Pilot Grant Awards

Pilot Grant Awards

Funding opportunity number

PICR-PIL-FY2026-01

Funding opportunity title

Pilot Grant Awards

Key dates	Cycle 1	Cycle 2
Announcement:	August 26, 2025	November 11, 2025
Due:	October 24, 2025	January 23, 2026
Award amount:	Up to $25,000 for single investigator proposals and up to $50,000 for multi-investigator proposals.	Up to $25,000 for single investigator proposals and up to $50,000 for multi-investigator proposals.

Administrative contact

Doug Cuttell (dcuttell@purdue.edu)

Funding opportunity description

The Executive Committee of the Purdue Institute for Cancer Research (PICR) will allocate funds to support innovative, cancer-focused grants from collaborative teams (preferred) or single investigators. Collaborative teams are emphasized due to the likelihood that these intra- and inter-disciplinary collaboration can lead to multi-PI project grants. Having members with multi-PI grants are of particular importance when being evaluated by the NCI for our competing renewal every 5 years.

Projects that utilize the PICR shared resources are also highly desired. Preliminary data are not required. Funding for this opportunity is supported by generous donations by the Indiana Elks and other donors through gifts and endowment funds to the PICR.

All areas of cancer research relevant to the mission of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) are appropriate for projects submitted to this opportunity announcement. Writing for a broad cancer-focused review panel is encouraged.

Submit your electronic application by 5 p.m. on the cycle due date. No exceptions. The electronic submission system will not allow applications beyond the deadline. Once here you can enter your Purdue e-mail and password.

Qualifications/Restrictions:  All applicants (PIs, co-PIs, and co-investigators) requesting funds to conduct the proposed work must be current members of the PICR. Co-investigators from other institutions and NCI-designated cancer centers may be included as collaborators but funds will not be distributed to other institutions, and these individuals cannot be used to qualify a proposal for a multi-investigator designation. Only one application per PICR member as PI, co-PI, or co-Investigator is allowed. No exceptions.

Cost share: This announcement does not require cost sharing.

Funds Available and Anticipated Number of Awards: The number of awards is contingent upon PICR endowments, gifts and other funds and the submission of meritorious applications.

Award Budget: The proposal will be funded at a level appropriate for the proposed work, but will not exceed $25,000 for a single investigator or $50,000 for multi-investigator (2 or more investigators) proposals. 

Award Project Period: Work should commence within less than two (2) months of the date of award. A project period of twelve (12) months or less is suggested. Spending will be monitored. If the regulatory process exceeds three (3) months, the award may be terminated and the applicant asked to re-apply.

Award Restrictions: The budget cannot be used for PI salary support, clerical staff support or travel. If justified, equipment less than $2,500 is allowed.

Award Requirements: Acceptance of an award will indicate your willingness to serve on the PICR’s Pilot Grants Review Committee for at least two consecutive cycles and to possibly represent the PICR at the annual Indiana Elks Convention and other philanthropic events.The awardee MUST acknowledge the PICR. Suggested publication acknowledgement: “The authors gratefully acknowledge the and support from the <insert shared resource name/funding mechanism> Purdue University Institute for Cancer Research, P30CA023168”

Award Setup: The PICR Business office will set up one account per award under the Lead PI. Account setup can take up to 4 weeks to complete.

No Cost Extension (NCE): No-cost-extensions are highly discouraged and will only be granted in rare cases and on a case-by-case basis. Requests must be made to the administration of the PICR in writing and well in advance of the project completion date. The PICR is very interested in making sure the project is advancing and achieving funding and scholarly production for its NCI renewal.

Regulatory: Please note the award is contingent upon obtaining all of the necessary regulatory approvals (e.g., IRB, IACUC, PACUC) or a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) pertaining to the work that has pending approvals.

Reporting: Responding to periodic request of progress is required.  Triage of future applications may occur if reporting requests are ignored.

Proposal Guidelines:

1. Proposal Length: The proposal should be single-spaced and a maximum of four pages in length (Arial, 11pt) with no less than 0.5 inch margins.
2. Required Proposal Structure:
   1. Title, Applicant(s) name, Applicant(s) program
   2. Specific Aims (included in the 4-page proposal)
   3. Significance/Innovation and Cancer Relevance: This section should emphasize the novel, creative and/or innovative aspects, and importantly the cancer relevance.
   4. Approach: In addition to describing the scientific plan, the integration of collaborative science is important and the relevant expertise of the team. Describe the collaborative nature of the project and provide strong evidence for the scientific integration of the contributions from the various participants, where applicable.
   5. Environment: List the shared resource(s) or other Purdue cores that will be used to add value to the science proposed in the application, if applicable.
   6. Timeline and Specific Outcomes: Describe the expected outcomes and evidence that it will be ready to start within two (2) months.  Please describe or outline your plan and expected outcomes/results for collecting the preliminary data necessary for attracting peer-reviewed funding and publications.
3. For the electronic submission, the items to upload should include (all combined into 1 file):
   1. Four-page proposal
   2. Cited literature (not included in page limit, (NIPL))
   3. NIH Biosketch (including collaborators, NIPL)
   4. Current and Pending Funding (NIPL)   

 Review Criteria:

1. The primary review criteria is similar to NIH review criteria:
   1. Significance
   2. Innovation
   3. Cancer Relevance
   4. Approach
   5. Environment
   6. Integration of Collaborative Science (where applicable)
   7. Potential to Attract Peer-Review Funding and Peer-Review Publications
2. The appropriateness of the budget requested for supplies, where applicable.
3. Productivity from previous internal awards will be assessed and weighted appropriately.
4. Reviewers could consist of senior/program leaders, members or external experts. Writing for a broad cancer-focused review panel is encouraged.

Announcement history and updates

Funding opportunity number	Summary of change
PICR-PIL-FY2026-01	Initiation of announcement