Pilot Funds — Applications

Funds are available to UNM Cancer Center members multiple pilot grant award mechanisms.

Please contact UNMCC-PilotProgram@salud.unm.edu for any general questions. Contacts for each pilot program are listed below for more technical questions.

Below is the RFA information for each award. To print, click to drop down the information, then print as usual.

This template is for any pilot fund that asks for the Pilot Application Face Page in the submission:

Pilot Application Face Page Template

Pilot - Applications

Shared Resources RFA

Shared Resources Program Pilot Grant Award Program

APPLICATION GUIDELINES

Objective

The primary purpose of this pilot grant award mechanism is to provide funds for the use of UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center Shared Resources to promote cancer-relevant projects that are related to the goals of the Cancer Center Research Programs and Tumor Focused Clinical Working Groups. It is also intended to support the acquisition of preliminary data that will lead to external grant funding and published work. Awards will be made to projects that will use of the UNM Cancer Center Shared Resources listed below.

Analytical & Translational Genomics
Animal Models
Behavioral Measurement & Population Sciences
Bioinformatics & High-Dimensional Data Analysis
Biostatistics
Flow Cytometry & High Throughput Screening
Fluorescence Microscopy & Cell Imaging
Human Tissue Repository & Tissue Analysis

Eligibility

All Full Members of the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center are eligible to apply. Other Cancer Center members are eligible to apply if they apply with a full member as a Co-investigator.

Term of Funding

These awards are intended to provide funding for use of UNMCCC Shared Resources on innovative projects. Use of funds must occur within 1 year of awarding. Expenditures may begin at any time after the official start date but all funds must be expended within one year of receipt.

Successful applicants must produce a 1-2 page final report within 30-days of completing the project.

Awards may be up to $10,000 each. The number of projects awarded will depend on quality of applications and the availability of funds.

Key Dates

Application Due Dates: 7/15/22, 10/14/22, 2/10/23 and 5/12/23
Estimated Award Announcements: August, November, March and June
Estimated Earliest Start Dates: 9/1/22, 12/1/22, 4/1/23 and 7/1/23

Allowable Costs

The award(s) may only be used to purchase services from one or more of the UNMCCC Shared Resources listed above.

Format

Proposals should be submitted in one PDF file and include the following items:

Application Components

Application Face Page (2 pages). Complete the application’s face page and be sure to include a 100 to 150 word abstract typed in 11-point Arial font.
Narrative (2-page limit). The research project narrative must include the following content: (1) Hypothesis (2) Specific Aims (3) Background and Significance (4) Research Plan, (5) Proposed Shared Resource Usage, and (6) Plan for Future Grant Application(s) Using Data Garnered from Shared Resource Use.
Human Subject or Vertebrate Animals (if applicable) – Half page each (*see below)
Literature Cited (No page limit).
Biographical Sketches (new NIH format) Provide complete bio-sketches in NIH specific format for Investigator. A modified personal statement is not required for this application.
Budget and Budget Justification. The application must include a detailed budget and budget justification. The NIH version can be used: Form Page 4: Detailed Budget for Initial Budget Period: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html.
Letter of Support (BMPS only). For applications utilizing the Behavioral Measurement and Population Science (BMPS) Shared Resource please contact Dr. Dolores Guest DGuest@salud.unm.edu to set up a pre-meeting to discuss staffing needs as well as the availability of BMPS staff for your project and its intended timeframe. After this meeting, the BMPS Shared Resource will issue a LOS to be included in your application. Applications without a pre-meeting and subsequent LOS will not be considered for use in this Shared Resource.

* Proposals involving human subjects must have approval from the School of Medicine HRRC prior to funding.

* Proposals utilizing laboratory animals must submit a completed Laboratory Animal Utilization form prior to funding.

Application Process

Proposals should be submitted electronically in one PDF by 5PM on the due date to UNMCC-PilotProgram@salud.unm.edu. Late applications will not be accepted but additional calls may be issued if there are insufficient applications for the first call.
Application narratives should not exceed 2 single-spaced, typewritten pages. Note that the face page, references, biographical sketches, and budgets are not included in this page limit. Additional supportive attachments are allowed, but they must be pertinent (i.e. protocols, IRB/IACUC approvals, letters of support, etc…).
- Complete the face page in the template provided.
- The required font for the proposal is 11-point Arial.
- Margins must be at least 0.50 inches wide on all four sides of each page.
- Attach biographical sketches (new NIH format) for all key research personnel.
- If available, please attach copies of the IRB approval and approved protocols for the project. All applicants are encouraged to submit IRB applications at the same time as the funding application due the potentially long time-line for IRB approval. Funds will not be released without IRB approval.
Incomplete proposals or those that exceed the page limits (not including attachments) will not be considered.
The applications will be reviewed by UNMCCC Senior Leadership and invited content-expert members as needed.

Application Review Process

Proposals for the Shared Resource Usage Awards will be reviewed by UNMCCC Senior Leadership and selected ad hoc reviewers. All applications will be reviewed for specific scientific merit and for their appropriateness in meeting the scientific aims of the UNMCCC.

The following criteria will be considered in the review process:

Scientific merit
Technical soundness
Innovation
Potential for translation of research to the clinic or population
Transdisciplinary interaction
Potential for reducing cancer incidence and mortality
Collaborative interactions with other UNMCC members
Appropriateness of the proposed budget and potential for future NCI grant funding
Relevance to the UNMCCC catchment area (NM)

Each reviewer will assign a score of 1 (exceptional) to 9 (poor) for each of the standard NIH criteria, considering all of the above criteria.

