The V Foundation for Cancer Research

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $50,407,793 (2023)
Success Rate: 15-25%
Decision Time: 8-12 weeks
Grant Range: $100,000 - $1,000,000
Geographic Focus: United States and select Canadian centres
Total Awarded Since 1993: $458 million to 1,423 grantees

Contact Details

Address: 14600 Weston Parkway, Suite 100, Cary, NC 27513
Phone: 919-380-9505
Email: info@v.org
Website: https://www.v.org

For Grant Enquiries: Contact your institution's Cancer Centre Director's office, as RFA information is distributed to approved contacts at each invited institution.

Overview

The V Foundation for Cancer Research was founded in 1993 by ESPN and the late Jim Valvano, legendary North Carolina State University basketball coach and ESPN commentator. Born from Valvano's iconic ESPY Awards speech where he proclaimed "Don't give up, don't ever give up," the foundation has awarded over $458 million across 1,423 cancer research grants since its inception. The foundation operates on a unique funding model with an endowment covering all administrative expenses, ensuring 100% of direct donations go to cancer research and programmes. The V Foundation has earned 13 consecutive 4-star ratings from Charity Navigator, placing it among the top 2% of all evaluated charities. Their mission focuses on funding game-changing cancer research through a competitive process strictly supervised by a world-class Scientific Advisory Committee.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programmes

V Scholar Grant: $800,000 over four years ($200,000/year)
Supports tenure-track faculty early in their cancer research careers, funding laboratory-based fundamental research or translational research. Application deadline: June, with notifications in September.

Translational Grant: $600,000-$800,000 over three-four years
Funds "bench to bedside" research whose endpoint is often planning or initiation of a clinical trial. Application deadline: January, with notifications in March.

All-Star Grant: $1,000,000 over five years
Re-investment opportunity for previous V Scholar, Translational, or Game-Changer grant recipients (invitation only).

Game-Changer Grants: Variable amounts and duration
Special opportunities arising from donor interest, fundraising events, or partnerships with other non-profit or corporate partners.

Mission Grants: Under $100,000 per year
Support educational projects within the V Foundation's focus to advance research processes.

A Grant of Her Own: Women Scientists Innovation Award
Designated programme funding either V Scholar or Translational grants specifically for women scientists.

Priority Areas

Laboratory-based fundamental cancer research
Translational research advancing from laboratory to clinical application
Clinical trials planning and initiation
Paediatric cancer research
Research addressing obesity's contribution to cancer risk
Cancer immunotherapy research
Targeted microRNA-based therapies
Molecular-based surgical technologies
Pancreatic cancer research
Breast cancer research
Research at NCI-Designated cancer centres and top-ranked research institutions

What They Don't Fund

Unsolicited proposals from institutions not on their approved list
Research from institutions outside NCI-Designated cancer centres and select affiliated state-of-the-art cancer research facilities in the US and top-ranked Canadian centres
Projects with scientific overlap with previously awarded V Foundation grants from the same investigator
Applications from investigators not meeting eligibility requirements outlined in specific RFAs
Non-research activities outside their mission scope

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors

Board Chair: Evan Goldberg (replaced Steve Bornstein, who served since 2014 and remains on board)

Interim CEO: Clark Kinlin

Notable Board Members:

Russell Wilson and Ciara
Rita Ferro
Buster Posey
Jeff Berry
Matt Hong and Clark Kinlin
Dick Vitale, Mike Krzyzewski, Trey Wingo, Dereck Whittenburg
Members of the Valvano family including Pamela Valvano Strasser and Nicholas P. Valvano

The Board is comprised of prominent business leaders, journalists, award-winning athletes and coaches, and distinguished physicians.

Scientific Advisory Committee

The Scientific Advisory Committee comprises some of the nation's leading physicians and research scientists from prominent universities and cancer centres.

Current Leadership:

Chair: Affiliated with Fred Hutchinson Cancer Centre (Executive Vice President for Clinical Affairs and Professor at Fred Hutch; Professor of Medicine at University of Washington School of Medicine)
Chair Elect: Executive Director of Duke Cancer Institute
Immediate Past Chair: Executive Vice President and Chief Academic Officer at Fred Hutch Cancer Centre
Long-serving member: Dr. Bob Bast, MD, chaired the SAC for more than 20 years and continues to serve on both the SAC and V Foundation board

Committee Members represent:

Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Centre at UT Southwestern Medical Centre
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Centre
Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Centre
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre
UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Centre
O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Centre at UAB
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Centre
Duke Cancer Institute

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

IMPORTANT: The V Foundation does not accept or review unsolicited proposals. They operate an invitation-only system.

