What Funding and Training Resources Does NCI Offer for Cancer Researchers?

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) provides funding opportunities, grant application pathways, research contacts, and training support for cancer researchers through cancer.gov. The site's "For Researchers" section is the main entry point, with links to funding opportunities, applying for a grant, finding a research contact, and exploring research areas. NCI also publishes an annual plan and budget document that signals research priorities. Below is how to navigate each resource.

Funding Opportunities and Grant Applications

NCI's researcher section is built around two core actions: finding funding and applying for it.

• Funding Opportunities — Browse current NCI funding announcements and programs. This is where you identify which grant mechanisms or initiatives match your research area.
• Apply for a Grant — The application pathway for submitting a grant proposal to NCI.

These are listed as distinct entry points on the NCI homepage's "For Researchers" block, alongside research contacts and research areas. If you are new to NCI funding, start with Funding Opportunities to confirm a program fits your work before moving to the application process.

Finding Research Areas and Research Contacts

NCI organizes researcher support so you can locate both the scientific domain and the person to talk to.

• Research Areas — Explore the broad research domains NCI supports, useful for aligning your proposal with an existing program.
• Find a Research Contact — Identify the appropriate NCI contact for your area. Reaching the right program contact early can clarify fit and requirements before you invest time in an application.

The homepage pairs these two resources directly, reflecting that finding your research area and your contact are complementary steps.

Training and Career Development

The input describes NCI's researcher support as including "funding and training opportunities," and states that "support for the best science underpins everything NCI does." Training resources are grouped within the same "For Researchers" section as funding and grant application.

To locate training opportunities, use the "For Researchers" section on cancer.gov and look for training-related links alongside the funding and grant entries. The page evidence does not enumerate specific training programs, fellowships, or eligibility criteria, so treat the researcher section itself as the starting point and follow its training links for current details.

Using NCI's Annual Plan and Budget as a Research Signal

NCI publishes an FY28 Annual Plan & Professional Judgment Budget, described as a plan for advancing cancer research that proposes the budget required to fund a broad research portfolio.

For researchers, this document is a reference for understanding where NCI intends to direct resources. If your work aligns with priorities described in the annual plan, that alignment can inform how you frame a proposal or which funding opportunity you pursue. The homepage provides a "Learn More" link to the plan.

Getting Answers Directly

If the online resources don't resolve your question, NCI offers direct contact with a cancer information specialist:

• Phone: 1-800-4-CANCER
• Live chat
• Email

These channels are presented under "Get Answers" and are available for questions including researcher-facing inquiries.

Quick Reference

The site does not publish pricing or login requirements for these researcher resources in the available material, so confirm any access or eligibility conditions on the linked pages themselves.