Scaling-up and Maintaining Evidence-based Interventions to Maximize Impact on Cancer (SUMMIT)- Lung Cancer Screening (UG3/UH3 Clinical Trial Required) | RFA CA 25 009

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA CA 25 009

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) is offering a cooperative agreement funding opportunity focused on improving how lung cancer screening (LCS) is expanded and kept running over time for people at high risk for lung cancer. The central idea is not to test whether lung cancer screening works in general (that evidence largely already exists), but to study how to implement it better in real-world health care environments so that more eligible people actually get screened and continue to receive appropriate follow-up care. The NOFO is positioned within NCI's broader SUMMIT effort, which emphasizes scaling up and maintaining evidence-based cancer interventions to maximize population-level impact.

This opportunity specifically funds implementation research aimed at identifying the most effective strategies for scaling up LCS and sustaining it across different clinical care settings and among diverse high-risk groups. In practical terms, applicants are expected to design studies that address common breakdowns in the screening pathway, such as identifying eligible patients, increasing referral and completion rates for low-dose CT screening, ensuring timely communication of results, improving follow-up of abnormal findings, supporting adherence to repeat annual screening when appropriate, and integrating smoking cessation support where relevant. A key emphasis is learning what works best in varied contexts (for example, large health systems versus community clinics, urban versus rural environments, or settings serving populations that have historically had less access to screening).

The NOFO uses a UG3/UH3 phased cooperative agreement mechanism and requires a clinical trial. The UG3 phase is a time-limited planning and readiness period meant for preparatory activities needed to launch a full-scale implementation trial. During UG3, teams typically finalize partnerships with clinical sites and community stakeholders, refine protocols and workflows, set up data systems and quality monitoring plans, complete regulatory steps, train staff, and confirm that recruitment, referral, and tracking processes are feasible. Transition to the UH3 phase is milestone-driven, meaning the project needs to demonstrate that the required infrastructure and readiness targets have been met. The UH3 phase then supports the actual scale-up and sustainment trial, where the selected implementation strategies are deployed and evaluated in real clinical practice. Because this is a cooperative agreement, NCI program staff are expected to have substantial involvement during the project period, which often means closer coordination, shared problem-solving, and ongoing milestone tracking compared to a standard research grant.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of domestic organizations that can carry out implementation and clinical trial work. Eligible applicants include state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The NOFO also explicitly highlights additional eligible applicant types such as faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and a range of serving institutions including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs). At the same time, non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities are not eligible to apply, non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible, and foreign components are not allowed under NIH policy as referenced in the announcement.

Administratively, the opportunity is issued by the National Institutes of Health under NCI, with the funding instrument listed as a Cooperative Agreement and the activity category aligned with health (CFDA 93.399). The funding opportunity number is RFA-CA-25-009, and the original closing date is December 6, 2024. The description provided does not specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards, which generally means applicants need to consult the full NOFO for budget guidance, project period limits, and any caps or anticipated award counts that may be stated elsewhere.

Overall, the grant is geared toward teams that can run a rigorous, real-world implementation clinical trial and generate practical, transferable evidence about how to expand lung cancer screening efficiently and equitably, and how to keep programs functioning over time in the face of staffing constraints, competing clinical priorities, patient barriers, and differences across health care settings. The intended outcome is actionable guidance on implementation strategies that measurably improve the reach and durability of lung cancer screening for high-risk populations.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Scaling-up and Maintaining Evidence-based Interventions to Maximize Impact on Cancer (SUMMIT)- Lung Cancer Screening (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 2024-10-01.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-12-06. (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 RFA CA 25 009

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