Despite significant advances in cancer treatment, cancer remains the leading cause of disease-related death in children and adolescents worldwide. Moreover, the acute and long-term side effects of current treatments remain unacceptably severe.
While recent years have seen revolutionary advances in adult oncology, paediatric cancer research has not benefited to the same extent. This disparity reflects a fundamental reality: the biology, progression, and treatment responses of paediatric cancers differ fundamentally from those of adult cancers. Yet childhood cancer research has been chronically underfunded and understudied. As a result, childhood cancer cure rates have stagnated over the past 15 years. Some paediatric malignancies still have no effective treatment, and research into these malignancies remains
insufficient. Moreover, many children do not have access to innovative therapeutic approaches. Hence, there is an urgent need for research projects specifically designed to address the needs of children with cancer.
FKC aims to address the lack of research dedicated to paediatric cancers by sustainably providing support to the best European research through annual competitive calls for projects. The funds will support the best clinical trial projects and translational research projects aimed at accelerating therapeutic innovation for children and adolescents with cancer.
Funder-researcher partnership
FKC aims at being a strongly integrated programme with positive and constructive relations between
the research community and the funders. Funded project teams are expected to collaborate and
interact with the funding organisations. This includes:
- Collaborating with FKC organisations on project results dissemination
- Supporting paediatric cancer awareness initiatives
- Assisting with funder fundraising activities, for example, provision of written quotes, videos explaining project goals, and when possible, attend the annual fundraising races held during the last weekend of September.
This partnership ensures research benefits patients, the scientific community, and the broader
public.
Eligible Project Types
Clinical Trials
FKC will prioritise applications of clinical trials that:
- Can demonstrate confirmed availability of investigational agent(s).
- Rapidly and efficiently assess the investigational agent(s).
- Are able to initiate the proposed trial within 12 months of the start of funding.
- Have the potential to improve access to innovative treatments for paediatric cancer patients across multiple participating European countries through multi-country implementation and shared financing.
Clinical Trial Preparation Grant
Proposals should include:
- Identification and contracting of participating clinical trial sites.
- Development of a clinical trial protocol that clearly defines the timeline and pathway toward a trial eligible for FKC funding (as described above):
- The clinical trial hypothesis must be supported by robust scientific evidence.
- Trial specifications will be developed with the support from the grant.
Translational Research Projects
FKC encourages proposals in the following areas:
- Identification of novel therapeutic targets or mechanisms of action.
- Development of innovative new therapies or improved models of disease.
- Ancillary studies linked to ongoing or completed clinical trials.
- Projects that leverage and advance paediatric tumour models.
- Multi-disciplinary or multi-institutional collaborations are strongly encouraged.
Funding & Project Duration
FKC offers the following maximum funding and duration limits:
- Clinical Trials
- Maximum funding: €5 000 000
- Maximum duration: 5 years
- Clinical Trial Preparation Grant
- Maximum funding: €250 000
- Maximum duration: 2 years (non-extendable, non-renewable)
- Translational Research Projects
- Maximum funding: €2 000 000
- Maximum duration: 4 years
Submission deadline:
Expressions of Interest: 13 October 2026 at 16:00 CEST (UTC+2)
Full Proposal: 26 February 2027 at 16:00 CET (UTC+1)
