New Momentum in Cancer Funding
Cancer remains one of the toughest health challenges worldwide, still the second leading cause of death in many places. Even with decades of progress, too many people live with cancer’s day-to-day impact. In response, the Biden-Harris administration has reignited the Cancer Moonshot to push harder on what matters most: cutting deaths from cancer and improving the lives of people who receive a diagnosis. The focus is practical and urgent—better prevention, smarter screening, and faster paths from discovery to care.
What’s New in the Cancer Moonshot
The Cancer Moonshot is about accelerating what works and funding what’s next. It aims to expand support for programs that develop groundbreaking tools in screening, prevention, and diagnostics, while backing new ideas that could change how cancer is detected and treated. At the center of this push is the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), an agency built to pursue bold, high-impact research and quickly move promising concepts toward real-world use.
ARPA-H: POSEIDON and Early Detection
ARPA-H’s Platform Optimizing SynBio for Early Intervention and Detection in Oncology (POSEIDON) takes an ambitious swing at earlier, easier cancer detection. Using synthetic biology, the program aims to enable accessible, over-the-counter Multi-Cancer Early Detection (MCED) tests. The vision: a simple test that could flag more than 30 solid tumor types at Stage I, when treatment options are often more effective and less invasive. If successful, this approach could bring sophisticated screening closer to where people live—pharmacies, clinics, maybe even the home—so more cancers are found when they’re most treatable.
Innovative Solutions Opening (ISO): A Doorway for Big Ideas
Beyond POSEIDON, ARPA-H is accepting ideas across several focus areas through its Innovative Solutions Opening (ISO). This open call signals strong interest in transformative cancer research that doesn’t fit into familiar boxes. One major track is Health Science Futures (HSF), designed to find and fund high-upside projects that could reset what’s possible in medicine. The submission window for cancer-focused programs is open now, and ARPA-H encourages proposals that clearly show how breakthrough technologies can move from concept to proof—and from proof to impact.
Funding Through the Proactive Health Office (PHO)
ARPA-H’s Proactive Health Office (PHO) targets health before disease takes hold. The goal is to extend health span by investing in pre-disease interventions and quality-of-life improvements. Cancer prevention and detection are front and center in this work. The PHO invites creative solutions—approaches that help people avoid cancer or find it earlier, with less burden on patients and systems alike. Interested teams can submit solution summaries until the specified deadline, and the competition is strong, so clarity, feasibility, and clear benefits are key.
Scalable Solutions Office: Bringing Access Within Reach
The Scalable Solutions Office (SSO) backs projects that make care more accessible and affordable, including cancer-focused solutions. It emphasizes partnerships that bridge gaps—between urban and rural communities, between clinics and patients, between innovation and everyday use. The SSO values technologies that extend expertise through telemedicine and mobile clinics, and it looks for models that can scale without losing quality. The aim is simple: take good ideas and make them work for more people, in more places.
Help for Organizations Seeking Funding
The Cancer Moonshot depends on collaboration—researchers, clinicians, community groups, and companies pulling in the same direction. For organizations pursuing ARPA-H funding, specialized advisors like EverGlade Consulting can help navigate the federal process, from interpreting requirements to refining proposals and managing awards. That includes compliance, budgets, and timelines, so teams can focus on the science and the mission while meeting the rules that come with public funding.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Cancer Moonshot?
The Cancer Moonshot is a national effort to speed progress against cancer by reducing deaths and improving quality of life. It does this by backing research and programs in prevention, early detection, diagnostics, and care—so discoveries reach people faster.
How can organizations apply for ARPA-H funding?
Review active opportunities and align your idea with a specific track, such as POSEIDON or the Innovative Solutions Opening (including HSF). Prepare the required materials, follow the submission instructions for that opportunity, and clearly explain the problem, your approach, and how it will be tested and scaled.
What types of cancer-related projects can receive funding?
Projects focused on prevention, early detection, novel diagnostics, therapeutic approaches, and improved access to care are in scope. ARPA-H is especially interested in ideas that can demonstrate measurable benefits and reach people at scale.
What role does EverGlade Consulting play in securing funding?
EverGlade Consulting supports teams through the federal awards lifecycle—pursuit, proposal, and post-award. They help interpret requirements, structure budgets, ensure compliance, and strengthen submissions so applicants can present a clear, competitive case.
When are submissions for funding opportunities due?
Submissions for various ARPA-H funding opportunities are generally due by March 3. Always check the specific solicitation for exact dates, formatting rules, and any pre-submission steps.
