The ACRF has continuously committed to big funding for leading Australian scientists in their fight to find a cure for cancer. The two best applications in 2009  announced by the Foundation's Board of Trustees in December were awarded a total of $6.6 million.

• Cancer research grantees
• The need for more funding
• Why ACRF grants are significant and different
• What research is being done into what cancers
• For researchers: grant guidelines
• Contact us

Cancer research grantees

The Foundation received applications for more than $30 million in research grant projects in 2009 with a total of $ 6.6 million awarded to two outstanding projects.

• 2009 two final grantees
• Previous years grantees and their research

Since it's inception, ACRF has awarded $62 million in research grants to Australian cancer institutes, including two of the largest private cancer research grants ever awarded - a $5 million grant to the Melbourne Comprehensive Cancer Centreand a $5 million grant to Sydney's Centenary Institute for Cancer Research. 

$46 million of those grants have been awarded since 2004 - a reflection of the rapid progress being made in diagnosing and treating cancer since unravelling the mysteries of DNA.

The need for more funding

There has been great progress with many cancers and cancer treatments in the last few years, but costs for sophisticated equipment and laboratories are immense.  

So our aim is to provide the funding for the best-equipped laboratories here in Australia, and to attract and inspire the best and brightest scientific minds to take on ground-breaking new research with the potential to prevent and cure this devastating disease.  

In 2007 we increased the minimum amount of our grants to $1.5 million, and invited applications for grants of up to $10 million for ambitious, innovative research projects.  Since 2007 results have been hugely encouraging for cancer patients - we have received a record number of outstanding applications and one day our dream is to be able to fund them all.

Why ACRF grants are significant and different

There are many agencies and organisations providing funding support and raising funds for research projects, research education, training and clinical support.  

However, there are deficiencies in the provision of major capital grants from private resources to ensure Australia's cancer research scientists can continue their important work.

The ACRF has been redressing these deficiencies since 1984, by providing major grants in excess of $1 million and up to $5 million, for building and updating research centres and laboratories, purchasing the latest, state-of-the art technology and equipment and the establishment of national facilities. 

Grants of this magnitude are not available from other sources, outside of government, in Australia and our Board of Trustees is prepared to offer up to $10 million for any single project with the potential to deliver an absolute breakthrough.

ACRF grants are awarded on a basis of research excellence. All applications for grants are subject to a rigorous approval process overseen by our honorary Medical Research Advisory Committee whose members are among Australia's most respected researchers.

What research is being done into what cancers

ACRF's significant grants support all aspects of cancer research, including cell and molecular biology, epidemiology, prevention and the development of new, targeted therapies to reduce the side effects of patient treatment and extend life.  We fund research projects dedicated to specific cancers, and projects which have a wider impact on the prevention and diagnosis of all cancers, including:

• breast and prostate cancer,
• lung cancer,
• colorectal (bowel) cancer,
• melanoma,
• ovarian,
• cervical,
• oesophagael,
• leukaemia and
• lymphoma cancers,
• brain,
• pancreatic
• and many others

Our special $3.1 million children's cancer research grant was made possible by a generous bequest from the estate of the late Mrs B.M. McDonnell.  

Contact us

If you have any questions regarding ACRF grants process, please contact our Research Grants Coordinator, Luc Knight on 1300 884 988 or email Luc at LKnight@acrf.com.au

On behalf of Australia's leading cancer researchers, we thank our donors and supporters.  It is their generosity only that makes it possible to provide these major grants - we receive no funding from any other sources.

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Every dollar of every donation received goes to cancer research

To make a credit card donation over the phone, please call 1300 884 988 from anywhere in Australia for the cost of a local call.