American Cancer Society Institutional Research Grant (ACS IRG) Pilot Awards

About this program

The American Cancer Society Institutional Research Grant (ACS IRG), administered through Washington University’s Siteman Cancer Center, provides up to four one-year, non-renewable pilot awards of up to $40,000 to support early-career cancer researchers in generating preliminary data for national grant applications. One award is reserved for a meritorious Instructor appointed within three years of January 1, 2027. Eligible applicants must be WashU tenure-track-bound or clinical-track Instructors appointed on or after January 1, 2024, or tenure/clinical-track Assistant Professors within six years of their first independent research or faculty appointment; they must also be Siteman Cancer Center members or applicants for membership and lack major national peer-reviewed research grant support. A Statement of Intent is due August 13, 2026, and the full application is due September 10, 2026, at 4 p.m. CST.