Request for Proposal (RFP)

Community AYA Project (CAP) Grants

1. Introduction

Teen Cancer America (Teen Cancer America (TCA) aims to improve the lives of adolescents and young adults (ages 15-39) diagnosed with cancer by transforming cancer care delivery to better meet their unique needs. TCA partners with healthcare professionals to expand access to age-appropriate care, supportive services, and innovative approaches that improve outcomes for AYA patients. 

TCA provides consultations, resources, and access to our national collaborative of healthcare professionals working in the AYA space through the AYA Program Advisory Group (PAG).  In addition, you will be invited to participate in TCA’s monthly educational series for healthcare professionals, the Monthly Drip. Projects must improve cancer care and/or supportive care delivery within one or more of the TCA AYA Pillars of Care at the link HERE.

TCA is pleased to invite healthcare professionals in community cancer care settings to apply for our Community AYA Project (CAP) Grants. These flexible practical, real-world projects that improve care and outcomes for adolescents and young adults (AYAs), ages 15-39, with cancer. We welcome creative, needs-driven proposals that reflect the realities of your local setting and the younger patients you serve.

2. Overview

The Community AYA Project (CAP) Grants support projects that strengthen AYA cancer care in community based cancer settings. Grants range from $5,000–$25,000 and must be completed within 12 months. Projects should be locally driven, address a clearly defined need, improve care delivery and demonstrate sustainable impact beyond the grant period.

Eligible Applicants: Community hospitals, outpatient clinics, private practices, and community oncology networks are welcome to apply. Academic medical centers may apply only if the project focuses on providing AYA care in the community setting. We will only consider applications that benefit care delivery at sites that are not NCI-designated comprehensive cancer centers. We will prioritize applicants in the following states: AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, MA, NC, NJ, NY, OR, SC, TN, TX, VA, WA, and WI. However, proposals from other locations, including Canada, are also eligible for consideration.

3. About Teen Cancer America (TCA)

TCA aims to improve the lives of AYAs with cancer by transforming cancer care delivery to meet their unique needs. TCA partners with healthcare professionals to expand access to age-appropriate care, supportive services, and innovative approaches that improve outcomes for AYAs. TCA offers consultations and access to tools, networks and resources as well as access to the AYA Program Advisory Group (PAG) and Monthly Drip educational series.

Projects must align with one or more of the TCA AYA Pillars of Care at the link HERE.

4. Project Scope

Projects may address any gap or opportunity affecting AYA care in your setting through improvements in care delivery—clinical, psychosocial, educational, or systems-based.

Funds may support:

• Program or service design and implementation
• Educational tools or training
• Quality improvement or workflow development
• Pilot initiatives to test new ideas
• Educational patient-facing materials

Funds may NOT support:

• Institutional overhead
• Administrative costs
• Fringe Benefits
• Physical, one-off items given to patients (such as welcome bags, gift cards, etc.)
• Financial support funds for patients
• Clinical trials for drugs or medical devices

One hundred percent of the funds awarded through this grant must be used to directly support project activities.

5. Proposal Format Requirements

Organizational Overview: Provide a brief overview of your organization and practice setting. Proposals should be led or co-led by staff working in a community cancer care setting that provides treatment, which can include survivorship and onco-primary care, for any number of patients between the ages of 15-39 with any cancer diagnosis.

Key programs and services

Brief description of practice setting and population served including:

• Practice name and structure
• Location and geographical catchment area
• Age range served 
• Diagnoses treated
• Total number of cancer patients served
• Number of cancer patients ages (15-39) served
• Names, roles, and contact information of project leaders

Needs Statement: Clearly describe the need this project will address for AYA patients in your specific cancer care setting. Include:

• Why this project matters
• Description of patient or practice-level need or gap at your specific cancer care setting this project addresses
• Description of target population (diagnoses, ages, or issues within the AYA population), 
• Anticipated number of patients impacted, 
• Any additional  information relevant to project scope

Project Summary: Describe the project and how it will directly impact care delivery. Explain how it connects to one or more of the AYA Pillars of Care and reflects TCA’s core vision: That every adolescent and young adult diagnosed with cancer receives the specialized care and support they deserve, no matter where they are treated.

• Description
• Goals and objectives

Implementation Plan: Projects must be feasible to complete within a maximum 12-month time frame and should demonstrate a thoughtful approach to real-world implementation. Include activities, timeline, staffing, needed partnerships, resources and tools, and milestones.

Evaluation Plan: Describe how you will measure outcomes and what you hope to learn and accomplish with this project.

Budget and Justification

Total requested funds

Provide an itemized budget with specific categories of expense: (for example: staffing, supplies project expenses, communications, marketing and publicity relevant to the project)

Budget justification- Provide a brief explanation of how each budget item supports the project and why it is necessary.

You can download the Budget Template HERE.

Sustainability & Dissemination Plan: Describe how the project will be sustained beyond the grant period without relying on continued TCA funding. Include the financial and logistical plan for maintaining or expanding the project’s impact. Also describe how the information, outcomes, and lessons learned from the project can be shared for greater impact. Awardees will have opportunities to present their projects through TCA’s channels. Describe any additional mechanisms through which you might share what you’ve learned within your site and across other sites in your region or network.

6. Grantee Expectations

Grantees will submit a brief final report summarizing the project, its implementation, outcomes, and lessons learned. Awardees will have the opportunity to share the project through TCA learning forums and publications.

7. Submission Information

RFP Timeline

• Complete the grant application online HERE.
• Proposal deadline: July 16, 2026, 11:59 PM Pacific Time
• Award notification: By the end of August 2026
• Project duration: Up to 12 months

You can download these instructions in pdf format HERE.

8. Terms and Conditions

Funding is contingent upon a signed agreement and compliance with reporting requirements. Receipt of a grant does not imply ongoing funding beyond the initial term.

For questions, please email: alec@teencanceramerica.org, Program Operations & Grants Manager

Tips for Applicants

• Focus on a specific, clearly defined need affecting AYAs in your setting. Your project should improve how care is delivered to address that need.
• Be realistic — describe what can be completed in 12 months with the requested amount ($5,000–$25,000).
• Align your project with one or more AYA Oncology Pillars of Care
• Avoid jargon and lengthy background sections; use clear, concise language.
• Show how success will be measured and how impact can continue beyond the grant period.
• Proposal budgets should not include indirect costs or institutional overhead.