Selection of Awardees

The UNMCCC Senior Leadership will make the final selections. Proposals with the best (i.e., lowest) mean priority scores will be considered for funding. Proposed budgets will be scrutinized and may be reduced at the discretion of the Senior Leadership. The maximum award is $10,000 for one year.

Applicants will be notified of award status upon senior leadership approval.

Award Management

All awardees will be required to submit, within 30-days of its expiration, a Research Grant Report (brief progress report). Awardees must update this information upon request from CC administration. All funds must be spent within the 12 month period; unused funds will be returned to the central Cancer Center budget for redistribution during the next budget cycle. If Senior Leadership terminates an award for non-compliance or non-performance, remaining balances will be returned to the central Cancer Center budget for redistribution within the next award cycle.

Change in Status of Awardee

Awards must remain solely with the designated awardee and cannot be transferred to any other personnel. If a recipient decides to discontinue his or her work in the Cancer Center, the award will be terminated as described above, and unused funds will be returned to the UNMCCC. Likewise, if an investigator awardee changes institutions during the funding period, the award cannot be transferred and the remaining balance will be returned to the central UNMCCC budget.

Expectations of Award Recipients

Recipients of these awards are expected to actively participate in UNMCCC activities such as seminars, meetings, and retreats. All correspondence should be sent to UNMCC-PilotProgram@salud.unm.edu including:

All required progress reports and all additional requests for updates for the Cancer Center Senior Leadership, and/or Administration.
A financial accounting of project funds.
Annual reports for up to 5 years of funding and publications (with PMCID numbers) resulting from the award.

Additionally, recipients are expected to appropriately acknowledge the pilot funding. All material derived from the research supported by UNMCCC funding that is published or presented must carry a statement that credits the Cancer Center Support Grant P30CA118100 and Shared Resources, where appropriate. Publications resulting from this award fall under the NIH Public Access Policy and must obtain a valid PMCID. Publications that cite the Cancer Center Support Grant funding will be included in progress reports to NCI.

Any questions about this pilot grant program should be directed to Dr. Alan Tomkinson at ATomkinson@salud.unm.edu

Postdoctoral and Graduate Support RFA

Postdoctoral Fellow and Graduate Student Matching Grant Award Program

APPLICATION GUIDELINES

Objective

The primary purpose of this pilot grant award program is to support postdoctoral fellows and graduate students who are carrying out cancer-focused research that advances the goals of the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center (UNMCCC) Research Programs and Clinical Working Groups.

Eligibility

Graduate students and postdoctoral fellows working in a lab headed by a UNMCCC Full Member are eligible to apply. It is possible for the applicant to have more than one mentor if the proposed research involves a collaboration between two or more Cancer Center members. Priority will be given to applications that enhance the development of research programs of new and junior Cancer Center members, as well as those that enable existing members to develop new areas of research and/or establish collaborations between Cancer Center members.

Term of Funding

These awards are intended to provide funding for innovative projects that can be completed within 1 year – funding for a second year may be possible and will be contingent on productivity during the initial funding period and competition with new applications. The number and amount of awards will depend upon the quality of the proposals received and available funding. Expenditures may begin at any time after the official start date but all funds should be expended within one year of receipt. Successful applicants must produce a 1-2 page 6-month progress report as well as a 2-3 page final report within 30-days of completing the project.

Awards may be up to $25,000 each. The number of projects awarded will depend on quality of applications and the availability of funds.

Key Dates

Cycle 1 and 2
Applications due: 7/15/22 and 2/10/23
Estimated Award Announcements: August and March
Estimated Earliest Start Date: 9/1/22 and 4/1/23

Allowable Costs

The award(s) should be used for postdoctoral fellow or graduate student salary support only. You must also provide evidence that the balance of salary will be covered from mentor(s) grant activity.

Format

Proposals should be submitted in one PDF file and include the following items:

Application Components:

Application Face Page (2 pages). Complete the application’s face page and be sure to include a 100 to 150 word abstract typed in 11-point Arial font.
Narrative (2-page limit). The collaborative research project narrative must include the following content: (1) Hypothesis (2) Specific Aims, (3) Background and Significance, (4) Innovation (5) Research Plan/Experimental approach.
Human Subjects or Vertebrate Animals (if applicable) – half page each (* see below)
Literature Cited (No page limit).
Biographical Sketches (new NIH format) Provide complete bio-sketches in NIH specific format for applicant and mentor(s). A modified personal statement is not necessary for this application.
Budget and Budget Justification. The application must include a budget outlining salary support requested and justification that the remainder of salary will be covered by mentor(s) grant activity.

* Proposals involving human subjects must have approval from the School of Medicine HRRC prior to funding.

* Proposals utilizing laboratory animals must submit a completed Laboratory Animal Utilization form prior to funding.

Application Process

Proposals should be submitted electronically in one PDF by 5 PM on the due date to UNMCC-PilotProgram@salud.unm.edu. Late applications will not be accepted but additional calls may be issued if there are insufficient applications for the first call.

Application narratives should not exceed 2 single-spaced, typewritten pages. Note that the face page, references, biographical sketches, and budgets are not included in this page limit. Additional supportive attachments are allowed, but they must be pertinent (i.e. protocols, IRB/IACUC approvals, letters of support, etc.).
- Complete the face page in the template provided.
- The required font for the proposal is 11-point Arial.
- Margins must be at least 0.50 inches wide on all four sides of each page.
- Attach biographical sketches (new NIH format) for all key research personnel.
- If available, please attach copies of the IRB approval and approved protocols for the project. All applicants are encouraged to submit IRB applications at the same time as the funding application due the potentially long time-line for IRB approval. Funds will not be released without IRB approval.
Incomplete proposals or those that exceed the page limits (not including attachments) will not be considered.
The applications will be reviewed by UNMCCC Senior Leadership and invited content-expert members as needed.

