CHARLOTTSVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – The UVA Cancer Center is taking applications now for “innovative, community-led projects” for distribution of four 2025 Comprehensive Community Grants. UVA Cancer Center Director of Community Outreach and Engagement Lindsay Hauser said the program is open to community groups in the center’s service area of more than 3-million people across 87 counties in Virginia and eastern West Virginia.

“This our fourth year of our UVA Cancer Center Comprehensive grants, and these grants really help us expand the reach and impact of cancer control programming across our cancer center service area,” Hauser said.

They’re looking at distributing four $10,000 grants for organizations that help reduce the burden of cancer. Priorities they’re looking at include project that target screenable cancers using evidence-based strategies, address known cancer health disparities in the cancer center’s priority cancers and risk factors, and align with needs identified by the UVA Cancer Center’s Community Advisory Council.

Hauser said, “Our community grants program is really to help leverage community organizations to be able to provide innovative programs within their own local communities, and you have to be a nonprofit with one of our 87 counties we are working with.”

“We’ve partnered with all sorts of different organization in the past from faith-based organizations to other healthcare systems, as well.”

She says the focus of the community grants are to address different cancers where we see higher mortality, where cancers are impacting people the most.

“Really those are focused on cancers such as colorectal, breast, melanoma, and lung. We also want to make sure we’re addressing some of those modifiable risk factors for cancer, such as tobacco use and obesity,” Hauser said.

“We’ll partner with organizations that maybe aren’t experts in those areas, but have an outlet who might be able to reach those community members who might be at-risk for those cancers.”

One past grantee is Hitting Cancer Below the Belt based in Midlothian who work to get the word out about colorectal cancer and screening “and they do this in a very interesting way”.

“You may have seen them on 64 or 81 with their giant trailer that talks all about colorectal cancer,’ she said.

“Inside that trailer is their giant inflatable colon which they bring out to different organizations and communities across the state. They might one day be at a church with their giant inflatable colon that teaches people about colorectal cancer and screening, and then the next day they might be at a hospital system talking about colorectal cancer and linking them to primary care providers who might be able to get them screened, as well.”

Hauser said that organization has been able to expand the program using the and reach over 20,000 community members throughout the cancer center area.

For more information about the grant application process and priority areas, please visit med.virginia.edu/community-outreach-engagement/supporting-research/uva-comprehensive-cancer-center-community-grants/. Organizations interested in applying for a grant must complete the portal’s letter-of-intent form by 5 p.m. July 31. Applicants with questions may email Brenna Robinson at br5me@uvahealth.org.