Addressing Barriers to Healthcare Transitions for Survivors of Childhood and Adolescent Cancers (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) | RFA CA 24 027

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is this funding opportunity?

This opportunity is a National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding announcement titled "Addressing Barriers to Healthcare Transitions for Survivors of Childhood and Adolescent Cancers (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)." The Funding Opportunity Number is RFA-CA-24-027, and it uses the NIH R01 discretionary grant mechanism.

Who is sponsoring this grant?

The sponsor is the National Cancer Institute (NCI), which is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

What is the main purpose of the FOA?

The FOA aims to develop and rigorously test interventions that improve healthcare transitions for survivors of childhood and adolescent cancers as they move from pediatric-focused care to adult-oriented healthcare systems. A major goal is to reduce drop-off in recommended long-term follow-up and risk-based surveillance for late effects of cancer treatment.

What problem is NCI trying to address with this research?

NCI is targeting the well-documented gap that can occur when childhood/adolescent cancer survivors age out of pediatric care. During this transition, many survivors may lose consistent access to survivorship care, miss recommended surveillance, and fail to receive preventive care needed to detect or manage late effects that can appear years after treatment.

What kinds of studies is NCI looking for?

NCI is looking for intervention studies, including multi-level interventions that address both individual-level and system-level barriers to successful transitions and sustained engagement with long-term follow-up care.

What does "multi-level intervention" mean in this FOA?

In the context provided, multi-level interventions are approaches that simultaneously address barriers at the survivor level (individual knowledge, confidence, psychosocial factors, logistics, finances) and at the healthcare system level (care fragmentation, information transfer, workflow, coordination, provider familiarity, scheduling/referrals).

What individual-level barriers are mentioned in the FOA?

The FOA examples of individual-level barriers include limited knowledge of late effects and surveillance needs, low confidence navigating adult healthcare, psychosocial challenges, insurance and financial obstacles, and practical issues such as transportation and competing life demands.

What system-level barriers are mentioned in the FOA?

The FOA examples of system-level barriers include fragmentation between pediatric and adult care settings, poor information transfer, lack of standardized transition processes, limited adult provider familiarity with childhood cancer survivorship guidelines, scheduling and referral bottlenecks, and gaps in care coordination.

Is the FOA only interested in patient education interventions?

No. While education may be part of an intervention, NCI signals interest in strategies that go beyond educating survivors and also reshape clinical workflows, communication pathways, and care delivery structures so survivorship care continues reliably into adulthood.

What outcomes is this FOA trying to improve?

Based on the provided description, the FOA is focused on improving transitional care quality and sustained engagement in appropriate long-term follow-up. This includes improving receipt of recommended surveillance and preventive care for late effects as survivors age.

Why is long-term follow-up and surveillance emphasized?

The FOA highlights that late effects of childhood and adolescent cancer treatment can emerge many years after therapy. Ongoing, risk-based surveillance and preventive care are intended to detect and manage these issues, but transitions to adult care are a period when survivors may miss recommended follow-up.

Does this grant require a clinical trial?

No. The FOA is labeled "Clinical Trial Optional," meaning clinical trials are allowed but not required.

What funding mechanism is being used?

This opportunity uses the NIH R01 mechanism and is described as a discretionary grant opportunity.

What is the Funding Opportunity Number?

The Funding Opportunity Number is RFA-CA-24-027.

What is the CFDA number listed for this opportunity?

The opportunity is listed under CFDA number 93.399.

When was this opportunity created?

The opportunity was created on June 7, 2024.

What is the closing date for applications?

The original closing date listed is October 11, 2024.

Is the award ceiling (maximum award amount) provided?

No. The provided details state that the award ceiling is not specified in the source information.

Is the expected number of awards provided?

No. The provided details state that the expected number of awards is not specified. The description notes this can be common for NIH announcements where award counts and budgets depend on application quality, available funds, and program priorities.

What does NCI mean by wanting approaches that can be widely adopted?

The FOA emphasizes producing evidence that can translate into best practices and standards of care. It also indicates interest in models that are not limited to one specialized center, with a clear path to scalability, implementation, dissemination, and real-world impact across healthcare systems.

What types of organizations are eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broad and includes many U.S.-based entities, such as state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; and other eligible entities.

Are U.S. territories or possessions eligible?

Yes. The FOA explicitly highlights U.S. territories or possessions among additional eligible applicant categories.

Are faith-based or community-based organizations eligible?

Yes. The FOA explicitly highlights faith-based or community-based organizations among additional eligible applicant categories.

Are minority-serving institutions specifically included?

Yes. The FOA explicitly highlights categories such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs).

Can a non-U.S. organization apply as the applicant?

No. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization.

Can a non-U.S. component of a U.S. organization apply?

No. Non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply as the applicant.

Are foreign collaborations allowed at all?

Yes, foreign components are allowed as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement. This means a U.S. applicant may include certain foreign collaborations or activities if they meet NIH requirements and are scientifically justified.

What is the overall "endgame" of the FOA?

The FOA is aimed at strengthening the evidence base for how to keep survivors connected to appropriate care as they enter adulthood. The practical goal described is to establish transition approaches that improve continuity, surveillance, and outcomes, and that can be adopted widely as standards of survivorship care.