Application Review Process

The applications will be reviewed by two or more reviewers using the NIH 1-9 scoring system based on the review criteria described above. After discussion, the applications will be assigned an overall score and ranked.

Based on their ranking, applications recommended for further consideration will be selected. Applications recommended for further consideration will be evaluated by the UNMCCC Senior Leadership and then selected for funding.

Priority will be given to applications that enhance the development of research programs of new and junior Cancer Center members, as well as those that enable existing members to develop new areas of research and/or establish collaborations between Cancer Center members. The following additional criteria will be considered in the review process

Scientific merit and feasibility
Technical soundness
Innovation
Track record of applicants (publications, funding, awards/honors)
Compatibility with the scientific goals and strategic plan of the Cancer Center’s research programs and clinical working groups
Plan for obtaining extramural funding and description of how the pilot project will contribute to this

Each reviewer will assign a score of 1 (exceptional) to 9 (poor) for each of the standard NIH criteria, considering all of the above criteria.

Selection of Awardees

The UNMCCC Senior Leadership and other ad hoc reviewers will review all applications and make the selection of awardees. Applications will be assessed in the context of broad Center goals and the criteria outlined above. Proposals with the best (i.e., lowest) mean priority scores will be considered for funding. Proposed budgets will be scrutinized and may be reduced at the discretion of the Cancer Center Senior Leadership. The maximum award is $30,000 for one year. Funding for a second year may be possible and will be contingent on productivity during the initial funding period and competition with new applications.

Applicants will be notified of award status upon senior leadership approval.

Award Management

If awardees apply for and receive an additional year of funding, second year payments are contingent upon receipt of progress reports and publications and on their approval by the Senior Leadership. The progress report at the end of the first year of funding will be a component of a new application for the second year of funding. All funds must be spent within the 12 month period; unused funds will be returned to the central Cancer Center budget for redistribution during the next budget cycle. If the Senior Leadership terminate an award for non-compliance or non-performance, remaining balances will be returned to the Cancer Center budget for redistribution within the next award cycle.

Change In Status Of Awardee

Expectations of Award Recipients

Recipients of these awards are expected to actively participate in UNMCCC activities such as seminars, meetings, and retreats. Awardees will be expected to present their research findings at an applicable UNMCCC retreats and/or meetings if requested. All correspondence should be sent to UNMCC-PilotProgram@salud.unm.edu including:

All required progress reports (6-month, and final), and all additional requests for updates for the Cancer Center Senior Leadership, and/or Administration.
A financial accounting of project funds.
Annual reports for up to 5 years of funding and publications (with PMCID numbers) resulting from the award.

Any questions about this pilot program should be direct to Dr. Alan Tomkinson, ATomkinson@salud.unm.edu

Research Project Support RFA

APPLICATION GUIDELINES

Objective

The University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center (UNMCCC) competitively awards pilot grants to UNMCCC members to develop and/or advance cancer-relevant research projects across the full spectrum of research areas (basic, translational, pre-clinical/clinical, and population-focused research). The intention of these pilot awards is to enable UNMCCC members to develop preliminary data necessary for the submission of cancer-relevant external funding applications to the NCI, other NIH institutions, or other peer-reviewed funding sponsors. Priority will be given to projects which promote inter- and/or intra-programmatic collaborations and/or have the potential to lead to translation of our science to the clinic or population. Applicants should include a plan and timeline for submitting an extramural grant application that will be based upon data generated with the support of the pilot grant.

Eligibility

All UNMCCC Full Members in good standing are eligible to apply. In addition to Cancer Center Full Members, all UNM-associated faculty, as well as faculty at our collaborating institutions (LRRI, Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories) and community partners can also apply but must also apply with a Full Cancer Center Member as a Co-investigator. If interested in Cancer Center membership, please send an e-mail to UNMCC-PilotProgram@salud.unm.edu for more information on how to apply.

Key Dates

Cycle 1 and 2
Applications due: 7/15/22 and 2/10/23
Estimated Award Announcements: August and March
Estimated Earliest Start Date: 9/1/22 and 4/1/23

Terms of Funding & Allowable Costs

Research project funding awards will be for a one-year period. The budget should be reflective of the individual project’s needs up to a maximum budget of $100,000 (direct costs only). Budgets larger than $100,000 may be requested with justification but should be discussed with Dr. Alan Tomkinson prior to development of a full application. Funding is available for salaries and fringe benefits of post-doctoral fellows, students, technicians, and other non-faculty project personnel costs. Laboratory supplies and other related research non-personnel expenses are appropriate. Funds cannot be used for faculty salary support, the

purchase of large equipment, travel to scientific meetings (local research travel is allowed), office furniture and equipment, and/or computers.

Depending upon review and the project, funds may be distributed in smaller amounts with the meeting of specific metrics required before additional funds are released. Requests for a second year of funding (either with or without additional funds) will be considered based upon progress during the initial funding period and availability of funds. Expenditures may begin at any time after the official start date, but generally all funds should be expended within one year of receipt. Extensions will only be granted under extraordinary circumstances. Successful applicants are required to submit a 1-2 page 6-month progress report as well as a 2-3 page final report within 30-days of completing the project and must provide updates to the UNMCCC as requested about any publications and/or grants resulting from the pilot grant support for up to 5 years from the pilot project end date. The number of awards will depend on quality of applications and the availability of funds.

