TO:
Deans, Department Chairpersons, Department Heads, Division Heads, Principal
Investigators, Junior & Senior Faculty, Administrators, and Supervisors
FROM:
Madeleine A. Kane, M.D., Ph.D., Chair, American Cancer Society Institutional
Research Grant Committee
SUBJECT:
Call for Applications for American Cancer Society Institutional Research Grants
(ACS IRG)
DEADLINE: Monday, November 9, 2015 - 5:00 PM MST (No exceptions)
FUNDING ANNOUNCEMENT
The purpose of this grant program is to support the development of exceptional research
projects that will help lead to the conquest of cancer and further the objectives of the CU Cancer
Center. Funding for these grants is contingent upon funding by the American Cancer Society
Institutional Research Grant or the Cancer Center.
Studies in all areas of cancer research (laboratory, clinical, prevention and control, and
psychosocial cancer research) will be considered for funding.
ACS IRG GRANTS
The spirit of these grants is to entice young faculty to pursue cancer-related research problems.
ACS IRG grants are reserved for those applicants who are in their first few years as junior
faculty members (Instructors and Assistant Professors) and who are in the process of
establishing independent cancer research programs. Applicants cannot have received prior, or
hold current, major funding from a national peer-reviewed source (NIH, NSF, ACS, AHA, DOD,
etc.). Priority will be given to those applications which demonstrate promise to lead to further
funding through conventional support mechanisms.
ACS IRG funds can be used to support project-related expenses only. Funds cannot be used
for salary support for the PI. Applications for novel clinical projects and for community-based
projects are particularly encouraged in addition to basic science projects.
Awards will be made for a maximum of $30,000 for one year, beginning January 1, 2016.
These grants are not renewable, but a one-year no-cost extension may be requested.
APPLICATIONS
Guidelines and the application forms are available on line at
http://www.ucdenver.edu/academics/colleges/medicalschool/centers/cancercenter/Research/membe
rs/funding/SeedGrants/Pages/SeedGrants.aspx or by e-mail request to
Amy.Nickerson@ucdenver.edu.
CU Cancer Center Membership is encouraged but not required. Application forms are available on
the Cancer Center website at the following link
http://www.ucdenver.edu/academics/colleges/medicalschool/centers/cancercenter/Research/membe
rs/membership/Pages/membership.aspx
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Award Type: ACS Institutional Research Grant
Sponsor: American Cancer Society
Maximum Award: $30,000 directs (no indirect costs awarded)
Eligibility: Instructor or Assistant Professor (cannot have received major peer-reviewed funding
already.
Special Requirements:
-Letter of commitment from division/department chair
-No major grant support
-UCD or UCB faculty or other UCCC member institution
Citizenship Requirements: U.S. Citizen of Permanent Resident
APPLICATION DEADLINE: 5:00 PM Monday, November 9, 2015 (No exceptions)
Electronic submission of pdf file emailed to Amy Nickerson at Amy.Nickerson@ucdenver.edu.
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APPLICATION GUIDELINES
Applications which do not adhere to the following strict page format will not be considered.
Applications must have at least one-inch margins. Font size must be no less than 12 point
Times New Roman or 11-point Arial and must not exceed an average of 12 characters per
inch.
All applicants for all award types should use the attached ACS forms.
Face Page (Form Page 1). Provide the name of the Principal Investigator, including academic
position, school, department, contact information and CU Cancer Center membership status.
Summary - (Form Page 1). Applications must include a summary of the project not to exceed
one-half page of single-spaced type. It should consist of a brief description of the hypothesis,
objectives, rationale, methods, and expected results.
Budget (Form Page 2). A detailed, categorical budget request for the project must be
provided. A copy of the ACS Budget Guidelines is included for guidance on ACS IRG budgets.
Only direct costs are allowed. Salaries and fringe benefits for technical support may be
included. Justification should be included for all costs. Requests for travel funds or for
items of major equipment (cost per item exceeding $1,000) will require detailed justification.
