Award for Early Detection and Diagnosis of Kidney Cancer

Rising Tide and Kidney Cancer Association Request for Applications

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Background

The Rising Tide Foundation for Clinical Cancer Research and the Kidney Cancer Association are partnering to issue a Request for Applications (RFA) to support clinical validation studies or early stages interventional clinical trials aimed at improving the Early Detection and Diagnosis of Kidney Cancer. 

RTFCCR and KCA have identified major unmet needs for early detection and accurate diagnosis and prognosis of kidney cancer and thus want to collaboratively focus a portion of their philanthropic efforts and support research to advance this field.  

The RFA supports clinical validation studies or phase I or II clinical trials utilizing new or improved imaging technologies, biomarkers, or monitoring algorithms, as some examples.  

Potential unmet needs include (and are not limited to):  

  • Distinguishing benign lesions and malignant kidney cancer; 
  • Improving stratification criteria for the “at risk” patient populations;  
  • Validation of diagnostics or prognostic factors (biomarkers)  

The following criteria must be met for the proposed validation study/ clinical trial:  

  • The study should improve existing or validate newly identified tests, test methods, technologies (i.e., imaging technologies, AI), or devices.  
  • The study needs to have, at the moment of the application, preliminary data proving the association between the proposed detection marker and the cancer of interest 
  • Patient/caregiver partners must be involved in the study design and execution of the proposal. Therefore, this RFA requires a patient partners involvement plan.  

Studies proposing the use of technologies that are easily scalable are encouraged. 

Note

The present funding mechanisms will NOT support:   

  1. Nationwide population screening;  
  2. Studies aimed at increasing awareness or the use of existing diagnostics/screening tests;  
  3. Early identification of a diagnostic/prognostic tool without analytical validation in patient populations or patient samples 
  4. Studies researching diagnostic tools or technologies whose intellectual property is owned by a private entity, such as start-ups or biotech companies  

Award Structure and Allocation

Investigators may receive up to USD 150,000 for a duration of up to 2 years.  

Award funds may be used for the salary and fringe benefit costs of personnel other than the applicant. Fringe benefit costs may only be expended upon the stipulation that they cannot be obtained from another source. Travel costs for investigators cannot be covered by this grant. 

Factors considered in evaluating applications

Some of the factors considered when reviewing applications include: 

  • Innovation – Does the project address the improvement of early detection of cancer?  
  • Scientific merit and feasibility of the research plan 
  • Impact – How will the research findings from the project move to the clinic and impact patients? What plans does/do the applicant(s) have for the clinical application of the findings of the project?  
  • Study design and its burden on patient participation, i.e., how difficult is it for study participants to participate in the proposed study? We recommend study designs that support the inclusion of a diverse group of patient participants  
  • Research environment: Does the applicant have access to institutional resources required for the successful completion of the proposed project? 
  • Appropriateness of the requested budget to complete the proposed research project. Factors used to evaluate the budget include total costs of the trial, the amount requested, and the plan to secure the remaining funds.  Patient Partners involvement activities: How patient partners will be actively engaged in the study from the development of research questions through dissemination of study results. Specific guidance for preparing a Patient Involvement Plan can be found in this document and supplied upon request.  

Application Instructions and Timeline

Applicants are invited to submit their letter of intent (LOI) by the deadline of October 15th, 2025. 

All applicants are invited to contact either foundation for any questions or issues they encounter during the application process.  

The application process involves the following steps: 

  • Letters of Intent (LOI) are submitted online through our grant management system, SmartSimple, with a deadline of October 15th, 2025. They will be assessed by internal staff and advisory board members of both foundations. 
  • Full Grant Application: the most promising LOIs that align with our RFA topic will be invited to submit a full grant application online.  
  • Grant Review Committee: Full grant applications are reviewed by an independent grant review committee, composed of two scientific experts, one biostatistician, and one patient partner.   
  • Recommendations made by the grant review committee are submitted to the RTFCCR’s and KCA’s boards of directors for final decision based on alignment of the proposed project with the foundations’ funding scope and strategy. The Board of Directors decision will be timely communicated. 

Contact person

For answers to questions regarding programs, eligibility, policies, terms and conditions, or instructions for the letter of intent or full application, please contact:

Zoraide Granchi
Senior Scientific Program Manager
zoraide.granchi@risingtide.ch

Kidney Cancer Association

The Kidney Cancer Association was founded in 1990 by Eugene P. Schonfeld and a small group of patients and doctors in Chicago, Illinois and has grown into an international non-profit organization. The KCA promotes scientific advances through two annual research symposiums and a robust grant program, participates in legislative advocacy, and seeks to be a source of education and resources for patients, caregivers, and anyone impacted by kidney cancer. For more information, please see here.

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