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I’m a cancer researcher

Cancer Council WA fund world-class research, which targets cancer from every angle. We know that every result helps us to understand cancer better, and find new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat it.

As Western Australia’s largest charitable funder of cancer research, our funding process ensures we support the highest quality cancer research. We focus on projects that have the potential to translate into practice, and result in real improvements for people impacted by cancer – locally, nationally and globally.

For more information about Cancer Council WA research funding, read about our grant opportunities, general resources, cancer research funding in WA and grant schemes:

Grant Opportunities

Cancer Council WA offer three funding schemes. The Strategic Priority Program – Capacity building and the Cancer Research Project Grants are co-funded by the Future Health Research and Innovation (FHRI) Fund and donations from the West Australian community. Cancer Council WA fund the Research Funding Program through community donations.

Strategic Priority Program – Capacity Building

Grant scheme Focus Maximum funding Frequency Application status
Early Career Fellowship To support cancer researchers in the early stages of their career, providing improved career stability and encouraging the best and brightest to continue in the discipline of cancer research. $75,000 for three years. Annual Applications Open: 7 March
Mid-Career Fellowship To support mid-cancer researchers to consolidate their research program by providing improved career stability and encouraging the best and brightest to continue in the discipline of cancer research. Up to $136,000 per annum for four years. Annual Applications Open: 7 March
Senior Fellowship To support outstanding biomedical and health researchers working in the field of cancer, so they can undertake research that is of major importance. Up to $192,250 per annum for four years. Annual Applications Open: 7 March
Early Career Investigator Grants To help talented early career cancer researchers to develop the skills and necessary track record to advance their career. $40,000 per annum for one year Annual Applications Open: 7 March
Mid-Career Investigator Grant To help talented mid-career cancer researchers to consolidate their track record to advance their career. $61,000 per annum for one year Annual Applications Open: 7 March
Clinical Capacity building grant To build research capacity in a clinical setting. TBC Annual Applications Open: 7 March
PhD Top Up Scholarships To support students with an outstanding track record in academic achievement, and the potential to pursue full-time PhD studies in cancer-related research. $12,000 per annum for up to four years Annual Applications Open: 7 March
Aboriginal student scholarships To support early-stage Aboriginal researchers at Honours or Masters level to gain research experience within a major project. $60,000 each for one year Annual Applications Open: 7 March

Cancer Research Project Grants

Grant scheme Focus Maximum funding Frequency Application status
Cancer Research Project Grants To support early-stage research projects which may then become more competitive for larger national funding pools.

Twelve grants will be awarded. Of these, funding will be prioritised for an eligible application in each of the four following streams: Aboriginal health; Rural and remote health; Clinical; and Public Health.

$140,000 for one year Annual Applications Open: 7 March

Cancer Research Funding Program

Grant scheme Focus Maximum funding Frequency Application status
Collaborative Cancer Grant Scheme for EMCR To support early to mid-career research to engage in collaborative research projects. $65,000 for one year TBC TBC
Vacation Scholarships To expose talented young university students to cancer research, providing experience and an opportunity to progress their studies. $3000 over 6-10 weeks Annual Applications Open: 11 June
Research Excellence Awards To recognise and celebrate the achievements of Western Australia’s best and brightest cancer researchers. Up to $20,000 One in each of the three areas offered annually Applications Open:16 July
John Nott Travel Support Fellowship To provide support for a national or international clinical cancer leader/researcher to visit WA to help provide further education in the area of clinical cancer management. Up to $10,000 Annual Open now
Enabling Grant Assist high achieving cancer research groups achieve the ‘new money’ requirement of the Cancer Research Trust (CRT) Grant funding opportunity. $50,000 Adhoc TBC

General resources

Community criteria – general guidance documents

There is increasing recognition of the benefits of involving community members (sometimes referred to as consumers) in all parts of the research process, including the allocation of research funding. Effective community involvement in our research funding decisions can help to provide a broader perspective to our decisions, improve accountability to our donors, ensure the research we fund is relevant to the WA community and improve how the results of the research are communicated to the wider community.

Grant schemes:

Co-funded by Future Health Research and Innovation (FHRI) Fund and Cancer Council WA

These grants are:

  • Intended to support early-stage research projects which may then become more competitive for larger national funding pools.
  • Awarded for up to one year.
  • Valued at up to $140,000.
  • Applications are encouraged from any area of cancer research related to the causes, diagnosis, treatment and/or prevention of cancer.
  • Twelve grants will be awarded.  Of these, funding will be prioritised for an eligible application in each of the four following streams: Aboriginal health; Rural and remote health; Clinical; and Public Health.
  • For priority area criteria, please see Appendix 1 in the Guidelines to Applicants.

