About this opportunity
Cancer research funding usually splits into two problems, the money and the reach. This call answers both. Investigator initiated grants run to £500,000 over up to four years, and the smaller pilot and feasibility route carries up to £60,000 over up to two years for work that still needs a proof of concept.
The bigger change is geography. From autumn 2026, WCRF International manages grants on behalf of the whole network, which covers 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. The programme is therefore open to researchers anywhere in the world, with eligible organisations listed as anywhere in the world, so a university or research institute in Nigeria or elsewhere in Africa can lead a proposal.
For the 2026-27 call, a proposal must focus on at least one of six priority areas, and it may span more than one where the science justifies it. They are integrative oncology, lifestyle alongside weight loss medications, early onset cancers diagnosed between 18 and 50 years, early life exposures from preconception through adolescence, ingested contaminants in food and drinking water, and ultra processed foods. Sleep is added as a primary exposure alongside diet, nutrition, physical activity and body composition for this call.
The process runs in two stages, and the first one is a letter of intent. The stage opened on 5 October 2026 and closes on 13 November 2026 at 5pm UK time, with outcomes in February 2027 and final funding decisions at the end of September 2027 after Board approval. Proposals go through Proposal Central, so the account has to be created before the closing date rather than on it.
What you receive
- Up to £500,000 for investigator initiated grants over up to four years
- Up to £60,000 for pilot and feasibility grants over up to two years
- Open to eligible organisations anywhere in the world from autumn 2026
- A letter of intent stage first, so a researcher can test a proposal before writing a full application
- A funded project sits inside a network that also publishes the evidence reviews behind the priority areas
- A clear calendar, with intent outcomes in February 2027 and final decisions by the end of September 2027
Who can apply
- Lead applicants must hold a research position at the host institution for the duration of the project
- Eligible organisations are anywhere in the world
- The research must address diet, nutrition, body composition, physical activity or sleep in cancer prevention or cancer survivorship
- A proposal must focus on at least one of the six priority areas for the 2026-27 call, and may span more than one where scientifically justified
- Sleep counts as a primary exposure for this call alongside diet, nutrition, physical activity and body composition
- Applications on loosely defined complementary therapies without a clear link to the remit or a strong scientific rationale sit outside the integrative oncology area
- Ultra processed food studies must reflect contemporary products and consumption patterns, or they will not be considered
- Alignment with a priority area does not replace the usual requirements for scientific quality, relevance, feasibility and potential impact
Who should not apply
- Proposals that do not address at least one of the six published priority areas
- Loosely defined complementary therapy research that lacks a clear link to the remit or a strong scientific rationale
- Ultra processed food applications that fail to account for changes in food formulation, processing and consumption over time
- Lead applicants who do not hold a research position at the host institution for the full project period
Documents to prepare
- A letter of intent submitted through Proposal Central
- A Proposal Central account, created before the closing date
- A full application, invited only after the letter of intent stage
- The programme guidelines document and the applicant FAQs, read before drafting
How to apply
- Read the Regular Grant Programme guidelines and the applicant FAQs on the World Cancer Research Fund website
- Choose which of the six priority areas the work sits in, and make the main alignment clear
- Create a Proposal Central account if you do not already have one
- Sign in and open the list of open grant schemes
- Click Apply Now on the Regular Grant Programme entry
- Submit the letter of intent before 13 November 2026 at 5pm UK time
- Use Chrome, Edge or Firefox rather than Safari, and remember that Proposal Central shows dates in US month day year format
- Email research@wcrf.org for remit or eligibility questions, and pcsupport@altum.com for platform problems
Selection process
- Letters of intent are assessed first, with outcomes communicated in February 2027
- Invited full applications are then reviewed against scientific quality, relevance to the remit, feasibility and potential impact
- Final funding decisions are made at the end of September 2027 following Board approval
Sources and verification
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Questions applicants ask
Can a researcher based in Africa apply?
Yes. From autumn 2026 WCRF International manages grants for the whole network and the programme is open to researchers anywhere in the world, with eligible organisations listed as anywhere in the world.
How much money is available?
Investigator initiated grants go up to £500,000 for up to four years. Pilot and feasibility grants go up to £60,000 for up to two years.
When does the current round close?
The letter of intent stage opened on 5 October 2026 at 9am UK time and closes on 13 November 2026 at 5pm GMT.
What happens after I submit a letter of intent?
Outcomes of the letter of intent stage are communicated in February 2027. Final funding decisions are made at the end of September 2027 following Board approval.
Do I have to fit one of the six priority areas?
Yes, a proposal must focus on at least one of them for the 2026 27 call. It may span more than one where that is scientifically justified, and you should identify all relevant areas.
Is there an application fee?
No fee is published for the letter of intent stage or the full application on the programme page.
Which browser should I use on Proposal Central?
Chrome, Edge or Firefox. The platform is not optimised for Safari, and it displays all dates in US time format, month day year.
Who do I ask about remit or eligibility?
The Research Funding team answers questions on remit and eligibility at research@wcrf.org. Technical problems with Proposal Central go to pcsupport@altum.com.
Important disclaimer
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