Award amountStipends of $66,000, $68,000, and $70,000 per year
Last checkedJun 24, 2026
PDF guide
American Cancer Society (ACS) Catalyst Award Policies
Official policy document outlining eligibility, institutional requirements, and application guidelines for the ACS Catalyst Award, which supports early-stage investigators with high-scoring but unfunded research projects.
Must have a doctoral degree (PhD, MD, or terminal degree).; Must work at a U.S. academic institution or eligible non-profit.; Must have an independent faculty appointment (e.g., Assistant Professor or higher).; Must be within 10 years of initial independent research position/faculty appointment.; Must have applied for an ACS Research Scholar Grant in 2024–2025 (scored 'Outstanding' but unfunded) OR an NIH R01 to the NCI in 2024–2025 (scored at or below 15th percentile...; Cannot be the PI of more than one R01/R01-equivalent grant at the time of application.
Requirements
Applicant must clearly articulate and justify the need for the award.; Proposed research must fall within the scope of the grant initially submitted to ACS or NCI.; Research must be conducted at a non-profit institution physically located within the US or its territories.; Applicant must adhere to DHHS and ACS guidelines regarding conflicts of interest, scientific misconduct, and human/animal subject protections.
Application materials
Application access provided via ProposalCentral following communication with program offices.
How to apply
Contact the appropriate ACS program office based on research area (Biochemistry & Immunology, Cell Biology & Preclinical, or Clinical & Population Sciences).; Once eligibility is confirmed, access to the application will be provided in ProposalCentral.; Application must bear the e-signature of the principal investigator.
Important dates
Effective September 2025
Documents
Catalyst Award Policies PDF
Contact
Biochemistry & Immunology of Cancer: doug.hurst@cancer.org; Cell Biology & Preclinical Cancer Research: paul.campbell@cancer.org; Clinical & Population Sciences: joanne.elena@cancer.org; NCI applicants: doug.hurst@cancer.org
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