News Center

VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center is excited to announce that the proposal process is underway for the 2026 Community Grant Initiative.

This is the fifth year of Massey’s Seed to Harvest Community Grant Series, which provides funding to strengthen the capacity of local partners to collaborate with cancer center investigators to reduce the burden of cancer for all Virginians. The grant initiative is focused on the promotion of health and person-centered care (from prevention through survivorship) and reducing suffering from cancer for citizens in Virginia, particularly for those most impacted communities. This year, the opportunities include eight awards through three levels: five $5,000 Seed Grants, two $20,000 Cultivate Grants and one $50,000 Harvest Grant.

"We are privileged to offer these opportunities for our community and faith-based partners to develop lasting collaborations with Massey investigators,” said Kim Rhoads, M.D., M.P.H., M.S., associate director of community outreach and engagement at Massey. “The Seed, Cultivate and Harvest grants will fuel community-driven cancer education, screening and research initiatives, strengthening the community-based networks needed to keep the people of the Commonwealth healthy and thriving."

Seed grants award eligible organizations $5,000 for a one-year project period. This funding is designed to support community partners and nonprofit organizations in addressing person-centered care across the cancer continuum, from health promotion and prevention through survivorship.

Cultivate grants will provide an opportunity for community partners to develop research skills, as well as a working relationship with an investigator at Massey. Cultivate award recipients will participate in a tailored training curriculum to help community partners expand their capacity to participate in community-academic partnered research that aligns with Massey’s mission and priorities.

Harvest grants award will fund community partners to co-lead a community-engaged or community-based participatory research project with a Massey investigator as a collaborator.

The Community Grant Initiative is part of an effort to foster organizational collaboration across Massey’s catchment area, defined as the 66 contiguous localities in central, eastern and southern Virginia served by the cancer center.

The proposal submission deadline for Seed grants ($5,000) will be no later than Dec. 15, 2025, at 11:59 pm. Seed projects selected for funding for the upcoming year will be expected to launch in March 2026. For those interested in submitting a Seed Grant proposal, there will be an optional virtual technical assistance webinar on Nov. 7, 2025, via Zoom.

Letters of intent for both the Cultivate and Harvest grants are due by Nov. 6, 2025, at 11:59 pm. Organizations selected to move forward to proposal development for Cultivate Grants will be required to join a Proposal Development Workshop on December 3, and establish partnership agreements with designated Massey research members. The workshop is optional for those invited to submit a full proposal for the Harvest Grant. Full applications for both Cultivate and Harvest will be due by March 2, 2026.

For more information, visit the Massey website or contact Michael Gesme, senior program manager, at engagemassey@vcu.edu or (804) 628-0896.

To view the full submission guidelines, or to submit an application for a Seed Grant, or a Letter of Intent for Cultivate or Harvest, please click here.

Written by: Blake Belden