About the Appendix Cancer PMP Research Foundation

Founded in 2008, the ACPMP Research Foundation was created by a community of individuals affected by appendix cancer, pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP), and related peritoneal surface malignancies. The ACPMP Research Foundation is dedicated to supporting and funding promising research and education that moves us toward a cure for appendix cancer and PMP. The Foundation also endeavors to support the appendix cancer community of patients and their caregivers by providing the latest and most accurate information.

Program Summary

The ACPMP Research Foundation Changemaker Grant Program is intended to support scientific, clinical, or translational research studies—focused on appendix cancer or pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) of appendiceal origin—with the highest potential to ultimately impact patients or change our knowledge in appendiceal cancers to provide answers about this rare disease that will help to advance treatments for appendiceal cancer patients. 

Proposals are strongly encouraged in, but not limited, to the ACPMP Research Foundation Think Tank core research priority areas of: 

  • Refining appendix tumor histology and histopathologic classification 
  • Defining the appendix tumor microenvironment
  • Molecular characterization of appendix tumors and targets
  • Conducting prospective investigations and trials 
  • Understanding appendix cancer on a population level
  • Developing disease-specific models and a model repository

Additional Areas of Focus Can Include:

  • Tumor Biology and Molecular Characterization
  • Preclinical Model Development
  • Novel Therapeutic Strategies
  • Optimizing Current Standard of Care
  • Biomarkers and Diagnostics
  • Epidemiology, Disparities, and Patient-Centered Research

Proposals aligned with this Award Program focus on appendiceal mucinous neoplasms, appendiceal adenocarcinomas (including signet ring cell adenocarcinoma and goblet cell adenocarcinoma), and/or pseudomyxoma peritonei of appendiceal origin; other cancer types are not eligible under this grant program.

Applications will also be considered for their potential to lead to extramural funding applications (e.g., NIH, DoD, FDA, corporate sponsors), additional pre-clinical studies, and clinical trials.

The ACPMP Research Foundation Changemaker Grant provides $150,000 for direct costs associated with the proposed research project. Indirect costs are not allowed under this mechanism.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must hold a doctoral degree (e.g., PhD, MD, MD/PhD or equivalent) in a related field and must work at a medical, academic, or research institution. Full-time faculty members with an appointment at the rank of Assistant Professor or higher are eligible to submit one proposal per application cycle to the Changemaker Grant.

Grant Application Deadline/Timeline

Application Window Open: May 15, 2026

Full Application Deadline: July 17, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. EST

Review of Applications: July 18-July 31, 2026

Award Notification: August 2026

Start of Grant Term: December 1, 2026

Changemaker Grant Instructions

All applicants are required to complete an online grant submission by the application deadline using the Submission Link.

Inquiries about the ACPMP Research Foundation Grant Program guidelines, eligibility, requirements, and application materials may be directed to the ACPMP Research Foundation at info@acpmp.org.

Applications are scored on a scale of 1-9 (with 1=exceptional and 9=poor), consistent with the NIH scoring system.

Primary focal points evaluated will be:

  1. Strength of applicant
  2. Scientific Merit
  3. Novelty & Clinical Impact of Anticipated Results
  4. Resources Available to Ensure Completion
  5. Overall Impact Score on the Field

Documents Needed for Applicant:

Failure to include all information may dismiss the application from consideration. The application must include the following items and adhere to the following guidelines for uploaded documents. Failure to adhere to formatting guidelines will result in administrative withdrawal of submissions.

  • ½ inch margins
  • 11pt. Arial font for all text (including figure and table titles and legends)
  • Applicant Demographics
  • Proposed Budget Overview
      • Funds may not be used for indirect costs.
      • Funds may not be used for salary support of the PI.
      • No-cost extensions will be considered on a case-by-case basis when extenuating circumstances are encountered (e.g., PI change of locations, unanticipated delays out of the PI’s control).
  • Primary Investigator CV
  • Scientific Research Proposal (Maximum 5 pages)
  1. Lay Summary/Abstract. The abstract should describe the project and state the hypothesis being tested and the novelty and clinical impact of the anticipated results. Maximum 30 lines of text.
  2. Specific Aims (Limit to one page).
  3. Research Plan. (Limit three pages, including figures) using the following categories:
    • Background and significance
    • Innovation
    • Experimental Design (Preliminary data encouraged but not required)
    • Future directions, including overarching goal and plan for subsequent funding
  4. References (NIH style with PMID’s for all references; no page limit).
  5. Other Support. (As per standard NIH requirements) Document for the PI, including a statement of overlap. 
  • Facilities and Resources (Limit one page). Description of facilities and support available to complete the project (e.g., laboratory science, population science, epidemiology, bio-specimen repositories, biostatistics, etc.).
  • Additional Documents As Applicable. Institutional approval letters of any clinical protocol, informed consent, and institutional review board, animal protocol, etc. pertaining to the grant.

Applications will not be accepted in any other format. Late applications will not be accepted.