- Guidelines
The V Scholar Grant supports tenure-track faculty in the early stages of their independent cancer research careers. This grant mechanism is designed to advance exceptional early-career investigators at the Assistant Professor level and position them to successfully compete for larger, sustaining grants such as NIH R01 awards or equivalent funding.
A detailed biostatistical or bioinformatics plan is mandatory for all proposals and is required for funding consideration.
The total grant award is $800,000 over four years, with annual payments of $200,000. No indirect costs allowed. The V Foundation follows NIH salary cap guidelines. Institutions may supplement a grant recipient’s salary with institutional funds, if desired.
Applicant Eligibility:
Inclusion Criteria: Nominee must meet all the following criteria by the nomination due date:
• Be nominated by their Cancer Center Director or another senior research official.
• Be employed at the invited non-profit research institution (e.g., 501(c)(3), Section 170).
• Be either a U.S. Citizen or lawful permanent resident. This requirement does not apply to invited Canadian institutions.
• Have completed at least two years postdoctoral (MD or PhD) fellowship training. For MDs, a minimum of one year is acceptable if one year is standard for their specialty.
• Clinical scientists must have full institutional support (e.g., dedicated lab space, protected research time, start-up funds).
• Hold a full-time, tenure-track or tenured faculty position (e.g., eligible to apply as PI on an R01 at their institution). Non-promotable adjunct, affiliated, temporary, part-time, or acting faculty positions are not eligible.
• Have been appointed to their first full-time, tenure-track Assistant Professor position within five years of the nomination due date and not yet promoted to Associate Professor. Extensions to the five-year limit may be granted on a case-by-case basis for nominees who have taken parental or other qualifying leave during this period.
Exclusion Criteria: By the Nomination Due Date, nominee must:
• NOT be a previous or current V Scholar Award recipient.
• NOT have accepted or received notification of an R01 or Ro1-equivalent award.
• NOT have accepted or received notification of any peer-reviewed, non-mentored single grant totaling $750K or more in total direct funding at ANY point in their professional career (exclude indirect costs and institutional funds.)
• NOT have accepted or received notification of any peer-reviewed, non-mentored funding exceeding $1M in aggregate total direct funding at ANY point in their professional career (exclude indirect costs and institutional funds.)
Note: The V Scholar Award is intended to support investigators as they establish their research programs and position themselves to compete for larger, sustaining awards. Therefore, nominees who have already received such awards are not eligible.
Internal Solicitation Materials:
- Cover Sheet (Title; PI Name; Grants & Contracts Contact)
- Biosketch
- 2-page proposal, not including references
- 1-page biostatistical plan
- Financial worksheet (attachment)