CNP Background

The CNP is the outgrowth of significant NCI initiatives in the area of cancer health disparities.

• In 1989, the National Black Leadership Initiative on Cancer was created to conduct cancer awareness activities in response to concerns that incidence and mortality rates for many types of cancers were higher in black Americans than in whites.
• In 1992, the National Hispanic Leadership Initiative on Cancer and National Appalachian Leadership Initiative on Cancer were added. The general finding of these initiatives was that there was a need to conduct more research among these identified populations to better understand cancer rate differences.
• In 1999, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) replaced the leadership initiatives with the Special Populations Networks (SPNs) for Cancer Awareness, Research, and Training. This program funded 18 Cooperative Agreements to provide culturally competent cancer awareness and train investigators from minority/underserved populations to conduct community-based research.
• The SPN program achieved a number of major milestones and continues to make a significant impact on both the cancer health disparities research community and the communities served by the SPN projects. This program concluded in 2005.
• In May 2005, the NCI and CRCHD launched the Community Networks Program (CNP) to continue the momentum in reducing cancer disparities; $95 million in 5-year grants have been awarded to 25 institutions to support community-based participatory education, training, and research.
• NCI recently awarded 15 one-year pilot project grants enabling junior and minority biomedical and behavioral researchers within the Community Networks Program (CNP) to conduct community-based research. View the projects.

View the CNP Request for Applications (RFA).

Visit the press kit section to view the brochure and fact sheet detailing the Community Networks Program.