Verified

Regular Grant Programme

World Cancer Research Fund

The aim of the World Cancer Research Fund Regular Grant Programme is to support innovative and original research into the role of diet, nutrition, body composition and physical activity in either cancer prevention or cancer survivorship.

Timelines

Grant calls open (Letter of Intent stage): 5 October 2026, 9am BST (UK time)
Grant calls close (Letter of Intent stage): 13 November 2026, 5pm GMT (UK time)

Outcomes of the Letter of Intent (LOI) stage will be communicated in February 2027.

Final funding decisions will be made at the end of September 2027 following Board approval.

Grant applications

You will need to create a Proposal Central account if you do not already have one.

Once you are logged in:

You will now see our open grant schemes. Click the ‘Apply Now’ button of the grant you would like to apply for.

Please note:

Proposal Central is not optimised for Safari so we recommend that you use an alternative browser (Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Firefox).
All dates on Proposal Central are in US time format (MMDDYY).

Support and guidelines

For more details on the Regular Grant Programme, please read the RGP guidelines document and refer to the Applicant FAQs .

The Research Funding team can be contacted on research@wcrf.org for any questions regarding remit and eligibility.

If you are experiencing technical difficulties with the grant management software, Proposal Central, please contact pcsupport@altum.com for support, or read their guidance.

Research priority areas

To focus this expanded programme where it can have the greatest impact, our 2026-27 grant calls will include six priority areas, identified through evidence gaps highlighted by the Global Cancer Update Programme, our strategic objectives and consultation with our scientific stakeholders.

For the 2026-27 grant call, applications must focus on at least one of the six priority areas. Applications may span more than one priority area where this is scientifically justified; applicants should identify all relevant areas and make the main alignment of the proposed research clear.  Alignment with a priority area does not replace the usual requirements for scientific quality, relevance to WCRF International’s remit, feasibility and potential impact. For this year’s grant call, sleep will be included as a primary exposure alongside diet, nutrition, physical activity and body composition.

Investigator initiated grants

Eligible applicants: lead applicants must hold a research position at the host institution for the duration of the project.
Eligible organisations: anywhere in the world
Level of funding: up to £500,000
Duration of funding: up to 4 years

Pilot and feasibility grants

Eligible applicants: lead applicants must hold a research position at the host institution for the duration of the project.
Eligible organisations: anywhere in the world
Level of funding: up to £60,000
Duration of funding: up to 2 years

AI Based Application Success Predictor

These rankings are inferred from WCRF's published review priorities, eligibility criteria and current call requirements; they are not official numerical weights.

1

★★★★★

Mandatory alignment with one of the six priority areas — Critical

The 2026–27 call requires proposals to address at least one designated priority area. Projects outside these areas will not pass initial screening, even if the general cancer topic is relevant.

World Cancer Research Fund

2

★★★★★

Scientific quality and originality — Critical

Present an important research question, strong rationale, clear aims and a meaningful advance over existing evidence. WCRF's expert panels assess scientific quality, novelty and relevance.

World Cancer Research Fund

3

★★★★★

Direct relevance to cancer prevention or survivorship — Critical

Explain how the research advances understanding of cancer risk, prevention, recurrence, long-term health or life after a cancer diagnosis. The link between the exposure and cancer outcomes must be central to the project.

4

★★★★★

Rigorous exposure measurement and study design — Critical

Measure diet, physical activity, sleep, body composition or other relevant exposures accurately. Account for confounding, bias, changes in exposure over time and the limitations of observational or experimental designs. The call specifically highlights contemporary food formulation, processing and consumption patterns.

World Cancer Research Fund

5

★★★★☆

Potential for meaningful impact — Very high

Show how results could close an evidence gap, improve prevention recommendations, inform supportive care or guide future clinical and public-health interventions.

6

★★★★☆

Feasibility and appropriate grant mechanism — Very high

Match the project's scale to the funding available and duration. Use a Pilot and Feasibility Grant to test feasibility or generate preliminary data; use an Investigator Initiated Grant for a substantive research question requiring a larger, longer study.

World Cancer Research Fund

7

★★★★☆

Appropriate applicant experience and career-stage fit — Very high

For the Regular Grant Programme, the lead applicant must be an established researcher with a higher research degree and at least one previously secured independent research grant. INSPIRE is designed for researchers 2–7 years after their PhD or equivalent, adjusted for qualifying leave.