Funds will not be provided to pay for clinical services or other expenses that are reimbursable
costs. ACS IRG awards will not exceed $30,000. The use of Cancer Center shared resources
to support each research effort is strongly encouraged.
Cancer Relevance Information (Form Page 3). Self-explanatory. Cancer relevance must be
described for the project.
Biographical Sketch (Form Page 4 or NIH Form 398). A biographical sketch (Form Page 4)
should be included for the Principal Investigator(s), and any other key personnel (collaborators,
Co-PIs, co-sponsors, etc). NIH Form 398 may be substituted for Form Page 4. Do not exceed
2 pages.
Other Support (Form Page 5). For each PI and all key personnel for whom a biosketch is
included, provide a complete list of all current and pending research support, including Agency,
project title, award amount (annual direct costs and total project direct costs), period of award
and Principal Investigator. Overlap with the present application must be defined and justified.
NIH Other Support sheets may be substituted for Form Page 5.
Description of Research Proposed (Form Page 5). A complete but concise description of the
project must be included. This portion of the application should contain the Specific Aims (no
more than 1/2 page), Rationale and Background (limited to 1 page), Preliminary Studies (limited
to 1-1/2 pages), Experimental Design and Methods (limited to 3 pages), and any other
information required to fully describe the proposed work. The Project Plan should be no more
than a total of 6 typed pages, including figures, tables and other relevant data. (Do not send
more than 1 preprint/reprint. Do not send an appendix.)
Significance. The importance of the proposed work, its relevance to cancer, its translational
impact, the potential for further research and the potential for securing future funding for the
project must be clearly and concisely stated (limited to 1/2 page).
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References. References should be limited to two pages.
Other Factors and Assurances. Applicants may include a concise description of any other
factors that should be considered in evaluation of the proposal, for example, specialized
resources or equipment available to the study, collaborative arrangements (verified by letter of
agreement), etc. A letter of support from the chair or division head is required, stating the
independence of the applicant and the unit’s commitment to the applicant (e.g., research space,
salary, etc).
If the study involves human subjects, vertebrate animals, or recombinant DNA research, the
Principal Investigator must certify that, if a grant is awarded, he/she will adhere to appropriate
regulations, including approval of the study by the properly constituted Institutional Review
Board, Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, and/or Biosafety Committee. Funds may
not be expended until documentation of the required approval(s) is provided.
Research Promotion Form (Form Page 6). Self-explanatory.
PUBLICATIONS
All publications, abstracts, or similar communications resulting from work supported by ACS
IRG funds must acknowledge this support by inclusion of the statement: "Supported (in part) by
a research grant from the American Cancer Society".
FINAL REPORT
Recipients must submit a final report summarizing the results of their studies supported by
the grant, including plans for, or results of, attempts to secure additional funding for the project,
and copies of all publications resulting from the work. Final reports will be requested at the
conclusion of the grant period. Annual updates are required for four years (These are critical for
successful ACS IRG renewals). Failure to submit a final report could jeopardize future funding
to the individual and/or the institution.
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Applications must be submitted electronically in PDF format (Adobe Acrobat). The
electronic copy must include all letters and other attachments in the order specified on
the preceding pages as this copy will be provided to the reviewers.
The PDF file should be submitted to Amy.Nickerson@ucdenver.edu no later than 5:00 p.m.
Monday November 9, 2015.
QUESTIONS/CONCERNS:
Contact:
E-mail:
Dr. Madeleine Kane
madeleine.kane@ucdenver.edu
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ACS BUDGET GUIDELINES
EXPENDITURES ALLOWED

