CPRIT oversight committee approves eight prevention grants, advances FY2026 RFAs and unveils online Texas Cancer Plan

At a public meeting of the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) oversight committee, members approved eight prevention grant recommendations and voted to release three fiscal year 2026 requests for applications (RFAs) for prevention programs. The committee also heard a live demonstration of the new interactive Texas Cancer Plan website.

The eight prevention awards were recommended by the Program Integration Committee and together address screening and early detection, primary prevention and dissemination of CPRIT-funded interventions. Committee materials described the eight projects as covering screening for breast, cervical, colorectal, liver and lung cancers, expanding mobile and clinic-based screening capacity, and a dissemination project to expand low-dose CT lung screening in underserved areas. The oversight committee approved the slate, delegated contract negotiation authority to the CEO and authorized the CEO to sign the resulting contracts.

Why it matters: CPRIT’s prevention portfolio funds community-facing screening and early-detection programs and interventions designed to reach medically underserved and rural populations in Texas. Committee members emphasized geographic reach and patient navigation components intended to increase follow-up and treatment access for people who screen positive.

Key details - The Program Integration Committee recommended eight prevention awards that, in CPRIT staff materials, total a little over $13.5 million for the slate under consideration. The projects include: The Rose (breast screening and mobile mammography covering dozens of counties); lung screening and navigation projects tied to Moncrief Cancer Institute and MD Anderson; a cervical screening/colposcopy and LEEP program in Greater Houston; Central Texas colorectal screening and an expansion project partnering with federally qualified health centers; a primary-prevention alcohol screening/intervention project in Central Texas; and a Baylor College of Medicine dissemination project (TexCare) that will produce toolkits, web-based education and implementation guidance for low-dose CT screening in underserved areas. - The oversight committee voted to approve the PICC’s eight recommendations and delegated contract negotiation authority to the CEO and staff. - The committee then approved three proposed FY2026 RFAs for prevention: (1) dissemination of CPRIT-funded cancer prevention and control interventions; (2) primary prevention of cancer; and (3) screening and early detection. The RFAs include multiple funding tracks (new, initial expansion, and maintenance expansion) and set maximum award durations of up to three to five years depending on the RFA.

Program and process notes - The prevention presentation identified 71 active prevention projects statewide and described geographic coverage for the eight recommended awards, including multiple rural and medically underserved counties. Program staff noted use of mobile mammography vans, bilingual navigators, mailed FIT tests for colorectal screening, patient navigation to colonoscopy and polypectomy, and centralized reimbursement strategies for local providers in lung screening pathways. - Program staff emphasized that CPRIT does not pay for cancer treatment; grantees are required by the RFA to navigate patients into treatment and to identify a plan for care for uninsured patients. Committee members asked for and received confirmation from staff that grantees are responsible for connecting patients who screen positive into treatment pathways.

Texas Cancer Plan website - CPRIT staff demonstrated the 2024 Texas Cancer Plan, an online, interactive site designed to make state data and goals accessible to policymakers, clinicians, community organizations and the public. The site includes an executive summary, data dashboards (by public health region), goals and strategic actions broken out by stakeholder type, and links to state and national resources. Staff said the plan will be publicly released in December 2024.

Speakers - Ramona Magan, Prevention Program officer (presented the prevention update and recommended awards) - Carlton Allen, Prevention program manager (presented the Texas Cancer Plan demonstration) - Dr. Kieran Shokar, chair, Prevention Advisory Committee (gave the PAC’s report) - Miss Jennifer Doyle, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) (gave CEO report and budget/FTE context) - Dr. Cummings, Chair, Oversight Committee (presided over votes)

Authorities referenced - CPRIT statute and administrative rules (compliance certification referenced by staff) — referenced in staff materials and the compliance letter cited during the awards discussion.

Provenance - topicintro: {"block_id":"s=869.62","local_start":0,"local_end":123,"evidence_excerpt":"As part of her update, she will seek approval for the proposed fiscal year 2026 RFAs for our consideration. Following her update, she will introduce the program integration committee's grant award recommendations."} - topfinish: {"block_id":"s=3489.5251","local_start":0,"local_end":125,"evidence_excerpt":"If a member wants to consider 1 or more award recommendations separately from the vote on all the slate, please make a motion to do so now. I will entertain a motion to approve the PICC's 8 recommendations for the following prevention grant award mechanisms... All in favor, vote aye."}

Clarifying details - Category:awards_total, detail:"Eight prevention awards recommended to the oversight committee", value:"approximately $13,500,000", units:"USD", approximate:true, source_speaker:"Ramona Magan" - Category:grant_rfas, detail:"Three FY2026 RFAs (dissemination; primary prevention; screening & early detection); funding tracks: new, initial expansion, maintenance expansion", value:"not specified", approximate:true, source_speaker:"Ramona Magan"

Searchable_tags:["prevention","screening","Texas Cancer Plan","navigation","rfa","CPRIT","health equity"]