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UNC Lineberger Pilot Awards Program

The UNC Lineberger Pilot Awards Program is intended to support the cancer research innovations led by faculty, research staff, fellows and postdocs of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The objective is to stimulate new applications for extramural funding.

All UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center members and UNC system school faculty are encouraged to apply.

Targeted RFAs may be added to each funding cycle, and proposals of high merit in each tier may be considered for the targeted RFA mechanism.

Important: The funding opportunity guidelines and eligibility have changed significantly since the prior funding cycle. Please review the guidelines closely before proceeding with your application. For any questions, please email lccc-dev-awards@office.unc.edu.

Fall 2025 Cycle Deadline: November 17 at 5 p.m.

Fall 2025 Funding Areas

The UNC Lineberger Pilot Awards Program is intended to support cancer research innovations at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Applications are submitted in a single portal, and applicants can select eligibility for one or multiple opportunities.

During this funding cycle we are accepting applications for:

The UNC Lineberger Collaborative Pilot Awards are intended to support the development of future team science initiatives. Projects should describe plans for developing or fostering collaborations.

All UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center members are encouraged to apply. Applicants are encouraged to describe plans for future funding. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit projects that demonstrate collaboration between two or more cancer center members and can be inter- or intra- programmatic collaborations.

  • Collaborative Pilot Awards are $50,000 for one year
  • At least one PI must be a current UNC Lineberger member
  • Faculty with active UNC Lineberger pilot projects are ineligible to apply

The Breast Cancer SPORE Developmental Research Program supports innovative projects in breast cancer that have promising translational impact. Projects do not need to have a clinical endpoint but must have translational relevance for breast cancer.

We anticipate that this program will support innovative translational research and will be developed into proposals that could receive extramural funding; however, this is not required.

Awardees will be expected to participate in and present at Breast Cancer SPORE meetings and collaborate with Breast Cancer SPORE members.

  • Breast Cancer SPORE Awards are $50,000 for one year
  • Awards are eligible to be renewed for one year

The Cancer Health Disparities SPORE in Endometrial Cancer Developmental Research Program supports innovative, early-phase projects that will provide key insights into critical areas of health disparities in endometrial cancer research.

DRP investigators will be actively engaged in a highly collaborative research environment to promote developmental research within the SPORE, within and beyond the institution, and ensure the strongest foundation for extension into the next steps along the translational continuum for patient-centered impact.

Developmental research funds will be awarded as $50,000 one-year awards, or $100,000 two-year awards, with the second-year contingent on demonstrated success in the first six months.

  • Cancer Health Disparities SPORE in Endometrial Cancer developmental research funds are awarded as $50,000 one-year awards, or $100,000 two-year month awards
  • At least $25,000 must be expended in the first 6 months

View full RFA

Fall 2025 Targeted RFAs

Breast Cancer SPORE Career Enhancement Program

The Breast Cancer SPORE Career Enhancement Program funds junior faculty committed to breast cancer research or established investigators new to breast cancer research.

Awardees will be assigned to a mentoring committee led by Breast Cancer SPORE members that will be convened quarterly. Awardees will be expected to participate in and present at Breast Cancer SPORE meetings and collaborate with Breast Cancer SPORE members.

The award can be used for salary support or to conduct a project.

View full RFA

Cancer Health Disparities SPORE in Endometrial Cancer Career Enhancement Program

The Career Enhancement Program (CEP) supports research activities for basic, translational, clinical, and population scientists with strong interest in cancer health disparities and endometrial cancer research.

CEP funds should be used to support research activities, and may include partial salary support for the candidate, research personnel, supplies, travel, and/or other expenses, and cannot be used for the purchase of any large equipment.

View full RFA

Application

The application website will be announced and opened approximately one week ahead of the deadline. Both registration and submission must be completed by 5 p.m. on the deadline date.

Awards Application and Application Guidelines

Support

If you have questions, please contact our team at lccc-dev-awards@office.unc.edu