Innovative, Developmental, and Exploratory Awards (IDEA)

Research Requirements: Applications for this award type should challenge existing paradigms, represent a new direction for the PI and encourage innovation by the incorporation of techniques and approaches not yet well represented in mainstream breast cancer research. We encourage researchers to attempt breakthroughs that, if successful, could be leveraged into more substantial funding. Both established researchers and new investigators are welcome to apply.

Examples of research not responsive to the IDEA are projects that:

1. Propose incremental advances for the underlying topic,
2. Duplicate the aims of completed or funded research to the PI derived from non-breast cancer studies without incorporating detailed breast cancer-specific justification,
3. Overlap in topic and aims with current grant support to the applicant or
4. Represent portions of existing grants or are derived from larger, R01-type projects.

Advocacy Involvement: Investigators are required to involve breast cancer advocates in their research projects. The advocate must be identified and engaged by the LOI deadline. Visit the Advocacy Involvement section for a complete description of expectations for advocacy involvement and resources for investigators. 

Project Duration and Budget Caps:

• 18 months maximum duration
• Budget cap for total project direct costs is either $150,000 or $200,000 (higher cap is for projects using animal or human participants). Non-UC institutions are entitled to full F&A of the Modified Total Direct Cost base (MTDC); UC institutional F&A is capped at 35% MTDC (not retroactive to prior grants).

The Letter of Intent (LOI) must be submitted in SmartSimple, our grant application database, by the deadline in order to be considered. SmartSimple will be open for LOI submissions on September 1.

Full call for applications (pdf)

Letter of Intent Instructions (pdf)

Letter of Intent Template (docx) - The template is provided to allow offline preparation of LOIs.  Completion of LOI submission requires the responses to be entered in SmartSimple fields online.

APPLICANT INFORMATIONAL WEBINAR

We are hosting an applicant informational webinar on September 9, 2025 from 12:00–1:00 PM PT. Please join us to learn about eligibility, requirements, and the application process for funding opportunities, including:

• IDEA Awards
• Bridge Funding for Fellows
• Fellowship Awards
• Community Research Collaboration Awards
• Conference Awards

REGISTER FOR WEBINAR