Global Implementation Science for Equitable Cancer Control (GlobalISE Cancer Control, U54 Clinical Trial Optional) | RFA CA 22 019

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA CA 22 019

The Global Implementation Science for Equitable Cancer Control (GlobalISE Cancer Control, U54 Clinical Trial Optional) opportunity is a National Cancer Institute (NCI) funding announcement designed to strengthen cancer control in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) by creating and supporting implementation science centers. The central idea is not to invent brand-new cancer interventions from scratch, but to improve how proven, evidence-based cancer control interventions are actually adopted and sustained in real-world LMIC settings. These interventions can include programs, screening or treatment tools, policies, clinical guidelines, or other established approaches that already have evidence behind them, but face practical barriers when introduced into everyday health systems.

This FOA focuses on implementation science, meaning the funded work is expected to study and test strategies that help overcome real-world challenges to putting evidence into practice. The research emphasis is on identifying, developing, and evaluating innovative, theory-based implementation strategies that address barriers to adoption, adaptation, integration into routine care, scale-up across sites or regions, and long-term sustainability. In practice, this could mean studying how health facilities can reliably deliver screening programs, how ministries of health can roll out guideline-based care, how communities can be engaged to increase uptake, or how systems can maintain quality over time when resources and infrastructure are constrained.

Awards are made as U54 Specialized Centers under a cooperative agreement mechanism. A cooperative agreement generally means the funder (NIH/NCI) is expected to have substantial involvement during the project period, often through scientific partnership, coordination expectations, shared milestones, or other programmatic engagement beyond what is typical of a standard grant. The “Clinical Trial Optional” label indicates that applicants may propose research that includes clinical trials if appropriate, but clinical trials are not required. The activity category is listed under Education and Health, reflecting that the program is both research-focused and capacity-building oriented.

A defining requirement is that each center must be built around transdisciplinary research teams that work in meaningful collaboration with stakeholders who influence or are affected by cancer control delivery. The FOA explicitly names stakeholders such as health systems, ministries of health, clinicians, and communities. This signals a strong expectation that funded centers will not operate as isolated academic units, but as embedded or closely partnered entities that co-develop and test implementation approaches with the organizations responsible for delivering care and public health programs. Another key requirement is LMIC leadership: applications must include at least one Principal Investigator (PI) or Multiple Principal Investigator (MPI) from an LMIC-based institution, reinforcing the goal of LMIC-based capacity and locally grounded research leadership.

The broader program goal is to foster sustainable LMIC-based implementation science programs that can generate practical evidence to improve cancer control. In other words, the FOA aims to leave behind durable capability, not just a set of one-off projects. That includes building research capacity, developing local expertise in implementation science methods, strengthening partnerships with decision-makers, and producing actionable findings that can inform national or regional cancer control strategies.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S. and non-U.S. organizations. Eligible applicants listed include state, county, city, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses; and other entities. The FOA also highlights additional eligible applicant categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations). This wide eligibility aligns with the program’s emphasis on cross-sector partnerships and the need to anchor centers within LMIC contexts while still allowing collaboration with U.S.-based or other international partners.

Key administrative details from the source information include the Funding Opportunity Number RFA-CA-22-019, administered by the National Institutes of Health, with CFDA numbers 93.242, 93.394, and 93.399. The funding instrument type is a cooperative agreement. The listed award ceiling is $750,000 (as provided in the source data). The original closing date shown is 2022-11-08, and the creation date is 2022-08-02. Overall, the opportunity is structured to fund multi-component centers that combine implementation science research with capacity-building and stakeholder-engaged partnerships, with the explicit aim of making evidence-based cancer control interventions more feasible, scalable, and sustainable across LMIC health systems.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Global Implementation Science for Equitable Cancer Control (GlobalISE Cancer Control, U54 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.242, 93.394, 93.399.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2022-08-02.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-11-08. (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 $750,000.00 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 22 019

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