Concern Foundation
/OVERVIEW: Concern awards grants for early career investigators studying cancer immunology, genetics, and cell biology.
IP TAKE: Concern is an approachable funder that accepts unsolicited applications, but only awards about 20 grants per year. The foundation tends to back research that takes a “strong hypothesis-driven approach,” that is both original and potentially significant to the field of cancer research. Grantmaking is global in scope, with many grants supporting researchers outside of the U.S. This is an accessible funder that accepts both unsolicited applications at specific times throughout the year, as well as invites contact.
PROFILE: The Concern Foundation was founded in 1970 by 15 couples who wished to support their friend Beverly Wolman’s battle with cancer. In those early days, the foundation supported Dr. David Weiss’ research at the Lautenberg Center for Tumor Immunology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Dr. Weiss’ research would later be accepted for evaluation by the National Institutes of Health. Since then, Concern’s research grant funding has grown to support around 20 investigators each year who are studying the immunology, genetics, and cell biology of cancer.
Grants for Diseases and Science Research
Concern’s main grantmaking program is the Conquer Cancer Now Award, which is reserved for early career researchers who have achieved the professional level of assistant professor or its equivalent and who “have yet to obtain significant funding for their work.” The foundation provides critical funding to post-doctoral cancer researchers focused primarily on cancer genetics, cell biology, and immunology for all forms of cancer prevention and treatment.
Proposed programs must be “hypothesis-driven and centered on cancer genetics, cancer biology, or cancer immunology.” The foundation will not fund clinical trials, epidemiology, or behavioral studies.
To apply for this award, grant seekers must first fill out a Letter of Inquiry. If your proposal is accepted, you’ll be asked to submit a full proposal for consideration.
Important Grant Details:
Concern awards grants of $60,000 per year for up to two years.
To get a broader sense of the type of research supported by Concern, explore its Meet Our Researchers page, which provides detailed information on researchers and their work.
Full proposals are usually due in early November.
Submitted proposals are peer-reviewed by experienced scientists and top applications are recommended to the Concern Foundation for Cancer Research Executive Board for funding.
The foundation accepts unsolicited grant applications every other year from institutions in the United States and abroad, noting that prospective grantees are not required to have U.S. citizenship to be eligible for a grant.
Grantseekers should check the website periodically for updates about future cycles. Application questions may be sent to grants@concernfoundation.org.
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