Notice of Upcoming Funding Opportunity: Beyond Treatment - Advancing Cancer Survivorship Team Grants

Introduction

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is pleased to announce the upcoming launch of the Beyond Treatment: Advancing Cancer Survivorship Team Grants. This funding opportunity is led by the CIHR Institute of Cancer Research (CIHR-ICR) in partnership with Canada's Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR), the Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health (CIHR-ICRH), the Institute of Indigenous Peoples' Health (CIHR-IIPH), the Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis (CIHR-IMHA), the Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction (CIHR-INMHA), and the Cancer Research Society (CRS).

Overview

More than 1.5 million Canadians are now living with or beyond cancerFootnote * – a reflection of major advances in screening, early detection, treatment, and supportive care. However, as survival rates improve, there is growing recognition that the cancer journey does not end with treatment. Survivors often face a complex array of physical, emotional, and psychosocial challenges that can persist for months or even years following treatment, significantly impacting their quality of life. In 2018, approximately 80% of Canadians with cancer reported ongoing physical challenges after their treatment ended, while 70% experienced emotional difficulties, including depressionFootnote **. Health outcomes are further shaped by a range of factors, including pre-existing conditions, genetic predispositions, and broader social, cultural, environmental, structural, and biological determinants of health.

The Beyond Treatment: Advancing Cancer Survivorship Team Grants aims to unite interdisciplinary research teams to advance the understanding of the risks and development of late and long-term toxicities associated with cancer treatments, as well as strategies to improve survivorship care post-treatment, in relation to host, lifestyle, environmental, social, and other intersectional factors. Collaborations between existing cancer survivorship researchers (e.g., population and public health researchers, epidemiologists, psychosocial researchers) and experts from other disciplines new to the field (e.g., cardiology, endocrinology, musculoskeletal, neuroscience, reproductive and sexual health) are strongly encouraged. Collectively, these research teams will develop and disseminate evidence-based insights and solutions to enable improvements in cancer survivorship at the individual and/or population level.

Objectives

The specific objectives of this funding opportunity are to:

  • Advance understanding of the risks and development of late and long-term toxicities and complications that arise after primary cancer treatment and identify strategies to improve survivorship care in the post-primary treatment phase, in relation to host, lifestyle, environmental, social, and other intersectional factors.
  • Foster and enable interdisciplinary team science by connecting diverse researchers across discovery, clinical, health services, and population health research, as well as knowledge users and knowledge holders, whose collaborative efforts are essential to improving cancer survivorship at both individual and population levels.
  • Bridge the gap between research and practice by promoting effective knowledge mobilization to inform clinical and public health decision-making.
  • Strengthen research capacity in cancer survivorship through interdisciplinary collaboration and experiential learning approaches.

Research Areas

This funding opportunity will support research projects aligned with the overarching objectives and focused on the following key areas within the extendedFootnote † and permanentFootnote ‡ phases of cancer survivorship:

  • Breast Cancer Survivorship Pool
  • Cardiopulmonary Toxicities Pool
  • Endocrine and Metabolic Health Pool
  • Indigenous Peoples’ Health Pool
  • Musculoskeletal Health Pool
  • Neurological, Cognitive and/or Mental Health Pool
  • Pediatric Cancer Survivorship Pool
  • Reproductive and Sexual Health in Breast Cancer Survivorship Pool

Canada's Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research's (SPOR) will fund a project within any of the above funding pools that uses a patient-oriented research (POR) approach and aligns with the principles and guidelines in the SPOR Patient Engagement Framework and SPOR Capacity Development Framework.

Webinar(s)

CIHR will be hosting webinar(s) to inform participants about the requirements of this funding opportunity and to answer questions. To find out more information and to register, visit the Webinars page.

Partner Linkage Tool

CIHR is providing a Partner Linkage Tool that is intended to facilitate connections between applicants to support the formation of research teams and application development should there be interest. This is not a mandatory tool. Information is provided on a volunteer basis and does not confer any advantages in the evaluation and funding of applications. The table will be updated weekly until the application deadline. If you would like to use this tool, please complete a short survey. The information you provide will appear on CIHR’s website. Please note that potential applicants are not required to use the linkage tool or contact those who have submitted their information.

Funds Available

The total amount available for this funding opportunity is anticipated to be $18,000,000, enough to fund approximately nine (9) team grants. This amount may increase if additional funding partners participate.

The maximum amount per grant is anticipated to be $400,000 per year for up to five (5) years, for a total of $2,000,000 per grant.

Anticipated Timelines

These timelines are estimates and subject to change

Webinar: Fall 2025 / Winter 2026
Launch: Fall 2025
Registration Deadline: Winter 2026
Application Deadline: Summer 2026
Funding Start Date: Fall 2026

The official CIHR funding opportunity will be posted on ResearchNet in the coming weeks.

For a full list of CIHR funding opportunities, please visit ResearchNet.

Contact Information

For general inquiries please contact:

CIHR Contact Centre
Telephone: 613-954-1968
Email: support-soutien@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

Disclaimer: The information contained herein is anticipatory only and does not represent an official funding commitment by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Accordingly, the information, contained herein may differ from the official funding opportunity that will be published on ResearchNet.

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