The Office of Foundations Relations is pleased to share this open call for funding from the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation.
- UCSC Contact: Samantha Forde | forde@ucsc.edu
- Funder: Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation
- Opportunity: Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation Grants
- LOI Deadline: April 1, 2026
Overview:
The Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation (PCRF) funds groundbreaking research, ensuring equitable access to treatment, and enhancing support for survivors, all with the goal of improving outcomes for children affected by cancer.
For the 2026 grant cycle, PCRF will open funding exclusively for Emerging Investigator Grants, reflecting their commitment to supporting the next generation of pediatric cancer researchers and strengthening the future research pipeline.
Emerging Investigator Fellowship Grants
Funding: up to $75,000 for one year
Applicants must have completed two years of their fellowship or not more than two years as a junior faculty instructor or assistant professor at the start of the award period. These grants encourage and cultivate the best and brightest researchers of the future.
For previously funded research, please click here.
Grant Review Criteria
The probability of an advance in prevention, diagnosis or treatment for the near-term.
- The novelty of the concept and strategy
- The clarity of presentation
- The overall plan for bringing the research findings to clinical application
- Experience, background, and qualifications of the investigator
- Adequacy of resources and research environment
Please review the 2026 Request for Letter of Intent and 2026 Research Grant Manual.
Eligibility:
- The Principal Investigator needs to be employed by a non-profit U.S. institution that has an affiliation with a hospital.
- Collaborations among a team of investigators, consortia, and/or partnerships with industry are strongly encouraged and will be reviewed favorably.
- Emerging Investigator applicants must have completed two years of their fellowship, or not more than two years as a junior faculty instructor or assistant professor at the start of the award period.
Timeline:
- April 1, 2026, 5pm PT Letter of Intent deadline
- Mid April, 2026 Applicants are invited to submit grant application
- July 1, 2026 Grant application deadline
- December 2026 Notification
Special Requirements:
Please notify the Office of Foundation Relations if you are interested in applying to this opportunity (fr@ucsc.edu). Please submit a proposal intake form prior to UCSC’s internal institutional deadlines. For support developing your proposal, please send a request to resdev@ucsc.edu.
Call sent: February 26, 2026
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The Office of Foundation Relations is a unit of University Advancement. The FR team creates and maintains mutually beneficial, long-term relationships with private organizations, matching grant initiatives with educational and research programs and centers. FR supports faculty and staff to identify and approach these and other private foundations for funding, to assist in strategic positioning of the grant application, and to facilitate funder campus visits.
For a list of recent funding opportunities, please visit the FR website: FR Calls for Funding.