Current Funding Opportunities

Through our research program, Komen awards grants to support cutting-edge breast cancer research that will provide the greatest benefit to patients. We’re focused on conquering metastatic and aggressive breast cancers, advancing personalized breast care and eliminating breast cancer disparities and inequities. Our goal is to improve breast health care and outcomes for everyone and save lives.

Each year, we release Request for Applications (RFA) to communicate which grant mechanisms and scientific focus areas are available for funding. The types of mechanisms and the scientific focus areas may vary from year to year. Check out our latest research funding opportunities below!

2024-2025 (FY25) Request for Applications (RFA) – A Supplement to Promote Inclusion for Research Excellence (ASPIRE) Grants

RFA Release Date: September 5, 2024
Application Deadline: November 4, 2024 at 1:00pm ET

ASPIRE grants are intended to enhance the diversity of the breast cancer research workforce by providing established breast cancer scientists with supplemental funding to support research trainees from communities historically minoritized and marginalized in research. A breast cancer research workforce that represents the breast cancer community is one way to work towards health equity and better outcomes for all. By supporting these promising trainees early in their research careers, Komen seeks to ensure that a diverse group of highly trained scientists who reflect the communities we serve will emerge as the next generation of leaders in breast cancer research and end breast cancer forever.

ASPIRE GRANT TERMS: Applicants/Primary Investigators (PIs) may request funding of up to $100,000 per year to cover a trainee’s salary for one year or two years.

ASPIRE Eligibility: Lead mentor must have a currently funded breast cancer research project that has undergone a rigorous peer review. Trainees supported with this supplement are from groups shown to be historically minoritized and marginalized in biomedical research from National Science Foundation data. This includes individuals who identify as Black or African American, Latino or Hispanic, American Indian or Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islanders; individuals with disabilities; and individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds according to the criteria used by the NIH (Get the Facts | Diversity in Extramural Programs (nih.gov). Eligibility for disadvantaged background will be measured using the same characteristics as the NIH, i.e., at least two of the criteria must be met to be included.

Download the current ASPIRE Application Announcement and Instructions (PDF) for more details

Susan G. Komen Career Transition Awards (CTA) aim to help outstanding senior postdoctoral fellows and clinical fellows, working under the guidance of a mentor, to launch their competitive, independent breast cancer research careers. These awards provide up to five years of funding in two phases: Phase 1 supports the final years of mentored, postdoctoral training and Phase 2 supports the independent research of the early career, tenure-track investigators.

CTA GRANT TERMS: Applicant/PI may request up to 5 years of funding totaling up to $650,000.00 over the two phases of the Award. Up to $100,000.00 per year (direct costs only) for up to two years may be requested for the first phase of the Career Transition Award to support the postdoctoral work. For the second phase of the Career Transition Award, the Applicant/PI may request up to $150,000.00 per year (direct and indirect costs) for up to three years to support independent research.

CTA Eligibility: Individuals pursuing independent breast cancer research careers who are in the final years of mentored postdoctoral research training positions with no more than five years of total postdoctoral research experience at the time of Letter of Intent submission (August 7, 2024). For this application clinical fellows are considered eligible and equal to the postdoctoral rank.

CTA Research Focus: Research projects must be hypothesis-driven, breast cancer-focused studies. They may be considered basic, translational, clinical and/or population science in nature and should align with Komen’s research goals and priorities and mission to save lives from breast cancer.

2024-2025 (FY25) CTA Letter of Intent Announcement – Limited Submission Opportunities

• Letter of Intent (LOI) Announcement Release Date: June 12, 2024
• Institution Opt in Deadline: June 26, 2024
• LOI Submission Deadline: August 7, 2024 at 1:00pm ET
• Invitation to submit an Application: August 21, 2024 at 1:00pm ET

CTA Limited Submission & Nomination Process: Each institution may submit up to two nominees to apply for each funding opportunity, if at least one of the two nominees identifies as someone from groups shown to be historically minoritized and marginalized in biomedical research from National Science Foundation data, including Blacks or African Americans, Hispanics or Latinos, American Indians or Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders, and individuals with disabilities, as well as individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. Institutions must respond to missiongrantsadmin@komen.org by June 26, 2024, to indicate that they are opting-in to the institutional nomination process. Prior to the LOI submission deadline (August 7, 2024), institutions that have opted in must provide Komen with the name(s) and email address(es) of the 1 or 2 applicants (based on eligibility requirements) being nominated to apply for funding. Institutions will receive a link(s) that their nominee(s) may use to submit the required documents for LOI submission.

Download the current Career Transition Awards LOI Announcement (PDF) for more details

Susan G. Komen Career Catalyst Research (CCR) Grants have fostered promising breast cancer researchers who are in the early stages of their faculty careers by providing support for up to three years of “protected time” for research career development under the guidance of a Mentor Committee. We seek to support those who will emerge as the next key leaders in the fight against breast cancer.

CCR GRANT TERMS: Applicants/Primary Investigators (PIs) may request funding of up to $150,000 per year (combined direct and indirect costs) for up to three years ($450,000).

CCR Eligibility: Applicants/PIs must currently hold a full-time faculty appointment or have a formal offer letter from the Institution that confirms position and start date by the Application due date (October 9, 2024). Applicants/PIs must not have held any faculty appointment, including non-tenure and tenure track appointments combined, for more than a total of 6 years by the Application due date (October 9, 2024).

CCR Research Focus: Research projects must be hypothesis-driven, breast cancer-focused studies. They may be considered basic, translational, clinical and/or population science in nature and should align with Komen’s research goals and priorities and mission to save lives from breast cancer.

2024-2025 (FY25) CCR Letter of Intent Announcement – Limited Submission Opportunities

CCR Limited Submission & Nomination Process: Each institution may submit up to two nominees to apply for each funding opportunity, if at least one of the two nominees identifies as someone from groups shown to be historically minoritized and marginalized in biomedical research from National Science Foundation data, including Blacks or African Americans, Hispanics or Latinos, American Indians or Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders, and individuals with disabilities, as well as individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. Institutions must respond to missiongrantsadmin@komen.org by June 26, 2024, to indicate that they are opting-in to the institutional nomination process. Prior to the LOI submission deadline (August 7, 2024), institutions that have opted in must provide Komen with the name(s) and email address(es) of the 1 or 2 applicants (based on eligibility requirements) being nominated to apply for funding. Institutions will receive a link(s) that their nominee(s) may use to submit the required documents for LOI submission.

Download the current Career Catalyst Research LOI Announcement (PDF) for more details

Komen Application and Review Process

For CTA and CCR, Susan G. Komen® utilizes a multi-step approach to grant application and review that first requires submission of a Letter of Intent and upon invitation only, submission of an Application.  Applicants/PIs will be notified of Letter of Intent review decisions via email. Applicants/PIs invited to submit an Application will then be granted access to the Application site in proposalCENTRAL.  For ASPIRE, Susan G. Komen® accepts Applications in a single-step process.

Applicants will be notified of intent to fund on or around April 15, 2025. All institutions must agree to adhere to Komen’s Policies and Procedures for Research and Training Grants. A copy of the latest version of these awards is found with the other documents for the LOI or Application in proposalCENTRAL. 