The Office of Foundation Relations is pleased to share this open call for Letters of Intent from the Mark Foundation for Cancer Research.
- UCSC Contact: Sarah Carle | sacarle@ucsc.edu
- Funder: Mark Foundation for Cancer Research
- Opportunity: Emerging Leader Award 2026
- LOI Deadline: April 30, 2026, 2pm PT
Webinars:
Overview
The Mark Foundation Emerging Leader Awards support innovative cancer research from the next generation of leaders. These grants are awarded to outstanding early career investigators to support high-impact, high-risk projects that are distinct from their current research portfolio.
Scroll down to see a list of Emerging Leader Award Recipients.
Award Amount & Terms:
- New in 2026: The grant amount totals $1,000,000 (USD) distributed evenly over four (4) years ($250,000 USD per year).
- Indirect costs are not to exceed 10% of direct costs and are included in the total.
- Emerging Leader Awards are granted to a single investigator; co-investigators are not permitted. The award may be used to support projects carried out with collaborators, who may provide letters of support.
- The letter of agreement will include IP terms with a revenue-sharing component.
- The award start date will be January 1, 2027.
Eligibility
- New in 2026: Emerging Leader Awards support scientists worldwide. There are no eligibility restrictions based on geography or citizenship for this program.
- Applicants must have established their independent laboratories three to eight years prior to December 31, 2026 (i.e., the official start date of the independent appointment must fall within the calendar years 2018-2023). Exceptions due to prolonged medical or family leave will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
- This award is not intended to be the main source of funding for the applicant’s laboratory. Applicants must demonstrate multi-year independent funding that sustains the central activities of the laboratory (e.g., at least one or two grants such as NIH/R01, NSF/CAREER, or equivalently substantial multi-year awards).
- Proposed projects must not be supported by other sources of funding. Finalists will be asked to discuss any potential overlap with other current or pending awards during the interview.
- If selected, finalists must be available for virtual interviews in October 2026.
Please consult the complete list of eligibility criteria.
To apply
Letters of Intent must be submitted through the online application system no later than 2pm PT on April 30, 2026. Registration and email address verification are required.
The initial Letter of Intent should include:
- Project Title
- Project Summary: description of the proposed project, including a concise discussion of the rationale, experimental approach, innovation, and potential impact (350 words)
- Statement of Project Distinction: brief paragraph describing how the proposed project is unique from the main focus of the lab and prior research activities.
Applicants will also be requested to provide a biosketch (NIH format or similar) and a list of current grants and other funding supporting the lab.
Timeline
- April 30, 2026: Letters of Intent due by 2pm PT
- Week of June 22: Applications invited
- July 30, 2026: Applications due by 2pm PT
- Week of September 28: Finalists notified
- Week of October 12: Virtual finalist interviews
- January 1, 2027: Grant start date
Special Requirements:
Please notify the Office of Foundation Relations if you are interested in applying to this opportunity (fr@ucsc.edu). For support developing your proposal, please send a request to the Office of Research Development, resdev@ucsc.edu.
Call sent: March 30, 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.