Research supplies and animal maintenance

Technical assistance

Domestic travel when necessary to carry out the proposed research program

Publication costs, including reprints

Costs of computer time

Special fees (pathology, photography, etc.)

Stipends for graduate students and postdoctoral assistants if their role is to promote and
sustain the project presented by the junior faculty member

Equipment costing less than $2,000. Special justification is necessary for items exceeding
this amount, and permission must be obtained from the Society’s Extramural Grants
Department for the purchase of such equipment

Registration fees at scientific meetings
EXPENDITURES NOT ALLOWED

Secretarial/Administrative salaries

Salary of Principal Investigator

Student tuition and student fees including graduate and undergraduateForeign Travel;
special consideration will be given for attendance at scientific meetings held in Canada

Honoraria and travel expenses for visiting lecturers

Foreign travel (special consideration given for attendance at scientific meetings held in
Canada)

Books and periodicals except for required texts for coursework in the approved training plan
for MRSGs.

Per diem charges for hospital beds

Non-medical services to patients (travel to a clinical site or patient incentives are allowable
expenses)

Office and laboratory furniture

Office equipment and supplies

Construction, renovation, or maintenance of buildings/laboratories

Rental of office or laboratory space

Recruiting and relocation expenses

Due and membership fees in scientific societies
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2015
American Cancer Society Institutional Research Grants
GRANT APPLICATION - FACE PAGE (Form Page 1)
Principal Investigator:
Name and Degree(s)
Academic Position:
School:
Department:
Campus Mailing Address (Including Mailstop):
E-mail:
Cancer Center Member:
Telephone:
______Yes
______No
Project Title:
Summary (Do not exceed the space allotted below)
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______Pending
American Cancer Society
Institutional Research Grant (IRG)
Application for an Allocation (Form Page 2)
PROJECT TITLE:
INVESTIGATOR:
(Name, Degree, Title)
(Department/School)
AMOUNT REQUESTED: $
Project Period: _
__ to
BUDGET PROPOSED:
A. Personnel
B. Permanent Equipment
C. Supplies
D. Other Expenses:
Total: $____________
BUDGET JUSTIFICATION (Use additional sheets as needed.
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Application for an Individual Allocation from
American Cancer Society
Institutional Research Grant (IRG)
Cancer Relevance Information (Form Page 3)
Name of Applicant:
ACS donors and volunteers are interested in tracking expenditures of the Society’s research dollars. Often, donors
prefer to support priority areas or research on specific types of cancer. Please check the boxes that apply to your
application. You may choose more than one, but please indicate the percent effort on each category.
I. Priority Areas (choose one or more areas)
Prevention
(includes
Nutrition/Tobacco
Control)
Detection
Treatment
Cause/Etiology
Total Effort
100%
II. Organ Sites (Choose one or more)
Breast
Prostate
Lung
Colon/rectum
Leukemia
Lymphoma
Ovary
Other (please list)
None
Total Effort (0 to 100%)
III. Please check below if your application deals with:
Poor or Under-served Populations
Psychosocial and Behavioral, Health Policy or Health Services Research
Childhood Cancer Research
IV. Lay Audience Summary (Briefly describe in non-scientific language, how your project relates to cancer in
general or specifically to one or more of the above categories)
Title of Project:
Summary:
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Biographical Information
Form Page 4
Last name, first name (with degrees)
Date of birth
Citizenship status (of Principal Investigator only):
_________ U.S. citizen or non-citizen national
_________ Permanent alien resident (attach notarized evidence as described in
Instructions)
Major research interest:
Education
Institution/location
Degree/year conferred
Field of study
Training
Title
Title
Mentor
Institution/location
Appointments
Institution/location
Selected Publications (use continuation page if necessary)
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Dates
Dates
Biographical Information, Continued.
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American Cancer Society
Institutional Research Grant (IRG)
Form Page 5
RESEARCH SUPPORT (For each key person. Use additional sheets as needed):

Active

Pending
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DESCRIPTION OF RESEARCH PROPOSED (Maximum total six pages. Minimum font size 12 pt Times New
Roman or 11-point Arial):
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American Cancer Society
Institutional Research Grant (IRG)
Research Promotion Form (Form Page 6)
If your application for an American Cancer Society grant is funded, our National Home Office will work with your
local American Cancer Society Division to announce your success. The following information will be used to
determine your interest in working with the Society to promote your grant and/or research to the media and the
general public. Thank you for your cooperation.
Name:
Institution:
Telephone:
Fax:
E-mail Address:
Please answer the following questions.
1. The American Cancer Society would like to distribute a news release to local media announcing your grant.
Please list newspapers, newsletters, alumni publications, or other publications you would recommend
receive the release.
2. If you are conducting research, are you willing to discuss your project(s) with the media?
Yes
No
3. Would you assist your local ACS Division or Unit by speaking at Society-sponsored events, for example,
fundraising, professional or public education, Board or committee meetings?
Yes
No
4. Would you assist your local ACS Division or Unit by serving as an expert in your research or professional
field and/or as a member of a speaker’s bureau?
Yes
No
5. Would you assist your local ACS Division or Unit in fundraising events - for example, organizing a team to
participate in the Relay for Life?
Yes
No
6. If there are other ways you would like to assist the Society, please list them below.
7. Please provide the name and telephone number of the person in your department who would be
responsible for coordinating publicity for you with the local American Cancer Society.
Signature
Date
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