Disruptive Innovation in Cancer Research Competition
This funding opportunity is provided by the Lotte and John Hecht Memorial Foundation in collaboration with the Canadian Cancer Society. It is designed to spark innovation which may be of benefit to the field of cancer research. The competition is not looking for typical projects which may be likely to get funding through typical funding pathways, but rather to find innovative, out-of-the-box intuitive or discovery-inspired projects which would be otherwise unlikely to be successful in securing funding via traditional competitions.
We will consider high risk projects with minimal or no preliminary data that, if successful, are likely to have a significant impact on cancer. –Hecht Foundation / Canadian Cancer Society
Available Funding
- Up to 16 projects
- $250,000 per project, over two years.
The competition consists of the following stages:
- Expression of Intent/EOI
- 300-500 word summary of the project
- Summary should include rationale, duration, budget, and requested amount of funding.
- Full application
- By invitation/shortlist only.
- More detailed and comprehensive information about the project is required at this stage.
This opportunity supports basic and preclinical research projects with budgets of up to $450,000 over three years. Proposals may originate from young or established researchers within their field or may be inspired by innovations or discoveries from adjacent and non-related areas.
The following are considerations that the Hecht Foundation states are used as part of an evaluation of projects, when making final funding decisions. Originality will be a key driver of success and will exclude projects that are incremental progression of existing studies.
- Novelty and uniqueness of the project; general fit with the Foundation’s priorities.
- Need for the project.
- Substantiation of research hypotheses and methods proposed.
- Feasibility and robustness of experimental design.
- Cost and duration of project.
- Expertise of research team.
- Clinical relevance (if applicable) and/or potential impact to the body of scientific knowledge.
- Likelihood of securing funds from other, conventional and governmental, sources.
2025 Key Dates
Summer 2025 Cycle
- Expression of Intent/EOI: 15 April 2025
- Full application upon invitation: 31 May 2025
- Decision available: Late July 2025
- Funding available: August-September 2025
Fall 2025 Cycle
- Expression of Intent/EOI: 15 August 2025
- Full application upon invitation: 1 October 1 2025
- Decision available: Late November 2025
- Funding available: January 2026