Sustained Support for Informatics Technologies for Cancer Research and Management (U24 Clinical Trial Optional) | RFA CA 19 041

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the “Sustained Support for Informatics Technologies for Cancer Research and Management (U24 Clinical Trial Optional)” opportunity?

This is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity offered through the National Cancer Institute (NCI) under the Informatics Technology for Cancer Research (ITCR) program. It supports the ongoing operation, upkeep, and improvement of proven informatics tools and resources that are already widely used in cancer research and management.

What is the main goal of this funding announcement?

The goal is to keep high-value cancer informatics resources reliable, accessible, and easy to use for the research community that already depends on them. The focus is on sustainment and continuous improvement rather than on creating brand-new software or maturing early prototypes.

What types of projects are a good fit for this FOA?

Projects that maintain and strengthen established informatics tools, platforms, services, and data/knowledge resources used in cancer research. A strong fit is a resource with demonstrated adoption and clear value to researchers, paired with a credible plan to sustain operations and enhance usability, reliability, and community impact.

Is this funding meant to develop new software from scratch?

No. This announcement is not aimed at inventing brand-new software or pushing an early prototype into a mature product. It is intended to sustain and improve resources that are already proven and widely used.

What award mechanism is used for this opportunity?

The award mechanism is a Cooperative Agreement (U24).

What does a Cooperative Agreement (U24) imply about NIH/NCI involvement?

A U24 Cooperative Agreement typically involves substantial NIH/NCI involvement during the project period. Recipients should expect collaboration and partnership with program staff to meet shared goals, rather than operating entirely independently.

What cancer research areas can be supported by sustained informatics resources under this FOA?

The FOA emphasizes resources that improve how cancer-related data and knowledge are acquired, managed, analyzed, and shared across the cancer research continuum. Examples include basic cancer biology, treatment and diagnosis, early detection, risk assessment and prevention, cancer control and epidemiology, and work focused on cancer health disparities.

What kinds of informatics resources are relevant to this announcement?

Relevant resources include tools, platforms, services, and data/knowledge resources that help researchers handle complex datasets, integrate information from multiple sources, apply computational methods, and disseminate results in ways that accelerate discovery and improve outcomes.

What is a “sustainment plan,” and why is it important?

A sustainment plan is a clear explanation of why the resource warrants continued support, what impact it has already had, and how it will continue delivering benefits during the proposed period. This FOA places strong emphasis on demonstrating value and laying out a realistic approach to ongoing operations and improvement.

What evidence of impact or adoption is expected in an application?

Applications are expected to justify the resource’s value to the field and show evidence that it is adopted and useful. Examples of evidence mentioned include user base and usage levels, scientific outputs enabled, citations, integrations into workflows, community reliance, and other indicators of real-world utility.

Does the FOA require applicants to improve the resource, or is basic maintenance enough?

The FOA emphasizes more than passive maintenance. Applicants are expected to keep the resource running while also improving user experience, availability, and day-to-day practical value for researchers.

What kinds of improvements are encouraged under this sustainment-focused FOA?

Examples include strengthening documentation and training materials, improving interfaces and workflows, enhancing performance and reliability, ensuring interoperability, supporting cloud or scalable deployment where appropriate, tightening security and privacy protections when relevant, and maintaining responsive user support.

How important is user experience and accessibility in this opportunity?

User experience and availability are key themes. The FOA stresses reducing friction for researchers and ensuring the resource remains dependable, accessible, and easy to use.

What does the FOA say about engaging with the research community?

The FOA calls for active, ongoing engagement with the resource’s user community. Applicants should describe mechanisms to assess and maximize value to users, gather feedback, prioritize enhancements, track satisfaction and outcomes, build partnerships, and keep the resource aligned with evolving scientific needs.

Is community engagement expected to be ongoing during the project?

Yes. The expectation is a managed, community-facing sustainment effort that keeps the resource relevant and impactful over time, not one-time outreach.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S. organizations and some non-U.S. entities. Eligible applicants include state, county, and local governments; special districts; independent school districts; public and private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (outside of higher education); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and additional categories noted in the announcement.

Are minority-serving institutions and community-based organizations included in the eligible categories?

Yes. The FOA explicitly mentions eligibility for organizations such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribal Colleges and Universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions, faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions.

Are non-U.S. (foreign) organizations eligible to apply?

Yes. The listing explicitly states that non-domestic (foreign) organizations are eligible.

Is a clinical trial required for this funding opportunity?

No. The FOA is described as “clinical trial optional,” meaning a clinical trial component is not required for all projects, but may be allowed if it fits the proposed work and aligns with NIH definitions and policies.

What is the funding opportunity number for this announcement?

The funding opportunity number is RFA-CA-19-041.

What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?

The opportunity is associated with CFDA 93.396.

How is this opportunity categorized in the listing details?

It is categorized as discretionary funding, uses the Cooperative Agreement instrument, and falls under education/health activity categories.

What are the key dates provided in the listing details?

The creation date is 2019-03-28, and the original closing date is 2019-11-20.

What kinds of applicants are most competitive based on the description?

Teams that already operate a cancer informatics tool or resource with demonstrated community uptake and scientific value, and that can present a credible plan for ongoing operations, targeted improvements, measurable impact, and strong alignment with the evolving needs of the cancer research community.

What should an application emphasize to align with the FOA’s expectations?

Based on the description, an application should emphasize: (1) demonstrated adoption and value, (2) a clear sustainment plan with concrete metrics, (3) improvements to usability, reliability, and availability, (4) user support, documentation, and training, and (5) active, structured engagement with the research community to guide priorities and measure outcomes.