Accelerating Colorectal Cancer Screening and follow-up through Implementation Science (ACCSIS)(UG3/UH3) | RFA CA 17 038

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA CA 17 038

The Accelerating Colorectal Cancer Screening and Follow-up through Implementation Science (ACCSIS) (UG3/UH3) funding opportunity (RFA-CA-17-038) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) cooperative agreement created under the Beau Biden Cancer Moonshot Initiative, a larger federal push to speed up progress in cancer research and translate proven strategies into real-world impact more quickly. The central aim of ACCSIS is not to invent new screening tests, but to improve how well existing, evidence-based colorectal cancer (CRC) screening and follow-up practices are actually delivered in communities and health systems, especially for groups where screening rates lag behind national benchmarks. In practical terms, the FOA is about implementation science: studying how to adopt, scale, integrate, and sustain proven screening and care pathways so more people get screened on time, complete diagnostic follow-up when results are abnormal, and successfully connect to referral-to-care when cancer or serious findings are suspected or confirmed.

This FOA aligns with the Blue Ribbon Panel (BRP) scientific priority area focused on prevention and screening through implementation of evidence-based approaches. That framing matters because it signals the program is geared toward research that addresses real-world barriers such as limited access to screening services, uneven clinic workflows, patient navigation gaps, cultural and language barriers, insurance and cost obstacles, weak referral systems, and drop-offs between an initial screening test and the necessary follow-up colonoscopy or treatment evaluation. ACCSIS is explicitly aimed at populations with below-standard screening uptake, so applicants are expected to focus on settings and communities where disparities are most visible and where improvements would meaningfully reduce preventable disease and death.

The UG3/UH3 mechanism indicates a phased approach commonly used by NIH when projects require a structured start-up period before full implementation. The UG3 phase generally supports planning, refinement of protocols, partnership development, and feasibility milestones, while the UH3 phase supports the later stage of carrying out and evaluating the intervention at scale. Because this is a cooperative agreement, NIH is expected to have substantial involvement during the project period compared with a standard research grant, which often means closer coordination, agreed-upon milestones, and active federal programmatic oversight to keep the work aligned with the initiative goals.

Eligibility is broad across U.S.-based organizations, reflecting the applied nature of implementation research and the need to work directly with health systems and communities. Eligible applicants include state and county governments, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) entities), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), and small businesses, as well as other domestic entities that meet NIH requirements. The FOA also calls out additional eligible applicants such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and U.S. territories or possessions, reinforcing the emphasis on reaching populations that are often underserved or disproportionately affected. At the same time, it clearly excludes non-U.S. entities: foreign institutions are not eligible to apply, non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible, and foreign components as defined by NIH policy are not allowed. In other words, the work must be led and conducted within allowable domestic organizational structures.

Administratively, the opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding and sits within the health and education activity space, with CFDA numbers 93.353 and 93.394. The FOA record shows an original closing date of January 18, 2018, and a creation date of October 20, 2017. The listing does not provide an award ceiling or expected number of awards in the provided excerpt, which typically means applicants would need to consult the full FOA text and associated NIH notices for budget guidance, project duration expectations, and the anticipated program scale.

Overall, ACCSIS is best understood as an NIH effort to close the gap between what is already known to work in colorectal cancer screening and what actually happens in routine practice, with a strong focus on improving screening completion, ensuring timely follow-up after abnormal results, and strengthening referral-to-care pathways in populations where current screening rates fall short. The intent is to generate actionable evidence about implementation strategies that can be adopted and sustained across real health care and community settings, thereby delivering faster, measurable reductions in colorectal cancer burden.

• 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)" 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 2017-10-20.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2018-01-18. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, 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 17 038

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