Eligibility requirements

  • Chief Investigator A (CIA) must hold a primary appointment at a publicly funded, established Western Australian Higher Education and/or Medical Research Institutions.
  • The CIA may only submit one application to the current round and may appear on up to two other applications as CI.
  • Any CI who is not a CIA may appear on up to four applications in the current round.
  • No changes to the Chief Investigators are to be made between the EOI and Full Application.
  • A CIA awarded a Cancer Research Project Grant (previously known as a Research Project Grant) in 2024 for the 2025 funding year is not eligible to apply for funding as a CIA in the 2025 Application year.
  • It is strongly encouraged that early or mid-career researcher/s be named as chief or associate investigators on the application.
  • The institution nominated to administer the grant (e.g., the Administering Institution), must be an NHMRC-Approved Administering Institution in WA.
  • Most of the research work (assessed as 75% or more) should be conducted in or through legitimate Western Australian Higher Education and/or Medical Research Institutions.
  • NOTE: for the priority area applications, eligibility requirements may be different, please see Appendix 1 in Guidelines to Applicants for details.

How to apply

For further information and guidance, please read the Guidelines to Applicants and Community Criteria General Guidance Documents.  You can also download the Project Grant Application Template  for additional assistance with completing your online application.

The application process is in two stages. The first stage requires the submission of an Expression of Intent from which a select number of applicants will be shortlisted to submit a full application.

All applications can be submitted through Cancer Council WA’s online grant portal. Please see the Guidelines to Applicants for an easy ‘how to apply’ guide.

Key dates and deadlines
Stage Date
Advertising and promotion commence February 2025
Deadline for submission of the Expression of Intent 30 April 2025
Full application notification by 11 July 2025
Deadline for submission of the Full Application 27 August 2025
Outcome notification November 2025

Recipient requirements

Successful recipients will be required to:

  • Attend the Annual Research Awards Lunch.
  • A final report submitted with an acquittal report on completion of the project, and brief follow-on reports submitted 12 months and five years post project completion.
  • Acknowledge Cancer Council WA funding at events and in publications: “This research was carried out during the tenure of a Cancer Research Project Grant from the Future Health Research and Innovation Fund and Cancer Council WA”.
  • Engage in events and/or media organised by Cancer Council WA.

Reporting templates will be made available through the Online Grants Management System.

Cancer Council WA, WA Department of Health, Cancer Research Trust, Charlies Foundation for Research, Curtin University, Edith Cowan University, The University of Western Australia and Telethon Kids Institute have come together in partnership to fund collaborative, competitive research led by early to mid-career cancer researchers.

See our generous funders here.

This Collaborative Cancer Grant Scheme (CCGS):

  • Intended to provide support for early- to mid-career cancer researchers in WA and in particular to encourage collaboration.
  • Aims to improve research quality and increase the competitiveness of this group of researchers by helping them to obtain preliminary data and build collaborative networks.
  • Valued at up to $65,000.
  • Grants to be offered every 2-3 years.
  • Applications are encouraged from any area of cancer research related to the causes, diagnosis, treatment and/or prevention of cancer.
  • One grant will be allocated to a research project related to the implementation of a WA Cancer Plan 2020-2025 priority area

Eligibility requirements

  • All Chief Investigators (CIs) must be early- to mid-career researchers (see definition below).
  • Early-mid career investigators who hold or have held (as Chief Investigator A (CIA) at the time of submission an NHMRC, Australian Research Council (ARC) or similar standard grant of an amount equal to or greater than $250,000 are ineligible to apply for the these grants.
  • Researchers can hold no more than one Collaborative Cancer Grant as CIA in any three year period.
  • The CIA and at least one other CI must be from a funding partner organisation(s).
  • At least one CI must be a WA public health system clinician.
  • Each application must have at least one CI from a minimum of three different organisations in WA.
  • Most of the research work (assessed as 75% or more) should be conducted in or through legitimate Western Australian Higher Education and/or Medical Research Institutions.

How to apply

  1. Expression of Intent stage
  2. Full application stage
  3. Interview stage.

Progression to Stages 2 and 3 is dependent on shortlisting. The expectation is that all CIs will be able to attend the interviews.

Key dates and deadlines
Stage Date
Advertising and promotion commence TBC
Deadline for submission of the Expression of Intent TBC
Full application notification TBC
Deadline for submission of the Full Application TBC
Interviews TBC
Outcome notification TBC

Recipient requirements

Successful recipient teams will be required to:

  • Attend the Annual Research Awards Lunch.
  • A Final Report submitted on completion of the project, and brief follow-on reports submitted 12 months and five years post project completion.
  • Acknowledge Cancer Council WA funding at events and in publications: “This work was [fully/partially] funded by the Western Australia Collaborative Cancer Grant Scheme”.
  • Engage in events and/or media organised by Cancer Council WA.

Reporting templates will be made available through the Online Grants Management System.

These Scholarships are:

  • Intended to expose talented university students to cancer research.
  • Valued at up to $3,000.
  • Applications are encouraged from any area of cancer research related to the causes, diagnosis, treatment and/or prevention of cancer.

