Accelerating Colorectal Cancer Screening and follow-up through Implementation Science (ACCSIS)(UG3/UH3 Clinical Trial Required) | RFA CA 19 018

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA CA 19 018

The Accelerating Colorectal Cancer Screening and Follow-up through Implementation Science (ACCSIS) grant opportunity (RFA-CA-19-018) is an NIH cooperative agreement designed to speed up practical, real-world improvements in colorectal cancer (CRC) screening and what happens after screening, especially for populations whose screening rates fall below national benchmarks. It sits under the Beau Biden Cancer Moonshot Initiative and directly aligns with a Blue Ribbon Panel priority area focused on prevention and screening through implementation of evidence-based approaches. The central idea is not to invent new screening tests, but to generate strong, usable evidence on how to reliably increase screening completion, ensure timely follow-up of abnormal results, and improve referral-to-care pathways in settings where people are currently being missed.

A key emphasis of ACCSIS is implementation science, meaning applicants are expected to study how to put proven strategies into practice across different levels of influence. The program is aimed at building an evidence base for multilevel interventions, such as approaches that combine patient outreach and navigation, clinic workflow changes, provider supports, health system policies, community partnerships, and data-driven tracking systems. The goal is to show not only whether these interventions work, but also how and why they work in real service settings, how they can be sustained, and what it takes to scale them up so they can reduce CRC burden across the U.S. population. Because this FOA is focused on populations with lower-than-standard screening rates, projects generally need to be designed around equity-focused implementation challenges, including barriers related to access, trust, geography, language, insurance coverage, and health system capacity.

The funding mechanism uses a two-phase UG3/UH3 structure, and applicants must submit a single application that includes both phases. The UG3 phase is a one-year, milestone-driven planning period intended to finalize the clinical trial-ready elements: partnerships and sites, operational workflows, recruitment and retention plans, data systems, intervention fidelity procedures, outcome definitions, and other feasibility requirements. If the UG3 milestones are met, the project can transition quickly to the UH3 phase, which supports execution of the clinical trial. Importantly, continuation into UH3 is not automatic; it depends on an administrative review confirming that the UG3 scientific milestones and feasibility targets were achieved and that funds are available. The FOA also specifies that a clinical trial is required, so applicants must be prepared to run and evaluate an intervention using an appropriate trial design within real-world practice environments.

As a cooperative agreement, this opportunity also signals substantial NIH involvement during the life of the award compared with a typical research grant. In practice, that usually means closer coordination with NIH program staff on study progress, milestone completion, and alignment with the broader ACCSIS program goals of producing generalizable, scalable best practices for screening and follow-up improvement. The activity category is listed under education and health, and the CFDA numbers associated with the opportunity include 93.353 and 93.394.

Eligibility is broad across U.S.-based organizations and governmental entities. Eligible applicants include state, county, city, township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; and federally recognized tribal governments as well as other tribal organizations. The FOA explicitly highlights additional eligible categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISI institutions, Hispanic-serving institutions, HBCUs, tribally controlled colleges and universities, faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions. At the same time, it clearly excludes non-U.S. entities and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations; foreign components as defined by NIH policy are not allowed.

In terms of basic administrative details provided in the source, the agency is the National Institutes of Health, the original closing date listed is February 11, 2019, and the award ceiling shown is $500,000. Overall, ACCSIS is best understood as a mission-driven, trial-focused implementation science program meant to move the needle on CRC screening completion and the often-lost steps that follow abnormal findings, by testing and refining scalable, multilevel strategies in real care settings where screening gaps persist.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Accelerating Colorectal Cancer Screening and follow-up through Implementation Science (ACCSIS)(UG3/UH3 Clinical Trial Required)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.353, 93.394.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2018-11-01.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2019-02-11. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $500,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

Apply for RFA CA 19 018

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