# Emerging Leader Award **Funder:** The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research **Budget:** $1,000,000 USD over 4 years ($250,000/year) **Deadline:** 30 July 2026 (Full applications due by 5 PM ET; Letter of Intent deadline was April 30, 2026 — full applications by invitation only) **Duration:** 4 years **Consortium:** No **Application:** 2-stage: Letter of Intent (closed April 30, 2026) → invited full application (due July 30, 2026) → virtual finalist interviews (week of October 12, 2026) **Frequency:** Annual **Official call:** https://themarkfoundation.org/emerging-leader-award/ **Last verified:** 19 July 2026 ## Eligibility & scope For early-career independent investigators (lab established 3–8 years prior to Dec 31, 2026; appointment start 2018–2023) at non-profit academic/research institutions worldwide. Supports high-impact, high-risk cancer research distinct from the applicant's current portfolio. Single PI only; no co-investigators. Applicants must have multi-year independent funding active in 2027. All materials must be submitted in English. ## Summary The Mark Foundation Emerging Leader Award funds early-career independent cancer researchers with $1,000,000 over four years to pursue a novel, distinct research direction. Applicants must have established their labs 3-8 years prior (2018-2023) and hold active multi-year independent funding; the call is open worldwide to researchers at non-profit academic institutions. This two-stage competition emphasises innovation outside the applicant's main research portfolio, with finalists advancing to virtual interviews in October. ## Who should apply - Early-career independent investigators with labs established 3-8 years prior (2018-2023) - Researchers at non-profit academic or research institutions worldwide - Single PI applicants without co-investigators - Cancer researchers planning to pursue a novel research direction distinct from their main portfolio - Applicants with active multi-year independent funding in place for 2027 ## Key dates - Letter of Intent deadline: April 30, 2026 (past) - Full application deadline: July 30, 2026, 5 PM ET (by invitation only) - Virtual finalist interviews: week of October 12, 2026 - Four-year project duration ## Tips for applicants - The award explicitly funds research distinct from your main portfolio, reviewers screen for genuine intellectual novelty, not incremental extensions. Frame the proposal as an intellectual pivot. - Multi-year independent funding in 2027 is a gating criterion; confirm this is in place and named in your application before the full submission. - Indirect costs are capped at 10% of direct costs, budget tightly on overhead and front-load direct research spending. ## Frequently asked questions ### What is the budget for the Mark Foundation Emerging Leader Award? $1,000,000 USD over 4 years ($250,000 per year). Indirect costs are capped at 10% of direct costs. ### Who is eligible for the Emerging Leader Award? Early-career independent investigators whose labs were established 3-8 years prior to December 31, 2026 (i.e., 2018-2023), based at non-profit academic or research institutions worldwide. Single PI only; no co-investigators. ### Is the Emerging Leader Award a two-stage application? Yes. Letters of Intent were due April 30, 2026; invited applicants submit full proposals by July 30, 2026, with finalists advancing to virtual interviews in October. ### Can my Emerging Leader Award proposal be on the same topic as my main research? No; the Mark Foundation requires proposals to be distinct from the applicant's main research portfolio and fund novel research directions. ### Do I need to have funding in place to apply? Yes, applicants must have multi-year independent funding active in 2027 as a prerequisite for eligibility. --- Source: [The Great Grantsby](https://grantsby.eu/grants/the-mark-foundation-for-cancer-research-emerging-leader-award-2026-07) — EU grant monitoring for academic researchers. Always verify details on the funder's website before applying. **See which EU calls match your profile.** [Preview your matches in 30 seconds, no signup](https://grantsby.eu/demo?ref=llm_grant_md).