Application Components & Submission Process

Proposals should be submitted electronically with all of the components listed below in one PDF to UNMCC-PilotProgram@salud.unm.edu by 5:00pm MST on the due date. A complete application includes the following components:

Face Page (2 pages). Complete the application’s face page and be sure to include a 100 to 150 word research abstract typed in 11-point Arial font.
Project Proposal (3-page limit). Provide an outline of the proposed research project that will be supported by the award, including details on the team members and what each brings to the project. Include a section on the planned external peer-reviewed grant submission(s), outlining the mechanism and planned submission date. Literature cited may be included and does not count in the 3-page limit.
Budget and Budget Justification. The application must include a detailed budget and budget justification using the PHS 398 form pages.
Biographical Sketches (new NIH format). Provide bio-sketches in NIH specific format for the PI and other key members of the project. Modified personal statements are not necessary for this application.

* Proposals involving human subjects and/or animals must have approval from the School of Medicine HRRC and IACUC prior to funding.

Application Review Process

The applications will be reviewed by an ad hoc committee composed of UNMCCC Senior Leaders, Program Leaders, and UNM Faculty with appropriate expertise to evaluate the research project. The review criteria will be:

Scientific merit using NIH categories,; significance, impact, research plan, and track record of applicant(s).
Cancer relevance
Alignment of the proposed research with the overall goals of the UNMCCC and its research programs
Potential for success in securing future peer-reviewed funding for the project.

The review committee will make recommendations for funding to the Cancer Center Director.

Award Management & Change in Status of Awardee

All funds must be spent within the 12 month project period; unused funds will be returned to the Cancer Center. If an award is terminated for non-compliance or lack of progress, remaining balances will be returned to the Cancer Center. Award of additional requested funds is contingent upon receipt of progress reports and approval by Cancer Center Senior Leadership. Awards are not transferable and will be terminated once an awardee notifies the institution that they are leaving.

Expectations of Award Recipients

Recipients of these awards are expected to actively participate in UNMCCC activities such as seminars, research program and clinical working group meetings, and relevant retreats. All correspondence; such as required progress reports requested updates should be sent to UNMCC-PilotProgram@salud.unm.edu.

Additionally, recipients are expected to appropriately acknowledge the pilot funding. All material derived from the research supported by UNMCCC funding that is published or presented must carry a statement that credits the Cancer Center Support Grant P30CA118100 and Shared Resources, where appropriate. Additionally, all publications that result from these awards must abide by the NIH Public Access Policy and obtain a valid PMCID. Publications that cite the Cancer Center Support Grant funding will be included in progress reports to NCI.

Any questions about this pilot grant program should be directed to Alan Tomkinson, Associate Director, Basic Research (atomkinson@salud.unm.edu).

Focused Interactive Groups RFA

Focused Interactive Groups (FIGs) for the Development of Large, Programmatic Grant Applications

APPLICATION GUIDELINES

Objective

The primary purpose of this award mechanism Focused Interactive Groups (FIGs) for the Development of Large, Programmatic Grant Applications is to assist groups of Cancer Center investigators in the development of cancer-relevant collaborative projects that will be competitive for extramural funding as large multi-PI R01, P01 or SPORE grants or other similar sized extramural grant opportunities. Pilot projects must be a multidisciplinary collaboration between two or more Cancer Center members that links together existing areas of research strength and expertise within the Cancer Center and focuses on a problem that is related to the strategic goals of the Center and its research programs and clinical working groups. Projects may be across the full spectrum of research areas (basic, translational, pre-clinical/clinical, and population-focused research) and should have the ultimate goal of improving prevention, detection and treatment of cancers that impact the multi-ethnic populations served by the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center (UNMCCC). While proposals should make maximum use of the unique technologies and capabilities available at the UNMCCC through its shared resources and affiliated centers (i.e. STMC, CMD), applicants are also encouraged to identify and engage with collaborators at other cancer centers and institutions, who strengthen the project by bringing critical complementary expertise, capabilities and/or resources that are not available within the UNMCCC. Applicants should include a plan and timeline for submitting an application to one or more specific extramural grant funding mechanisms that will be based upon data generated with the support of the pilot grant.

Eligibility

All UNMCCC Full Members in good standing are eligible to apply and encouraged to form collaborative teams. These teams may include other UNM faculty, scientists at our affiliated institutions (LRRI, Sandia, and Los Alamos National Laboratories), faculty at other academic institutions and community partners.

Key Dates

Applications will be accepted on a continuous basis.

Terms of Funding

The maximum annual budget for a FIG pilot grant will be $200,000 per project unless approved in advance following discussion with Dr. Alan Tomkinson. It is envisioned that 2-3 years of funding may be required to develop competitive multi-PI grant applications. Applicants are encouraged to submit multi-year budgets tied to specific milestones/deliverables. Expenditures may begin at any time after the official start date, but generally, all funds should be expended within one year of receipt. It is envisioned that partial funds from the original multi-year budget will be made available to researchers with additional funds released upon successful meeting of milestones (key preliminary data, publications and submitted grant applications). In addition to reporting when specific milestones are reached, successful applicants are required to submit a 1-2 page progress reports every 6-months as well as a 2-3 page final report within 30-days of completing the project and must provide written and/or verbal updates to the UNMCCC as requested about any publications and/or grants resulting from the pilot grant support for up to 5 years from the pilot project end date.

The number of awards will depend on quality of applications and the availability of funds.

