Catchment Areas, Community Outreach and Engagement Revisited: The 2021 Guidelines for Cancer Center Support Grants from the National Cancer Institute

Abstract

Abstract New guidelines for Cancer Center Support Grants have recently been issued by the NCI that require increased attention to cancer center catchment areas and their community outreach and engagement activities [PAR-21–321]. Past experience with these requirements has engendered some confusion and frustration on the part of both researchers and reviewers that these new guidelines aim to dispel. In this commentary we, as experienced cancer center leaders in population sciences, offer our views on the most important aspects of the new guidelines and provide three examples of the kinds of programs that can apply cancer prevention and control research to improve cancer population health. With 71 NCI-Designated Cancer Centers in 36 states, the potential for broad impact on the reduction of the nation's cancer burden is enormous if the intended application of cancer center research to individuals and populations is fulfilled.