Invitation Process:

The V Foundation sends information about new grant opportunities to a specific list of cancer centres
Invited institutions include NCI-Designated cancer centres, a select group of other state-of-the-art cancer research facilities in the US, and a few top-ranked Canadian centres
Each invited institution holds an internal competition to determine and nominate the strongest applicant
Typically, each institution is eligible to submit only one nominee per grant opportunity

Application Steps for Nominees:

Win your institution's internal nomination process
Receive invitation email with link to begin application in SmartSimple platform
Submit complete application by deadline specified in RFA
Undergo review by Scientific Advisory Committee and Ad Hoc reviewers
If selected for funding, work with institution to complete grant acceptance package

Application Method: Online portal (SmartSimple) with fixed deadlines varying by grant programme

Key Requirement: The V Foundation expects institutions to fully support their nominee with a strong nomination letter describing how the institution will support the nominee throughout their research.

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines vary by grant type, with notifications typically 8-12 weeks after application deadlines:

Translational grants: Application deadline January, Award notification March (2 months)
Breaking Barriers grants: Application deadline March, Award notification May (2 months)
Paediatric grants: Application deadline April, Award notification July (3 months)
V Scholar grants: Application deadline June, Award notification September (3 months)

Applicants selected for funding will be contacted and asked to work with their institution to complete a grant acceptance package.

Success Rates

Funding Rate: 15-25% (goal range; may vary depending on number of nominations/applications per call and budget for a given year)

Competitiveness: Highly competitive at two levels:

Internal institutional competition (only one nominee per institution typically allowed)
V Foundation Scientific Advisory Committee review

The two-tier selection process makes V Foundation grants among the most competitive in cancer research funding. Recipients "invariably have excellent reputations within the scientific community" due to the rigorous review process.

Reapplication Policy

The V Foundation allows institutions to nominate current or past V Foundation grantees if the applicant meets all other eligibility requirements outlined in the RFA. Key restrictions:

Applicants must avoid scientific overlap with previously awarded V Foundation grants
V Scholar nominees cannot have been previously granted a V Scholar Award
Current grantees must be in good standing on all grant reporting requirements to be eligible for another V Foundation award
All-Star Grants are invitation-only for previous V Scholar, Translational, or Game-Changer recipients

No explicit waiting periods are mentioned for unsuccessful applicants. Since applications go through institutional nomination, unsuccessful applicants could potentially be nominated again in future cycles by their institutions.

Application Success Factors

Institutional Support is Critical

The V Foundation explicitly states their goal is "for institutions to fully support their nominee so that they are successful while conducting their research." This requires a strong nomination letter describing institutional support mechanisms.

Recent Funded Projects as Examples

Recent Recipients:

Kristy Brown, Ph.D., University of Kansas Cancer Centre: $800,000 Translational Grant to study how obesity contributes to breast cancer risk and whether lifestyle changes like exercise and weight loss can prevent it by improving mitochondrial function
Diana Hargreaves, Salk Institute for Biological Studies: $1 million All-Star Translational Award to advance pancreatic cancer immunotherapy research
Andrea Kasinski, Purdue Institute for Cancer Research: $800,000 Translational Grant to develop targeted microRNA-based therapies for cancer
Livia S. Eberlin, Ph.D.: Translational Grant for research to improve outcomes for patients undergoing surgery for rectal cancer by providing surgeons with a new molecular-based device
Robert Bowman at Penn Medicine's Abramson Cancer Centre
William Hwang at Harvard Medical School's Massachusetts General Hospital
Amanda Dann at UT Southwestern Medical Centre's Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Centre

Common Characteristics of Successful Applications

Strong institutional backing: The institution demonstrates commitment to supporting the researcher
Innovative approaches: "Game-changing" research with potential for significant impact
Clear translational pathway: For Translational Grants, endpoint often includes planning or initiating clinical trials
Early-career promise: For V Scholar Grants, tenure-track faculty with cutting-edge ideas
Alignment with mission: Research that embodies the "Don't Give Up" spirit of advancing cancer research

Two-Tier Selection Success

Applicants must succeed at:

Institutional level: Win internal competition amongst colleagues at your cancer centre
V Foundation level: Pass rigorous review by Scientific Advisory Committee comprised of nation's leading cancer researchers

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

You cannot apply directly - you must be affiliated with an NCI-Designated cancer centre or select invited institution and win their internal nomination process. Contact your Cancer Centre Director's office for RFA information.
100% of donations fund research - The V Foundation's unique endowment model means all direct donations go to research, demonstrating exceptional stewardship and making them a highly prestigious funder.
Institutional support is paramount - Your institution's nomination letter and commitment to supporting your research is a critical component evaluated by the V Foundation.
Highly competitive at two levels - With only one nominee per institution typically allowed and a 15-25% overall funding rate, you must be the strongest candidate at your centre AND competitive nationally.
Translational focus valued - While fundamental research is funded, the V Foundation shows strong interest in "bench to bedside" research leading to clinical applications.
Previous grantees have advantages - The All-Star Grant programme demonstrates the V Foundation's commitment to reinvesting in proven researchers.
Plan for 8-12 week decision timeline - Different grant programmes have specific deadlines and notification periods; plan accordingly for your research planning and budget cycles.

References

Research compiled December 24, 2025

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