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Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance

Annual Giving
$7.0M
Grant Range
$75K - $1.0M
Decision Time
7mo
Success Rate
10%

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $7+ million in research grants
  • Success Rate: <10% (highly competitive)
  • Decision Time: 6 months (LOI to award)
  • Grant Range: $75,000 - $1,000,000
  • Geographic Focus: International

Contact Details

Website: https://ocrahope.org
Phone: 212-268-1002
Grants Email: grants@ocrahope.org
Address: 45 Rockefeller Plaza, 20th Floor, New York, NY 10111
Application Portal: https://ocra.us-1.smartsimple.com/

Overview

The Ovarian Cancer Research Fund Inc (EIN: 133806788), now operating as the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance (OCRA), is the largest global nonprofit and private funder dedicated to ovarian and related gynecologic cancer research. Founded in 1994 by Sol Schreiber in memory of his wife Ann, OCRA has invested $140 million through 400+ grants to scientists at 100+ medical centers worldwide. Following a strategic merger with the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance in 2016, OCRA maintains a comprehensive approach to eradicating ovarian cancer through research funding, advocacy, education, and patient support. The organization holds the highest ratings from Charity Navigator (4 stars) and GuideStar (Gold), with 81 cents of every dollar supporting research and programs.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

  • AI Accelerator Grant: Up to $1,000,000 for 3 years (international multidisciplinary AI research; requires investigators from US, UK, Canada, Australia)
  • Collaborative Research Development Grant: $900,000 total ($300,000/year for 3 years) for single or multi-institutional collaborations
  • Early Career Investigator Grant (Liz Tilberis Award): $450,000 total ($150,000/year for 3 years) for Assistant Professors
  • Mentored Investigator Grant (Ann and Sol Schreiber Award): $100,000 total over 1-2 years for post-docs/clinical fellows
  • Health Equity Research Grant: $200,000 total ($100,000/year for 2 years) focusing on marginalized communities
  • Rivkin Pilot Grant: $75,000 total ($37,500/year for 2 years) for innovative breakthrough research
  • All programs follow an annual application cycle with rolling deadlines

Priority Areas

  • Chemotherapy resistance mechanisms
  • Immune evasion in ovarian cancer
  • Early detection and prevention strategies
  • Novel therapeutic approaches
  • Health equity and access to care
  • Tumor microenvironment research
  • Biomarker development
  • AI and machine learning applications in diagnosis/treatment

What They Don't Fund

  • For-profit entities
  • Organizations outside accredited non-profit universities, research hospitals, or scientific facilities
  • Non-research activities

Governance and Leadership

President & CEO: Audra Moran - Led the 2016 merger and expanded grant funding to record levels, passing $128 million in total investments by 2024.

Board Chair: John Orrico

Scientific Advisory Committee Chair: Ronald D. Alvarez, MD, MBA (Vanderbilt University Medical Center)

Grants Oversight Chair: Ursula Matulonis, MD (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute)

The 28-member Scientific Advisory Committee includes renowned experts from institutions like Johns Hopkins, MD Anderson, Stanford, UCLA, Duke, and Harvard. Notable member Laura Shawver, PhD was selected to Fierce 50 of 2025.

"By supporting these early career investigators, we're fostering innovative approaches and fresh perspectives into pressing challenges in ovarian and related gynecologic cancers," says CEO Audra Moran.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Applications are submitted through SmartSimple grant management system (https://ocra.us-1.smartsimple.com/). The process begins with a Letter of Intent (LOI), followed by invitation for full proposals for top-ranked applicants. All applications undergo rigorous peer review by the Scientific Advisory Committee.

Decision Timeline

  • Q1 (Early Spring): RFP issued; LOIs due
  • Mid Spring: LOI notifications sent
  • Late Spring/Summer: Full proposals due from invited applicants
  • Fall: Final award announcements
  • Total Timeline: 6 months from LOI submission to final decision

Success Rates

Less than 10% of applicants receive funding, making OCRA grants highly competitive. The 2025 grant cycle drew the highest number of research proposals in the organization's 30-year history.

Reapplication Policy

Unsuccessful applicants are welcomed and strongly encouraged to reapply in subsequent years with no waiting period restrictions. OCRA specifically states: "If an applicant isn't successful one year, we highly encourage them to reapply the following year."

Application Success Factors

Based on OCRA's guidance and funding patterns:

  • Focus intensively on your LOI: OCRA emphasizes "Focus on your LOI submission since the LOI process is very competitive"
  • Write for a broad audience: "Be sure your scientific abstract is detailed so folks who aren't familiar with your project can see the whole picture"
  • Align with OCRA's strategic priorities: Recent awards favor research on chemotherapy resistance, immune evasion, biomarkers, and health equity
  • Demonstrate innovation: The Rivkin Pilot Grant specifically seeks "innovative ovarian cancer research breakthroughs"
  • Consider collaborations: The CRDG program explicitly funds multi-institutional partnerships
  • Leverage Microsoft partnership: Several grants include in-kind support from Microsoft, particularly for AI/technology applications
  • Recent successful projects include: Building lab models to study cancer evolution, testing tumor-specific genes, investigating biomarkers that block immune systems, and studying cancer cells most likely to survive chemotherapy

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • OCRA is the largest private funder of ovarian cancer research globally with $7+ million in annual grants
  • Extremely competitive process (<10% success rate) requires exceptional LOI quality as the first major hurdle
  • Strong preference for innovative approaches addressing chemotherapy resistance, early detection, and health equity
  • Early career investigators have dedicated funding streams - Assistant Professors can access $450,000 over 3 years
  • International collaborations welcomed, especially for the AI Accelerator Grant requiring multi-country teams
  • Financial stewardship is exemplary (4-star Charity Navigator, Gold GuideStar) with 81% program efficiency
  • Reapplication is encouraged - persistence pays off in this highly competitive environment

References

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