Allowable Costs

All funds requested must be justified based on involvement in a specific research project and linked to a planned grant application (with a specific date of submission indicated). Funding is available for salaries and fringe benefits of post-doctoral fellows, students, technicians, and other non-faculty project personnel costs. Laboratory supplies and other related research non-personnel expenses are appropriate. Funds can be requested to support studies at other institutions but cannot be used for faculty salary support, the purchase of large equipment, travel to scientific meetings (local research travel and travel to meet with external collaborators is allowed), office furniture and equipment, and/or computers.

Application Components & Submission Process

Proposals should be submitted electronically with all of the components listed below in one PDF to UNMCC-PilotProgram@salud.unm.edu. A complete application includes the following components:

Face Page (2 pages). Complete the application’s face page and be sure to include a 100 to 150-word abstract typed in 11-point Arial font.
Collaborative Project Proposal (5-page limit). Provide an outline of the proposed collaborative proposal, including details on the team members and what each brings to the proposal. The proposal should include milestones/deliverables and a timeline relating the milestones/deliverables to planned applications to specific extramural grant mechanisms. Literature cited is not included in the 5-page limit.
Budget and Budget Justification. The application must include a detailed budget and budget justification using the PHS 398 form pages for each of the requested projects.
Biographical Sketches (new NIH format). Provide bio-sketches in NIH specific format for the PI of each project and other key members of the projects. Modified personal statements are not necessary for this application.

* Proposals involving human subjects and/or animals must have approval from the School of Medicine HRRC and IACUC prior to funding.

Application Review Process

Scientific merit using NIH categories; significance, impact, research plan, and track record of applicant(s).
Cancer relevance
Alignment of the proposed research with the overall goals of the UNMCCC and its research programs
Potential for success in securing future peer-reviewed funding for the project.

The review committee will make recommendations for funding to the Cancer Center Director. Upon completion of review, applications selected for funding will be scheduled to meet with the Cancer Center Director and/or other key Senior Leaders to develop milestones for the project and determine the funds needed to reach the first milestone.

Award Management & Change in Status of Awardee

All funds must be spent within the 12-month project period; unused funds will be returned to the Cancer Center. If an award is terminated for non-compliance or lack of progress, remaining balances will be returned to the Cancer Center. Award of additional requested funds is contingent upon receipt of progress reports and approval by Cancer Center Senior Leadership. Awards are not transferable and will be terminated once an awardee notifies the institution that they are leaving.

Expectations of Award Recipients

Recipients of these awards are expected to actively participate in UNMCCC activities such as seminars, research program and clinical working group meetings, and relevant retreats. All correspondence, such as required progress reports requested updates, should be sent to UNMCC-PilotProgram@salud.unm.edu.

Additionally, recipients are expected to appropriately acknowledge the pilot funding. All material derived from the research supported by UNMCCC funding that is published or presented must carry a statement that credits the Cancer Center Support Grant P30CA118100 and Shared Resources, where appropriate. Additionally, all publications that result from these awards must abide by the NIH Public Access Policy and obtain a valid PMCID. Publications that cite the Cancer Center Support Grant funding will be included in progress reports to NCI.

Any questions about this pilot grant program should be directed to Alan Tomkinson, Associate Director, Basic Research (atomkinson@salud.unm.edu).

Bridge Funding Program RFA

APPLICATION GUIDELINES

Objective

The primary purpose of this bridge funding program is to support University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center (UNMCCC) members through a period of low external funding, thereby enabling them to continue their research program and regain external peer-reviewed funding.

Eligibility

All UNMCCC Full Members in good standing are eligible to apply. For awarded applicants who do not have an active Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between their home department and the Cancer Center, there may be negotiations between the Cancer Center and the department regarding the distribution of returned indirect costs from any extramural grants awarded as result of the bridge funding.

Term of Funding

Bridge funding awards will be for a one-year period with a maximum budget of $100,000 (direct costs only). Requests for a second year of funding will be considered based upon progress (publications and submitted grant applications) during the initial funding period and availability of funds. Expenditures may begin at any time after the official start date but generally all funds should be expended within one year of receipt. Successful applicants must produce a 1-2 page 6-month progress report as well as a 2-3 page final report within 30-days of completing the project.

The number of awards will depend on quality of applications and the availability of funds.

Key Dates

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis for this funding program.

Allowable Costs

All funds requested must be justified based on involvement in a specific research project and linked to a planned grant application (with a specific date of submission indicated). The maximum one-year budget will be $100,000 (direct costs only). Funding is available for salaries and fringe benefits of post-doctoral fellows, students, technicians, and other non-faculty project personnel costs. Laboratory supplies and other related research non-personnel expenses are appropriate. Funds cannot be used for faculty salary support, the purchase of large equipment, travel to scientific meetings (local research travel is allowed), office furniture and equipment, and/or computers.

Format

Proposals should be submitted in one PDF file and include the following items:

Application Components

* Proposals involving human subjects must have approval from the School of Medicine HRRC prior to funding.

* Proposals utilizing laboratory animals must submit a completed Laboratory Animal Utilization form prior to funding.

Application Process

Proposals are accepted on a rolling basis and should be submitted electronically in one PDF to UNMCC-PilotProgram@salud.unm.edu.
Funding Proposals should not exceed 3 single-spaced, typewritten pages. Note that the face page, references, biographical sketches, budgets and budget justifications are not included in this page limit. Additional supportive attachments are allowed, but they must be pertinent (i.e. protocols, IRB/IACUC approvals, letters of support, etc…).

Complete the face page in the template provided.
The required font for the proposal is 11-point Arial.
Margins must be at least 0.50 inches wide on all four sides of each page.
Attach biographical sketches (new NIH format) for the PI and other key members of the laboratory.
If pertinent, please attach copies of the IRB approval and approved protocols for the project. All applicants are encouraged to submit IRB applications at the same time as the funding application due the potentially long time-line for IRB approval. Funds will not be released without IRB approval.

