ASPIRE Awards — The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research

About this program

The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research's ASPIRE Awards fund high‑risk, high‑reward cancer research across basic biology, therapeutic discovery and translational science, innovative technologies, and biomarker‑rich early clinical studies, enabling projects with limited or no preliminary data to achieve feasibility or proof‑of‑concept and accelerate toward clinical impact. Special consideration is given to previously unaddressed or technically challenging questions and projects spanning bench to bedside. Eligible applicants are independent investigators at institutions worldwide; proposals may be solicited via focused RFPs or considered by invitation and are selected through rigorous internal and external review based on scientific merit and potential impact. Standard awards are ASPIRE I (up to $250,000 for ≤12 months, or up to $500,000/24 months for clinical studies) and ASPIRE II (up to $750,000 for ≤36 months, with larger clinical amounts considered); indirect costs are capped at 10% of direct costs, co‑investigators are permitted, and clinical awards may allocate no more than 25% of the budget to trial operational costs and require institutional approvals before funds release.