All CCR PIs are eligible to apply for FLEX Program funding. The primary PI for the proposed work in each award category must be a tenure-track investigator, tenured PI, senior clinician or senior scientist in CCR. Those in the Physician-Scientist Early Investigator (PEI) program can apply but must include a tenured PI as a co-PI. Staff Scientists who are site-visited and have independent budgets (CANs) are also eligible. Non-NCI researchers can act as either co-PIs or collaborators but cannot receive funds. DCEG PIs can serve as funded co-PIs for the CCR-DCEG Collaborative Award and the Health Disparities Award. Please see the table below for a summary of who is eligible to submit an LOI as the Primary PI, who can act as co-PIs and who can receive funding.
Position & Division/Institute | Eligibility to Submit a FLEX LOI |
CCR Tenured PIs, Senior Scientists & Senior Clinicians | Yes |
CCR Tenure-Track PIs | Yes |
CCR Physician-Scientist Early Investigators | Yes, as long as one of the Co-PIs is a tenured CCR PI |
CCR Staff Scientists | Only if they are site-visited and have independent budgets (CANs) |
CCR Staff Clinicians | Only if they are site-visited and have independent budgets (CANs) |
DCEG Tenure-track PIs and Tenured PIs | Can not submit an LOI. Can be funded Co-PIs on LOIs for the CCR-DCEG Collaborative Award, as well as the Health Disparities FLEX Award. Can be non-funded co-PIs on other FLEX Award categories. |
PIs from NIH ICs other than NCI (tenure track or tenured) | Can not submit an LOI. Can be collaborators or co-PIs with a CCR investigator as the Primary PI. Can not receive funds. |
Extramural PIs | Can not submit an LOI. Can be collaborators or co-PIs with a CCR investigator as the Primary PI. Can not receive funds. |
Please note that the objective of the FLEX program is to facilitate the ability of CCR PIs to pursue high-risk, high-impact projects that cannot be accommodated within laboratory base allocations. This program seeks to promote all areas of cancer research. COVID-19 related projects will only be considered if they directly add to the understanding of cancer or the development of treatments for cancer patients.
FLEX Programs projects will be selected in a two-stage open competition. An initial selection will be made based on evaluation of LOIs and the top ~20% of applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal. LOI and invited proposals will be evaluated by the CCR Science Board.
The links below provide detailed information on each award, as well as the application guidelines specific for each.
Download instructions for preparing and submitting a LOI
If invited to submit a full proposal, click here for instructions on preparing and submitting it.
Contact:
Diana Linnekin
Due to budget constraints, funding for new FLEX projects has been paused until further notice.
Please contact Diana Linnekin if you have questions.