Funding Opportunities

The Rivkin Center uses a seed funding model, targeting funds at innovative ideas and nurturing early careers. Our funding has proven to provide our Awardees leverage for big-ticket research funding available from government organizations like the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Defense.

Summary of Scientific Grants

Award Amount & Duration Eligibility
Pilot Study Award $75,000
2 years
Assistant, Associate & Full Professor or equivalent level
US & International Applicants
Rivkin Center/CARE Fund Award $200,000
2 years
Assistant, Associate & Full Professor or equivalent level
WA State Applicants
Scientific Scholar Award* $120,000
2 years
Postdoctoral or Early Career Scientist
US & International Applicants
Bridge Funding Award* $30,000
6 months
All levels of investigators
US applicants only
*Offered when funds are available.

Grant Types

We offer four types of grants, all of which support projects that explore novel approaches and have the potential to transform our understanding and treatment of ovarian cancer.

  • Pilot Study Award: These grants provide seed funding for new scientific explorations. By funding innovative ideas globally, we pave the way for breakthroughs in ovarian cancer research.
  • Scientific Scholar Award: These awards attract young, talented researchers to ovarian cancer research by supporting fresh ideas and a mentored career development plan.
  • Bridge Funding Award: These grants help researchers gather the data needed to secure federal grants, allowing promising work to progress to the next stage.
  • Rivkin Center/CARE Fund Award: For Washington state researchers pursuing novel approaches to ovarian cancer research and treatment.

Selection process

The Rivkin Center funds promising research in ovarian cancer, selecting researchers and studies through a highly competitive process. Each application is individually reviewed for its scientific merit, novelty, and potential to impact the prevention, detection, treatment, and understanding of the disease.

Pilot Study Awards (award open)

Award Details: These are two-year awards of $75,000 each, supporting investigator-initiated projects in all areas of ovarian cancer research. Projects designed to analyze data from already funded clinical trials are also considered. The funds are for direct costs only, excluding institutional overhead and indirect costs. Investigators at the assistant, associate, or full professor level (or equivalent) are eligible to apply, subject to guidelines of the applicant’s home institution.

Deadline: December 2, 2024 at 5pm EST

Rivkin Center/CARE Fund Awards (Award open)

Award Details: The Rivkin Center and Washington state’s Andy Hill Cancer Research Endowment (CARE) Fund have joined together to invest $1M in ovarian cancer research in Washington state, creating a pioneering public-private partnership. In 2025, three Rivkin Center/CARE Fund Awards of $200,000 each will support investigator-initiated projects in all areas of ovarian cancer research. Projects designed to analyze data from already funded clinical trials will also be considered. Researchers will not be required to find additional funding as the Rivkin Center and the CARE Fund are matching private and state funds 1:1. Up to 30% of funds may be used for indirect costs. Investigators in Washington state at the assistant, associate, or full professor level (or equivalent) are eligible to apply, subject to guidelines of the applicant’s home institution.

Deadline: December 2, 2024 at 5pm EST

Scientific Scholar Awards

Award Details: These two-year grants of $120,000 each are intended to assist promising laboratory and clinical scientists in pursuing a career as an independent investigator in ovarian cancer research. Each award recipient names a mentor who will guide them through the process of becoming an established researcher. The funds are for direct costs only, excluding institutional overhead and indirect costs. Candidates should be at the post-doc/fellow, instructor, research assistant, or assistant professor level with no more than 3-4 years in any of these positions. Established, outstanding scientists without prior focus in ovarian cancer but looking to focus in this disease area are also encouraged to apply.

Bridge Funding Awards

Award Details: These grants provide interim funding of up to $30,000 for six months to researchers who have submitted an R01 or R21 proposal to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) or an original proposal to the Department of Defense (DoD) pertaining to ovarian cancer and who have not received, but we're close to, a fundable score. This funding allows researchers to produce the data needed to substantiate their proposal resubmission to federal funding agencies.

Grant Application Instructions

  1. Create an account on proposalCENTRAL.
  2. Log in to proposalCENTRAL with your account.
  3. Go to the Grant Opportunities tab and search for Rivkin Center.
  4. Select the relevant grant opportunity.
  5. Submit the application by the deadline of the current year by 2pm PT/5pm ET. (Note proposalCENTRAL displays the deadline as 5pm Eastern Time. Applications are only accepted during the open competition window.)
  6. Ensure all required materials are included, including signature pages with wet or secure digital signatures from an authorized institutional official.
  7. Check that the application status has changed to “Submitted.”

Email Jackie Lang at jackie.lang@rivkin.org to sign up for funding notifications, check eligibility, or address any questions you have.