TCRB Archive

Funding Opportunities

State and Community Tobacco Control Research Initiative

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) funded the State and Community Tobacco Control (SCTC) Research Initiative from 2011 to 2016. Cooperative agreements were awarded to seven scientific research projects and one Coordinating Center. The research conducted by initiative members addresses important, understudied aspects of state and community tobacco control policy and media interventions. The initiative’s five research areas are:

  1. Community and Social Norms
  2. Mass Media Countermeasures
  3. Secondhand Smoke Policies
  4. Tax and Pricing Policies
  5. Tobacco Industry Marketing & Promotion

Members of the SCTC Research Initiative took part in strategic partnerships with state and local tobacco control programs and other public health organizations. These partnerships focused on collaborative research and dissemination and were designed to enable the rapid adoption of research findings into everyday practice.

Original RFA Initiative Funding Opportunity Announcement RFA-CA-10-008.
Contact: Annette Kaufman, Ph.D., MPH(kaufmana@mail.nih.gov)and Bob Vollinger, MSPH (bob.vollinger@nih.gov)

American Stop Smoking Intervention Study (ASSIST)

The American Stop Smoking Intervention Study for Cancer  Prevention (ASSIST) was an 8 year non-randomized demonstration project for tobacco prevention and control conducted by the National Cancer Institute, the American Cancer Society and 17 state health departments. The ASSIST monographs (Volumes 16 and 17) provides the conceptual model, technical assistance and training information, lessons learned and numerous practical case studies of a comprehensive national, evidence-based program that was implemented at the state and community level.

ASSIST was rolled out in two phases - a two-year planning phase from 1991 to 1993 and a six-year implementation phase from 1993 to 1999. NCI provided an average of $1.14 million per state per year during the intervention years, for a total of $128 million over the eight years of the program. Other additional funding and support were available to the states through voluntary organizations and other non-federal sources.
Contact: Bob Vollinger, MSPH (bob.vollinger@nih.gov)

Tobacco Research Initiative for State and Community Interventions (TRISCI)

The Tobacco Research Initiative for State and Community Interventions stimulated research on new or existing tobacco control interventions relevant to State and community tobacco control programs. The initiative supported research on innovative tobacco prevention and control interventions at the community, State or multi-state level, particularly policy or media-based interventions. It also emphasized collaboration between tobacco control researchers, state-based comprehensive tobacco control programs and community-based coalitions. This initiative has received two rounds of funding through the “Research in State and Community Tobacco Control Interventions” RFAs (RFA-CA-01-017 and RFA-CA-99-001). Total investment was $76.4 million for 19 grants over 10 years.
Contact: Bob Vollinger, MSPH (bob.vollinger@nih.gov)

This list contains grants which were funded under the RFA. The TRISCI portfolio includes grants that stimulate research on new or existing tobacco control interventions relevant to State and community tobacco control programs; innovative tobacco prevention and control interventions at the community, State or multi-state level, particularly policy or media-based interventions; and emphasizes collaboration between tobacco control researchers, state-based comprehensive tobacco control programs and community-based coalitions.