Incomplete proposals or those that exceed the page limits (not including attachments) will not be considered.

Evaluation Criteria

Applicants will be evaluated on the following criteria:

Recent publication record (evaluted for the previous 5 years), submitted manuscripts and manuscripts in preparation;
Current and previous extramural funding (evaluated for the previous 5 years);
Recent grant submission activity with information about the fate of submitted applications, including study section critiques;
Commitment to submit applications with defined deadlines (priority will be given to applicants whose future grant applications will be submitted to the NCI and/or other NIH institutes; and
Contributions to the Cancer Center.

Application Review Process

The applications will be reviewed by an ad hoc committee composed of UNMCCC Senior Leaders, Program Leaders, UNM Faculty and an ad hoc external reviewer with appropriate expertise to evaluate past accomplishments and the potential for success in securing future funding. This review committee will make recommendations for funding to the Cancer Center Director.

Award Management

If awardees apply for and receive an additional year of funding, second year payments are contingent upon receipt of progress reports and any applicable publications and approval by Cancer Center Senior Leadership. All funds must be spent within the 12 month period; unused funds will be returned to the central Cancer Center budget for redistribution during the next budget cycle. If the Cancer Center Senior Leadership terminate an award for non-compliance or non-performance, remaining balances will be returned to the Cancer Center for redistribution within the next award cycle.

Change In Status Of Awardee

Awards must remain solely with the designated awardee and cannot be transferred to any other personnel. If a recipient decides to discontinue his or her work in the UNMCCC, the award will be terminated as described above, and unused funds will be returned to the UNMCCC. Likewise, if an investigator awardee changes institutions during the funding period, the award cannot be transferred and the remaining balance will be returned to the central UNMCCC budget.

Expectations of Award Recipients

Recipients of these awards are expected to actively participate in UNMCCC activities such as seminars, research program and clinical working group meetings, and retreats. All correspondence should be sent to UNMCC-PilotProgram@salud.unm.edu including:

All required progress reports, and all additional requests for updates from the Cancer Center Senior Leadership and/or Administration.

Additionally, recipients are expected to appropriately acknowledge the bridge funding. All material derived from the research supported by UNMCCC funding that is published or presented must carry a statement that credits the Cancer Center Support Grant P30CA118100 and Shared Resources, where appropriate. Publications that cite the Cancer Center Support Grant funding will be included in progress reports to NCI.

Any questions about this pilot grant program should be directed to Alan Tomkinson, Associate Director, Basic Research (atomkinson@salud.unm.edu).

Near Pay Line RFA

Developmental Funds Mechanism to Support Investigators with the Resubmission of Grant Applications with Scores Near the Pay Line

APPLICATION GUIDELINES

Objective

The primary purpose of this developmental funds pilot program mechanism is to support UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center (UNMCCC) investigators with the resubmission of grant applications that received initial scores near to the pay line (25th percentile or less).

Eligibility

All Full Members of the UNMCCC in good standing (meeting the criteria of the UNMCCC Participation Policy - must attend 50% or greater of their assigned programs’ official meetings, retreats and other research events on an annual basis) whose initial grant applications to the NIH were scored close to the pay line (25th percentile of less) and are planning a resubmission are eligible to apply. Applications that scored above the 25th percentile will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. The review committee will consider other funding available to the PI including UNMCCC start-up funds and pilot grants when making funding decisions.

Term of Funding

These awards are intended to support investigators with resubmission of grant applications to the NIH that were scored at the 25th percentile of less. These awards are for a 1-year period. Expenditures may begin at any time after the official start date but all funds must be expended within the award period and used to develop additional data needed for a successful resubmission of the original application. Resubmission must occur within 2 cycles. No cost extensions will not be allowed on this mechanism and funds not expended within one year will be returned to the UNMCCC. Successful applicants must produce a 2-3 page final report within 30 days of the award end date.

Awards will be based upon need and available funds with a $100,000 maximum (direct costs only).

Key Dates

• Application Due Date: Applications accepted on a rolling basis

Allowable Costs

The award should be used for expenses related to the resubmission of corresponding external grant application project only. Resubmission must occur within 2 cycles. The award should be used for research activities and cannot be used for faculty salary support or for the purchase of large equipment. Funding is available for salaries and fringe benefits of post-doctoral fellows, students, technicians, and other non-faculty project personnel costs. Laboratory supplies and other related research non-personnel expenses are appropriate with the exception of: travel to scientific meetings; office furniture and equipment; and, computers.

Format

Proposals should be submitted in one PDF file and include the following items:

Application Components

Cover Letter - please include: a. Project title
1. Original submission sponsor and submission date
2. Expected Resubmission date
3. Statement outlining the additional data/work to be performed and how it addresses the critiques from the original application and improves the changes of successful funding
External Award “Pink Sheet”
Budget Request and budget justification (using PHS398 budget forms) – this is required to set up selected awards

Application Process

Proposals should be submitted electronically in one PDF to UNMCC-PilotProgram@salud.unm.edu.
Incomplete proposals will not be considered.

Application Review Process and Selection of Awardees

Applications will be reviewed by UNMCCC Senior Leadership and invited ad hoc reviewers with appropriate expertise as needed. The most important review criteria will be the likelihood that the requested funds will lead to a successful extramural grant application. Based upon this review, recommendations for funding will be made by the UNMCCC Senior Leadership. Proposed budgets will be scrutinized and may be reduced at the discretion of the UNMCCC Senior Leadership. The maximum award is $100,000 for one year.

