91´«Ã½

Below is a summary assembled by the Research & Innovation Office (RIO). Please see the full solicitation for complete information about the funding opportunity.Ìý

Program Summary

SebastianStrong Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness of childhood cancer and accelerating the development of more targeted, less toxic treatments by funding bold, early-stage research. Since 2017, the foundation has awarded over $4 million to cutting-edge, peer-reviewed pediatric cancer research. Too many promising ideas in pediatric cancer research go unfunded due to limited institutional support, lack of commercial incentive, and minimal government investment, especially for rare and relapsed cancers.

To be considered for funding, proposals must meet the following criteria:

1. Are focused on pediatric cancer
2. Will lead to less toxic, more targeted treatments
3. Are clearly communicated in lay terms (accessible to our Board and donor community)
4. Demonstrate strong potential to progress toward a clinical trial in 1-3 years

The foundation welcomes new, ongoing, and updated peer-reviewed research. However, they do not accept in-progress or ongoing clinical trials. Any author or researcher conflict of interest must be disclosed at the time of submission. All submissions are treated as CONFIDENTIAL and are accessible only to members of SebastianStrong’s until the time of award.

SebastianStrong funds one or more proposals each year that advance meaningful change in pediatric cancer treatment. We are especially interested in research that:

• Focuses on pediatric cancers with low survival rates or high relapse rates
• Has transitional potential within 36 months
• Pursues underfunded or unconventional approaches that could change the status quo

Deadlines

• CU Internal Deadline: 11:59pm MT October 5, 2026
• Sponsor Letter of Intent Deadline: November 30, 2026
• Sponsor Application Deadline (invitation only): February 15, 2027

Internal Application Requirements (all in PDF format)

• Letter of Intent (2 pages maximum): Please ensure the letter is written in language accessible to non-scientific audiences (e.g., spell out acronyms, use examples, minimize technical jargon). Describe the proposed research, pediatric cancer focus, potential to advance less toxic or more targeted treatments, potential for clinical translation within 1–3 years, and what makes the approach innovative or particularly responsive to an unmet need.
• PI Curriculum Vitae or BiographyÌý

To access the online application, visit:

Limited Submission Guidelines

91´«Ã½ is limited to two letters of intent.Ìý

Award Information

• Award Amount: $500,000

Review Process

The foundation’s , composed of leading pediatric oncologists and researchers, conducts a two-stage review process. First, Letters of Intent (LOIs) are evaluated to identify projects that best align with our mission and funding priorities. Selected applicants are then invited to submit a full proposal, which is reviewed in detail to determine final award decisions. Funding recommendations are made by the Scientific Advisory Board and approved by the Foundation’s Board of Directors.