Investigator Eligibility

IRG pilot grants are intended to support independent, self-directed investigators early in their careers. To be eligible, applicants must:

• Be part of the University of Maryland system.
• Hold an independent faculty or faculty-equivalent appointment and have the facilities, resources, or space customary for an independent investigator.
• Be within six years of their first independent research or faculty appointment.
• Be eligible to apply for independent national competitive research grants.
• May not currently hold an NIH R01 or R01-like grant. For purposes of the ACS Institutional Research Grant Program, an R01-like grant is defined as an award that is more than three years in duration and greater than $100,000 per year in direct costs.

Recipients of IRG pilot grants are not required to be US citizens; however, any applicant who is not a US citizen must hold a visa that will allow him or her to remain in the US long enough to complete the IRG pilot grant.

Those with non-faculty level positions (e.g., residents, fellows) are not eligible.

Research Project Criteria

Applications are requested that focus on one of the two following themes:

• Cancer-Related pilot projects are relevant to any aspect of basic, translational, and clinical cancer research.
• Cancer Health Disparities pilot projects focus on underserved populations and address a variety of clinical, cancer control, behavioral, epidemiologic, health policy, health services, and basic science issues. 

Allowable Costs

ACS IRG awards are $40,000. Indirect costs are not allowed. The award period is for one year. 

• Allowable expenses include:
  • Research supplies and animal maintenance
  • Technical assistance
  • Domestic travel, when necessary to carry out the proposed research program
  • Publication costs, including reprints
  • Costs of computer time
  • Special fees (pathology, photography, etc.)
  • Stipends for graduate students and postdoctoral assistants if their role is to promote and sustain the project presented by the junior faculty member
  • Equipment costing less than $2,000. Special justification is necessary for items exceeding this amount, and permission must be obtained from the Society's Extramural Grants Department for the purchase of such equipment.
  • Registration fees at scientific meetings.
• Non-allowable expenditures include:
  • Salary of principal investigator (pilot project grant recipient)
  • Honoraria and travel expenses for visiting lecturers
  • Secretarial/administrative salaries
  • Student tuition and student fees including graduate and undergraduate.
  • Foreign travel; however, special consideration will be given for attendance at scientific meetings held in Canada
  • Books, periodicals, or membership dues
  • Office/laboratory furniture, office equipment, or office supplies
  • Rental of office or laboratory space
  • Recruiting and relocation expenses
  • Non-medical services to patients
  • Construction, renovation, or maintenance of buildings/laboratories

Questions regarding your proposed budget can be addressed to Sarah Laye, Grants Administration, at 410-328-6198 or SLaye@som.umaryland.edu.

IMPORTANT NOTES ABOUT SUBMISSIONS:

• The deadline for the ACS-IRG application is October 30th, 2026 by 11:59pm.
• The Application Form must be signed by the Department Chair.
• The internal routing form must be included for committee review and signed by the PI. 
• Supporting documentation is not required; however should you want to add them (i.e., letters of support, photocopies of VISAS, Green cards, or progress notes), there is a place to upload them in the application portal as a separate combined pdf document.