Pragmatic Trials across the Cancer Control Continuum (UG3/UH3 Clinical Trial Required) | PAR 25 072

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 25 072

The National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health, is offering a cooperative agreement funding opportunity titled "Pragmatic Trials across the Cancer Control Continuum (UG3/UH3 Clinical Trial Required)" (Funding Opportunity Number: PAR-25-072; CFDA: 93.399). The central aim is to speed up the development and real-world testing of evidence-based cancer interventions that can improve health equity and better represent the full diversity of people, communities, and care settings across the United States. In practice, this means NCI is looking for projects that do not only work in ideal, tightly controlled research environments, but that can demonstrate impact in routine clinical and community conditions where patients actually receive care and support.

This opportunity specifically supports pragmatic clinical trials that evaluate cancer-related interventions across the cancer control continuum. The "cancer control continuum" spans many stages and settings, such as prevention, screening and early detection, diagnosis, treatment, survivorship, supportive and palliative care, and care delivery strategies that influence outcomes. The interventions can be clinical, behavioral, organizational, or system-level, as long as they are designed to improve cancer-related outcomes and are tested using a pragmatic trial approach. Pragmatic trials generally emphasize broad inclusion, real-world workflows, usual-care comparison conditions when appropriate, and outcomes that matter to patients, communities, health systems, and decision-makers, which aligns with the NOFO's focus on equity and generalizability.

The award uses the UG3/UH3 phased cooperative agreement mechanism, which is structured to move projects from a preparatory phase into full implementation. During the UG3 phase, recipients are expected to refine and optimize the intervention and complete key study start-up activities so the trial can be launched efficiently and rigorously. This includes finalizing protocols and operational plans, confirming partnerships and site readiness, addressing feasibility issues, and completing other trial-readiness steps needed before enrollment and full execution. If UG3 milestones are met, projects transition into the UH3 phase, where the pragmatic trial is conducted and the intervention's impact on cancer-related outcomes is tested in real-world settings. Because this is a cooperative agreement rather than a standard grant, NCI program staff typically have a more active role in project oversight and collaboration, with an emphasis on milestone-driven progress and shared responsibility for successful execution.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of domestic U.S. organizations and government entities. Eligible applicants include state, county, city or township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; Native American tribal governments (federally recognized); Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments); public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; and other eligible organizations. The NOFO also highlights additional eligible applicant types such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (other than federally recognized), and U.S. territories or possessions. Foreign organizations are not eligible to apply, and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible, reinforcing that the funded work is intended to be led and carried out domestically.

Key administrative details included in the listing are that this is a discretionary funding opportunity and the funding instrument is a cooperative agreement. The original application due date is November 17, 2025, and the listing shows a creation date of November 18, 2024. The posted record does not specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards, indicating applicants should rely on the full NOFO for budget guidance, milestones, and any limits or expectations regarding project scale.

Overall, this opportunity is designed for teams prepared to run equity-centered pragmatic clinical trials of cancer interventions that can be implemented in varied U.S. settings, with a staged UG3 planning/refinement period followed by a UH3 implementation and evaluation period. The emphasis on pragmatic design, diversity of contexts, and health equity suggests NCI is prioritizing projects that can produce actionable evidence for real-world adoption and sustained impact across different populations and systems.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Pragmatic Trials across the Cancer Control Continuum (UG3/UH3 Clinical Trial Required)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.399.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-11-18.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-11-17. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

Apply for PAR 25 072

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