the broader IMAT mission of stimulating interdisciplinary collaboration. Many cutting-edge cancer research technologies depend on cross-training and partnership between engineers, physical scientists, computational experts, and cancer biologists or clinicians. This FOA encourages P01 programs to build or deepen those bridges by bringing technology innovators and cancer research teams together in a way that produces tangible improvements to research capability and scientific discovery. The "Clinical Trial Optional" designation signals that the revision may include a clinical trial component if it fits the goals and is appropriate, but it is not required; applicants can propose either non-clinical or clinical research activities as long as they align with NIH and NCI rules for the parent award and the proposed revision.

Eligibility is broad in terms of organization types, but it is anchored to a key constraint: the applicant must be a currently funded NCI P01 program project that is seeking a revision. Eligible applicant organizations include many domestic entities such as state, county, city, township, and 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; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other categories listed in the announcement. The FOA also explicitly highlights additional eligible groups 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, Indian/Native American tribal governments other than federally recognized, and U.S. territories or possessions.

At the same time, the FOA draws clear boundaries around foreign involvement. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations and foreign institutions) are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply. However, foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed, meaning a U.S. applicant may include certain foreign elements or collaborations if they meet NIH definitions and requirements and if the work is justified as part of the overall scientific plan.

From a funding perspective, the announcement is a discretionary grant mechanism under the education and health activity category. The listed award ceiling is $150,000, indicating the maximum amount expected per award under this FOA. The original closing date shown in the source information is September 29, 2020, and the creation date is December 20, 2019. While those dates are important for historical context, anyone considering a similar application would need to verify whether the FOA is still active, has been reissued, or has had its dates and terms updated through NIH systems.

Overall, the opportunity is best understood as a targeted add-on pathway for existing NCI P01 teams that want to integrate a specific IMAT-supported technology into an already funded cancer research program. The revision should not be a side project unrelated to the parent grant; it is meant to directly extend the original aims or meaningfully accelerate the parent study by enabling new measurements, improving analytic performance, increasing throughput, enhancing sensitivity or specificity, or otherwise unlocking research capabilities that the existing methods cannot provide. The intended payoff is twofold: faster or more powerful science within the P01, and stronger evidence that promising IMAT technologies are ready for adoption by the broader cancer research community.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Revision Applications for Incorporation of Novel NCI-Supported Technology to Accelerate Cancer Research (P01 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.394.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2019-12-20.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-09-29. (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 $150,000.00 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 RFA CA 20 024

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