Applicants will be notified of award status following the review by Senior Leadership.

Award Management

All funds must be spent within the 1-year period of the award. Unused funds will be returned to the central Cancer Center budget for redistribution. If the Senior Leadership terminate an award for non-compliance or non-performance, remaining balances will be returned to the Cancer Center budget for redistribution within the next award cycle.

Change In Status Of Awardee

Expectations of Award Recipients

All required progress reports, and all additional requests for updates for the UNMCCC Senior Leadership, and/or Administration.
A financial accounting of project funds.
Annual reports for up to 5 years of funding and publications (with PMCID numbers) resulting from the award.

Any questions on this pilot grant project should be directed to Dr. Alan Tomkinson ATomkinson@salud.unm.edu

Offsetting Cuts RFA

Developmental Funds Mechanism for Investigators who’s Recently Awarded External Grant Applications Were Significantly Cut

APPLICATION GUIDELINES

Objective

The primary purpose of this developmental funds pilot program mechanism is to support UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center (UNMCCC) investigators whose recently funded, cancer-focused external grant applications had significant cuts (cut of 10% or greater) to the requested budget.

Eligibility

All Full Members of the UNMCCC in good standing (meeting the criteria of the UNMCCC Participation Policy - must attend 50% or greater of their assigned programs’ official meetings, retreats and other research events on an annual basis) who are awarded a cancer-focused, external peer-review funded grant with a budget cut of 10% or greater by the sponsor are eligible to apply. The UNMCCC member must also have a revised set of Specific Aims that are reduced in scope in response to the budget cut and have been approved by the sponsor. Preference will be given to grants from the NIH but other sponsors’ grants will be considered on a case-by-case basis. The review committee will consider other funding available to the PI including UNMCCC start-up funds and pilot grants when making funding decisions.

Term of Funding

These awards are intended to off-set cuts to investigator’s projects made due to general across the board cuts by the sponsor (cuts due to peer-review determining a particular component or aim of the project is not scientifically sound are not eligible). These awards are for a one-year period and it is anticipated that awardees will use the funds they receive from this mechanism to facilitate the submission of additional peer-review funding applications to cover the portions of their original project that cannot be completed due to the budget cut. A second year of funding may be possible on a case-by-case basis. This will require the submission of a new application outlining progress made towards obtaining additional peer-review funding. The number of awards is dependent upon the quality of the applications and the availability of funds within the UNMCCC. Expenditures may begin at any time after the official start date of the funded extramural grant but all funds must be expended within one year of receipt. No cost extensions will not be allowed on this mechanism and funds not expended within one year will be returned to the UNMCCC. Failure to expend funds during a previous award period will be considered reason to not award additional funds in later years. Successful applicants must produce a 2-3 page final report within 30-days of the award end date.

Awards may be for the amount of the direct cost cut in a single year up to a maximum of $100,000. The number of projects awarded will depend upon determination of the reason for the cut and the availability of funds within the UNMCCC.

Key Dates

• Application Due Date: Applications accepted on a rolling basis

Allowable Costs

The award should be used for expenses related to the corresponding external grant only. It is anticipated that awardees will use the funds they receive from this mechanism to facilitate the submission of additional peer-review funding applications to cover the portions of their original project that could not be completed due to the budget cut. The award should be used for research activities and cannot be used for faculty salary support or for the purchase of large equipment. Funding is available for salaries and fringe benefits of post-doctoral fellows, students, technicians, and other non-faculty project personnel costs. Laboratory supplies and other related research non-personnel expenses are appropriate with the exception of: travel to scientific meetings; office furniture and equipment; and, computers.

Format

Proposals should be submitted in one PDF file and include the following items:

Application Components

Cover Letter - please include:
1. Project title
2. External funding source
3. Total direct costs requested and amount and percentage of cut
4. Statement outlining the reduction in scope of original specific aims in response to the budget cut and how requested funds will be used to develop another grant application
External Award “Pink Sheet”
External Award Notice of Award
Copy of original and revised version of the Specific Aims submitted to sponsor
Copy of Originally Requested Budget
Budget Request and Justification (using PHS398 budget sheets) – this is required to set-up selected awards

Application Process

Proposals should be submitted electronically in one PDF to UNMCC-PilotProgram@salud.unm.edu.
Incomplete proposals will not be considered.

Application Review Process and Selection of Awardees

Applicants will be notified of award status follwong the review by Senior Leadership.

Award Management

Change In Status Of Awardee

Expectations of Award Recipients

All required progress reports, and all additional requests for updates for the UNMCCC Senior Leadership, and/or Administration.
A financial accounting of project funds.
Annual reports for up to 5 years of funding and publications (with PMCID numbers) resulting from the award.

Any questions about this pilot grant program should be directed to Alan Tomkinson ATomkinson@salud.unm.edu

Translational Research Seed Funding

Translational Research Seed Funding Mechanism

APPLICATION GUIDELINES

Objective

The University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center (UNMCCC) competitively awards seed funding to UNMCCC members to develop cancer-relevant research projects across the full spectrum of research areas (basic, translational, pre-clinical/clinical, and population-focused research). The specific intent of the Translational Research Seed Funding is to support collaborations between research investigators and clinicians. These collaborations should focus on developing preliminary data that will enable the submission of competitive cancer-relevant external funding applications or clinical trial proposals to the NCI, other NIH institutions, or other peer-reviewed funding sponsors. Priority will be given to projects which promote inter- and/or intra-programmatic collaborations in the UNMCCC and/or have the potential to lead to translation of our science to the clinic or community.

