Current Funding Opportunities

Through our Research Program, Komen evaluates and invests in science and technology that will accelerate research discoveries to change the standard of breast cancer care and improve the delivery of that care. We’re focused on conquering aggressive and metastatic breast cancers and eliminating breast cancer disparities. Our goal: to advance personalized medicine and improve health outcomes for everyone.

Each year, we release Request for Applications or Letter of Intent (LOI) Announcements 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.

ASPIRE: A Supplement to Promote Inclusion for Research Excellence

Despite progress in breast cancer research and patient care, not everyone is benefitting from the scientific advances and improvements in breast cancer care and outcomes. This new Susan G. Komen grant is 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.

Award amount: up to $80,000 per year to cover a trainee’s salary for one year or two years.

Eligibility: Lead mentor must have a currently funded breast cancer research project that has undergone a rigorous peer review by either Susan G. Komen, the Department of Defense, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) or the National Science Foundation (NSF). Trainees supported by this supplement must be from one or more the following racial and ethnic groups that have been shown to be underrepresented in biomedical research, as per data from the 2021 US National Science Foundation report on Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering: Blacks or African Americans, Hispanics or Latinos, American Indians or Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islander. (https://diversity.nih.gov/about-us/population-underrepresented). Supported trainees may include predoctoral students (post qualifying exam), health professional students, and postdoctoral fellows.

Download the current ASPIRE Request for Applications for more details (Click here)

All institutions must agree to adhere to Komen’s Policies and Procedures for Research and Training Grants.

Key Dates:

Applications due December 1, 2022
Award notification on or around April 14, 2023

2022-2023 (FY23) Letter of Intent Announcement

• LOI Announcement Release Date: June 13, 2022
• LOI Submission system open date: June 13, 2022
• LOI Submission deadline: August 1, 2022 at 1:00pm EST
• Invitation to submit an Application: August 5, 2022 at 1:00pm EST

CAREER CATALYST RESEARCH GRANTS (CCR) 

This grant mechanism will provide critical funding to support the next generation of key leaders in the quest to end breast cancer. new faculty who will emerge as the next generation of key leaders in the quest to end breast cancer.

Award amount: $450,000 combined direct and indirect costs; ($150,000 per year for up to 3 years)

Eligibility: Early career breast cancer researchers working at institutions in the United States who have held faculty positions for no more than six years by the Application due date (October 5, 2022) are invited to apply for our Career Catalyst Research Grants.

RFA Focus Areas: This grant mechanism supports outstanding research focused on two important aspects of precision medicine: the development of next generation targeted therapies and the development of interventions to eliminate breast cancer health disparities.

Komen requests Letters of Intent for research projects that address one of the following focus areas:

Beyond PARP inhibitors: Next generation breast cancer therapies targeting the genome and epigenome
Beyond T-Cells: Next generation breast cancer immunotherapy
Closing the Gap: New, approaches to address multi-level contributors to breast cancer disparities

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

Komen CCR Review Process

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.

All institutions and industry partners must agree to adhere to Komen’s Policies and Procedures for Research and Training Grants.