The vacation scholarships available for funding in this funding year:

  • Up to eight Cancer Council WA Vacation Scholarship are open to all research areas and fields, as the projects must broadly relate to cancer.
  • Up to two Vacation Scholarships are offered by the James Crofts Hope Foundation (JCHF). As the Foundation is committed to the advancement of research in the area of brain cancer these scholarships will be awarded to research projects that relate directly to brain cancer research.
  • Up to two Vacation Scholarships offered by the Abbie Basson Sarcoma Foundation. As the Foundation is committed to the advancement of research in the area of sarcoma, primary bone and soft tissue tumours, these scholarships will be awarded to research projects that relate directly to sarcoma research

Eligibility requirements

  • Students enrolled full-time in the year when the application is received.
  • Students who have completed two years of an appropriate course work degree and are enrolled in at least the third year of the course work degree in the disciplines relevant to cancer control or treatment (when the application is received). Alternatively, medical students currently at the end of their third year or post graduate medical students who have not already completed a research degree are eligible.
  • Most of the research work (assessed as 75% or more) should be conducted in or through legitimate Western Australian Higher Education and/or Medical Research Institutions.

Applicants are ineligible if:

  • They are enrolled in or have completed a research degree (e.g. Honours).
  • They are enrolled part-time in the year when the application is received.
  • They have not completed two years of an appropriate degree course when the application is received.
  • They are previous recipients of a James Crofts Hope Foundation Student Vacation Research Scholarship, an Abbie Basson Sarcoma Foundation Student Vacation Research Scholarship or a Cancer Council WA Student Vacation Research Scholarship.
  • They are current recipients of a full-time scholarship intended to provide an equivalent stipend/salary of an amount equal to or greater than $3,000 may be ineligible (assessed on a case by case basis).
  • Students who are currently employed in the area (e.g. third or fourth year student working as a part time research assistant).

How to apply

Key dates and deadlines
Stage Date
Advertising and promotion commence May 2025
Deadline for submission of the Full Application 3 September 2025
Outcome notification November 2025

Recipient requirements

Recipients will be required to:

  • Attend the Annual Research Awards Lunch.
  • Submit a Final Report no later than 30 April of the project end year.
  • Acknowledge Cancer Council WA funding at events and in publications:
    • “[name of Research Scholar] was supported by a Cancer Council WA Vacation Research Scholarship”.
    • “[name of Research Scholar] was supported by a James Crofts Hope Foundation Vacation Research Scholarship”.
    • “[name of Research Scholar] was supported by an Abbie Basson Sarcoma Foundation Vacation Research Scholarship”.
  • Engage in events and/or media organised by Cancer Council WA.

Reporting templates will be made available through the Online Grants Management System.

These awards are intended to recognise and celebrate the achievements of Western Australia’s best and brightest cancer researchers.

There are three award categories

  • Early Career Cancer Researcher of the Year (valued at $10,000)
  • Cancer Researcher of the Year (valued at $20,000)
  • Professor Bruce Armstrong Research Career Achievement Award (valued at $20,000)
  • Applications are encouraged from any area of cancer research related to the causes, diagnosis, treatment and/or prevention of cancer.

How to nominate

For information and guidance please read the Research Excellence Awards guidelines.

All applications are to be submitted through Cancer Council WA’s online grant portal. Please see the Research Excellence Guidelines for an easy ‘how to apply’ guide.

Key dates and deadlines
Stage Date
Advertising and promotion commence June 2024
Nominations Open 16 July 2024
Deadline for submission of the nomination 4.00pm 8 November 2024
Outcome notification February/March 2025

Recipient requirements

Recipients will be required to:

  • Attend the Annual Research Awards Lunch.
  • Funds to be applied to a cancer research area of interest.
  • A brief update on where the funds have been applied.
  • Engage in events and/or media organised by Cancer Council WA.

This Fellowship is intended to provide support for a national or international clinical cancer leader/researcher to visit Western Australia to help provide further education in the area of clinical cancer management.

How to apply

  • For information and guidance please read the John Nott Travel Grant Guidelines.
  • All applications are to be submitted through Cancer Council WA’s online grant portal. Please see the John Nott Travel Grant Guidelines for an easy ‘how to apply’ guide.
Key dates and deadlines
Stage Date
Advertising and promotion commence January 2025
Deadline for submission of the Full Application No deadline
Outcome notification No deadline, Notification of outcome within 6 months of submission

Recipient requirements

Recipients will be required to:

  • Attend the Annual Research Awards Lunch.
  • Report on activities. All reporting to be completed via the Online Grants Management System.
  • You may be asked to engage in events and/or media.

This grant is intended to assist high achieving cancer research groups achieve the ‘new money’ requirement of the Cancer Research Trust (CRT) Grant funding opportunity prior to submitting the Expression of Intent to CRT.

How to apply

Key dates and deadlines
Stage Date
Advertising and promotion commence TBC
Submission deadline TBC
Outcome notification TBC

Recipient requirements

Recipients will be required to:

  • Attend the Annual Research Awards Lunch for the duration of the funding.
  • Report on activities. All reporting to be completed via the Online Grants Management System.
  • You may be asked to engage in events and/or media