World Cancer Research Fund

8

★★★★☆

Patient and public involvement and engagement — Very high

Explain how people with lived experience will help shape the research question, design, delivery, interpretation and communication of findings. WCRF expects applicants to demonstrate meaningful involvement, not simply mention it.

World Cancer Research Fund

9

★★★☆☆

Strong team, institutional support and collaboration — High

Assemble the expertise required for the research, such as nutrition science, epidemiology, oncology, behavioral science, exposure assessment or biostatistics. Confirm that the institution can support the project throughout the award period.

10

★★★★☆

Clear writing, budget and eligibility compliance — Essential gate

State the priority-area fit explicitly, justify each major cost, follow the LOI and full-application process, and secure institutional approvals. Only eligible academic and research institutions can apply; commercial organisations are not eligible lead applicants.

World Cancer Research Fund

Ranked summary table

Rank	Predictor	Importance
1	Alignment with a 2026–27 priority area	Critical
2	Scientific quality and originality	Critical
3	Cancer prevention or survivorship relevance	Critical
4	Exposure measurement and methodological rigor	Critical
5	Potential impact	Very high
6	Feasibility and mechanism fit	Very high
7	Applicant eligibility and experience	Very high
8	Patient and public involvement	Very high
9	Research team and institutional support	High
10	Budget and application compliance	Essential gate

Specialties

Cancer

Oncology

Eligibility Requirements

From autumn 2026, WCRF International will manage grants on behalf of the whole network: World Cancer Research Fund in the United Kingdom, Wereld Kanker Onderzoek Fonds in the Netherlands and the American Institute for Cancer Research in the United States. Therefore, the Regular Grant Programme will now be open to researchers anywhere in the world.

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: World Cancer Research Fund

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: 140 Pentonville RoadLondonN1 9FW

Legal & Affiliation Disclaimer

Affiliation Disclaimer: Trialect operates independently and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or supported by any sponsors or organizations posting on the GrantsBoard platform. As an independent aggregator of publicly available funding opportunities, Trialect provides equal access to information for all users without endorsing any specific funding source, content, organization, or sponsor. Trialect assumes no responsibility for the content posted by sponsors or third parties.

Subscription Disclaimer: Upon logging into Trialect, you may choose to SUBSCRIBE to GrantsBoard for timely notifications of funding opportunities and to access exclusive benefits, such as priority alerts, reminders, personalized recommendations, and additional application support. However, users are advised to contact sponsors directly for any questions and are not required to subscribe to engage with funding opportunities.

Content Ownership and Copyright Disclaimer: Trialect respects the intellectual property rights of all organizations and individuals. All content posted on GrantsBoard is provided solely for informational purposes and remains the property of the original owners. Trialect does not claim ownership of, nor does it have any proprietary interest in, content provided by third-party sponsors. Users are encouraged to verify content and ownership directly with the posting sponsor.

Fair Use Disclaimer: The information and content available on GrantsBoard are compiled from publicly accessible sources in alignment with fair use principles under U.S. copyright law. Trialect serves as an aggregator of this content, offering it to users in good faith and with the understanding that it is available for public dissemination. Any organization or individual who believes their intellectual property rights have been violated is encouraged to contact us for prompt resolution.

Third-Party Posting Responsibility Disclaimer: Trialect is a neutral platform that allows third-party sponsors to post funding opportunities for informational purposes only. Sponsors are solely responsible for ensuring that their postings comply with copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws. Trialect assumes no liability for any copyright or intellectual property infringements in third-party content and will take appropriate action to address any substantiated claims.

Accuracy and Verification Disclaimer: Trialect makes no warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information provided by sponsors. Users are advised to verify the details of any funding opportunity directly with the sponsor before taking action. Trialect cannot be held liable for any discrepancies, omissions, or inaccuracies in third-party postings.

Notice and Takedown Policy: Trialect is committed to upholding copyright law and protecting the rights of intellectual property owners. If you believe that content on GrantsBoard infringes your copyright or intellectual property rights, please contact us with detailed information about the claim. Upon receipt of a valid notice, Trialect will promptly investigate and, where appropriate, remove or disable access to the infringing content.

View Funding Opportunity