UVA Comprehensive Cancer Center Community Grants
The 2026 funding cycle opens July 1
Beginning in 2026, the Community Grants Program is transitioning to the Catalyst to Impact Model, designed to support organizations at different stages of project development. The 2026 funding cycle will focus on the Impact Grant, a 24-month grant for implementation-ready projects that are prepared to carry out, evaluate, and sustain community-based cancer initiatives. We anticipate offering additional levels of funding in 2027 to support planning, partnership building, and program development.
Grant Overview
The University of Virginia Comprehensive Cancer Center (UVACCC) is one of just 58 in the U.S. While we are proud to offer high-quality patient care and cutting-edge research, we are just as committed to stopping cancer in its tracks through prevention, early detection, and quality survivorship.
Cancer centers are often recognized for breakthrough research and patient care. Equally important is partnering with communities to reduce cancer burden through education, outreach, prevention, early detection, and survivorship efforts. Community partners bring local knowledge, trusted relationships, and innovative approaches that play a critical role in improving cancer outcomes. The Community Grants Program was created to support and invest in these community-led solutions across the Cancer Center catchment area.
The Community Grants Program supports community partners working to address cancer-related health disparities and improve cancer outcomes through innovative, community-driven approaches.
The goal of the UVACCC Comprehensive Community Grants is to leverage the strengths of communities across the Cancer Center catchment area to reduce cancer burden and help community members achieve optimal health.
Grant Details
Funding Available
Up to three Impact Grants of $20,000 each will be awarded for 24-month projects ($10,000 distributed annually over two years) that address cancer burden in local communities. Only one application per organization will be accepted.
Eligibility
To be eligible, applicants must:
- Serve residents who live in the UVACCC catchment area
- Be a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization or municipality
The UVACCC seeks to support both new and established partnerships and welcomes applications from community-based organizations, advocacy organizations, faith-based institutions, neighborhood committees, local municipalities, academic institutions, and hospitals, including safety net institutions
Selection Criteria
Successful proposals will:
- Propose activities that are grounded in evidence-based practices to address cancer health promotion, prevention, early detection, risk factors, and/or survivorship within the UVACCC catchment area.
- Demonstrate implementation readiness through a clearly defined project, identified partners, organizational capacity, a feasible implementation plan, and plans for evaluation and long-term sustainability.
How to Apply
The Letter of Intent (LOI) application will open on July 1, 2026. Before submitting an LOI, applicants are encouraged to review the 2026 Applicant Guidance for full details about eligibility, funding, project requirements, selection criteria, reporting expectations, and Cancer Center collaboration.
Applicants can submit an LOI through the online portal. LOIs are due by 12 p.m. ET on July 31, 2026. Selected applicants will be notified by August 7, 2026, and invited to submit a full proposal by September 8, 2026.
Project Readiness
The Community Grants Program’s Catalyst to Impact Model recognizes that community organizations are at different stages of project development and may require different types of support.
The section below can help applicants think through whether the 2026 Impact Grant aligns with their project’s current stage of development and organizational readiness.
Questions about project readiness are welcome. Contact the Community Grants team at cancerinfo@uvahealth.org.
The Impact Grant is best suited for organizations that have:
- A clearly defined project.
- Identified partners and collaborators.
- Organizational capacity to carry out the proposed work.
- A feasible implementation plan for a 24-month project period.
- An approach to evaluation.
- A plan for sustaining the work beyond the grant period.
Organizations should be prepared to implement, evaluate, and strengthen the sustainability of their proposed project during the award period.
The 2026 Impact Grant is designed for organizations that are ready to implement a defined project and have identified partners, organizational capacity, and an approach to evaluation and sustainability. Receipt of a previous UVACCC Community Grant is not required to apply for an Impact Grant.
Organizations that are still developing partnerships, refining project plans, assessing community needs, or building organizational readiness for implementation may be a better fit for additional levels of funding anticipated through the Catalyst to Impact Model. We anticipate offering these funding opportunities in 2027 to support organizations focused on planning, partnership building, and program development.