Eligibility

All UNMCCC members in good standing are eligible to apply. In addition to Cancer Center members, all UNM-associated faculty, as well as faculty at our collaborating institutions (LRRI, Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories) and community partners can apply, but must also apply for cancer center membership. If interested in Cancer Center membership, please send an e-mail to UNMCC-PilotProgram@salud.unm.edu for more information on how to apply.

All applications must include a clinical investigator and a non-clinical scientist. These individuals may serve as the study PI or as a co-investigator or collaborator. Clinical investigators are faculty or fellows with an MD or MD/PhD degree. Non-clinical scientists/investigators are faculty or fellows with an MD, PhD or MD/PhD degree who have a research appointment affiliated with the UNMCCC. Non-clinical investigators include laboratory-based researchers as well as population scientists or other cancer center members.

Key Dates

Calls for applications are released twice annually and will be sent to all UNMCCC members.

Letter of Intent Due Date: June 15, 2023

Notification of project selection for further development: June 30, 2023

Consultation with biostatistician and Translational Science Focus Group (TSFG) members for development of project aims and budget; regulatory submissions: July 1 - August 31, 2023

Start of funding period:* September 2023

* Proposals involving human subjects and/or animals must have approval from the School of Medicine HRRC and IACUC prior to funding.

Terms of Funding & Allowable Costs

The application process for these funds includes a period of project development in collaboration with the UNMCCC Biostatistics Shared Resource and the members of the Translational Science Focus Group (TSFG) to define the scope of the project and to obtain budget recommendations. Funds will be distributed following presentation of the final project aims during a TSFG meeting.

Research project funding awards will be for a one-year period. The budget will be developed in consultation with the TSFG and should be reflective of the individual project’s needs up to a maximum budget of $25,000 (direct costs only). Funding is available for salaries and fringe benefits of post-doctoral fellows, students, technicians, and other non-faculty project personnel costs. The use of UNMCCC Shared Resources is encouraged. Laboratory supplies and other related research non-personnel expenses are appropriate. Funds cannot be used for faculty salary support, the purchase of large equipment, travel to scientific meetings (local research travel is allowed), office furniture and equipment, and/or computers.

Requests for a second year of funding (either with or without additional funds) will be considered based upon progress during the initial funding period and availability of funds. Expenditures may begin at any time after the official start date, but generally all funds should be expended within one year of receipt. Extensions will only be granted under extraordinary circumstances. Successful applicants are required to submit a 1-2 page 6-month progress report as well as a 2-3 page final report within 30-days of completing the project and must provide updates to the UNMCCC as requested about any publications and/or grants resulting from the pilot grant support for up to 5 years from the pilot project end date. The number of awards will depend on quality of applications and the availability of funds but we estimate that two projects per funding period will be selected for development.

Application Components & Submission Process

Proposals should be submitted electronically with all of the components listed below in one PDF to UNMCC-PilotProgram@salud.unm.edu by 5:00pm MST on the due date. A complete application includes the following components:

Face Page (1 page). Complete the application’s face page.
Letter of Intent (1 page). A brief description of the goals of the project focusing on the research question being addressed and the potential for clinical translation.
Biographical Sketches and description of the research team (new NIH format). Provide bio-sketches in NIH specific format for key members of the project. Modified personal statements are not necessary for this application however please submit a separate page outlining the roles of each member of the study team.
Project Proposal, Budget and Budget Justification will be developed in collaboration with the TSFG and the biostatistics core for selected projects.

Application Review Process

The applications will be reviewed by the leadership of the Translational Science Working Group in consultation with UNM Faculty with appropriate expertise to evaluate the research project. The review criteria will be:

Scientific merit with a focus on significance, innovation, impact, and translational potential
Track record of the applicants with priority given to new collaborations between research scientists and clinical investigators and to inter-programmatic collaborations.
Cancer relevance
Alignment of the proposed research with the overall goals of the UNMCCC and its research programs
Potential for success in securing future peer-reviewed funding for the project.

The review committee will make recommendations for funding to the Cancer Center Director.

Award Management & Change in Status of Awardee

All funds must be spent within the 12 month project period; unused funds will be returned to the Cancer Center. If an award is terminated for non-compliance or lack of progress, remaining balances will be returned to the Cancer Center. Award of additional requested funds is contingent upon receipt of progress reports and approval by TSWG and Cancer Center Leadership. Awards are not transferable and will be terminated once an awardee notifies the institution that they are leaving.

Expectations of Award Recipients

Recipients of these seed fund awards are expected to actively participate inproject development in consultation with the TSFG and members of the Biostatistics Shared Resource. Full projects will be presented by the research team to the TSFG on the dates outlined above. A second presentation will be scheduled at the end of the funding period to allow participants to share results with the TSFG. Recipients of funding are also expected to actively participate in UNMCCC activities such as seminars, research program and clinical working group meetings, and relevant retreats. All correspondence; such as required progress reports and requested updates should be sent to UNMCC-PilotProgram@salud.unm.edu.

Additionally, recipients are expected to appropriately acknowledge the pilot funding. All material derived from the research supported by UNMCCC funding that is published or presented must carry a statement that credits the Cancer Center Support Grant P30CA118100 and Shared Resources, where appropriate. Additionally, all publications that result from these awards must abide by the NIH Public Access Policy and obtain a valid PMCID. Publications that cite the Cancer Center Support Grant funding will be included in progress reports to NCI.

Any questions about this pilot grant program should be directed to Sarah Adams, Associate Director, Translational Research (SAdams@salud.unm.edu).