PI Name
Organization Name
Project Title
(click for Abstract)
Grant Number
(click for Publications)**
Begay, Michael
University of Massachusetts
Studying Tobacco Control Policy in Massachusetts R01CA086314-04
Biener, Lois
University of Massachusetts Boston
Research in State and Community Tobacco Control Interventions 5R01CA086257-06
Biglan, Anthony
Oregon Research Institute
Tobacco Control Activities and Adolescent Tobacco Use 2R0186169-06
Buller, David B.
Klein Buendel, Inc.
Web Based Support—Community Tobacco Control Coalitions 7R01CA086199-05
Clark, Pamela I.
Battelle-Centers/Public Health Res-Evalutation
Business Practices and Minors’ Access to Tobacco 5R01CA086232-04
Clark, Pamela I.
Battelle-Centers/Public Health Res-Evalutation
Community Surveillance and Novel Tobacco Products 5R01CA093955-03
Cummings, K. Michael
Roswell Park Cancer Institute Corp
Follow up of the Commit Cohort Participants 13 Years Lat 5R01CA086225-03
Dalton, Madeline A.
Dartmouth College
Preventing Teen Smoking by Restricting Movie Exposure 5R01CA094273-04
Fahs, Marianne C.
Hunter College
Effect of Smoking Cessation Interventions in a Chinese 5R01CA093788-05
Forster, Jean L.
University of Minnesota School of Public Health
Effects of Minnesota State and Local Programs on Youth Tobacco Use R01CA086191-05
Hollis, Jack F.
Kaiser Foundation Research Institute
Efficacy and Cost of State Quitline Policies 5R01CA086242-04
McAlister, Alfred L.
University of Texas Health Science Center Houston
Texas Multi Cultural Regional Community Tobacco Studies 5R01CA086295-04
Muramoto, Myra L.
University of Arizona
Community Based Training Models for Tobacco Cessations 5R01CA093957-04
Ockene, Judith K.
University of Massachusetts Medical School Worchester
Policy to Support Tobacco Treatment in Health Care 5R01CA086282-04
Pierce, John P.
University of California, San Diego
Parenting to Prevent Problem Behaviors 5R01CA093982-04
Prokhorov, Alexander V.
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Healthcare Team Approach to Tobacco Cessation 5R01CA093969-04
Thompson, Beti
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Randomized Study to Decrease Smoking in College Students 5R01CA093967-04
Wakefield, Melanie A.
University of Illinois at Chicago
Youth Smoking and the Media 5R01CA086273-04
Woodby, Lesa L.
University of Alabama at Birmingham
The Alabama Tobacco Free Families Program 5R01CA086311-04

** Includes all publications supported by the specified grant. Please note that not all grants have publications listed in PubMed, and the listing of publications in PubMed may not be complete.

Tobacco Products Research and Development Contract

The National Cancer Institute awarded a five year Research and Development contract, “Laboratory Assessment of Tobacco Use Behavior and Exposure to Toxins Among Users of New Tobacco Products Promoted to Reduce Harm,” in 2006 to Georgetown University. The purpose of this contract was to develop methods and measures for product testing and advance scientific knowledge about the toxic and addictive properties of tobacco products marketed by the tobacco industry with claims that imply reduced harm. The contract bought together a consortium of investigators across several institutions. The total award was $3,522,000.
Contact: Mirjana Djordjevic, Ph.D. (djordjev@mail.nih.gov) and Mark Parascandola, Ph.D., M.P.H. (paramark@mail.nih.gov)

Transdisciplinary Tobacco Use Research Centers (TTURC)

The TTURC initiative was supported by NCI, NIDA, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Within eight academic institutions, these Centers conduct a broad array of studies, including projects evaluating new models of nicotine addiction, the role of genetic and environmental factors in smoking initiation and persistence, methods for preventing tobacco use across cultures, and determinants of relapse. This initiative has received two rounds of funding (1999-2004 and 2004-2009) through the TTURC RFAs (CA-98-029 and CA-04-012). Total investment was $145.5 million to eight institutions over 10 years.
Contact: Glen Morgan, Ph.D. (gmorgan@nih.gov)

Research Networks

Global Tobacco Research Network

In 2002, NCI began funding the Global Tobacco Research Network (GTRN) as a complement to the Fogarty International Center International Tobacco and Health Research and Capacity Building Program. GTRN is an information network of tobacco control researchers providing links to a database of tobacco-related research to facilitate communication and collaboration among scientists.

National Tobacco Cessation Collaborative (NTCC)exit disclaimer

The National Tobacco Cessation Collaborative (NTCC) was formed in June 2005 to improve the public's health by increasing successful cessation among tobacco users in the U.S. and Canada through collaborative efforts of committed organizations. Collaborative members represent major organizations that fund research, program, and policy initiatives related to tobacco cessation, as well as other organizations with a vested interest in tobacco cessation. As of September 30, 2011, NTCC is no longer operational.

Systems and Network Development Initiatives

Several projects have been funded to support the understanding of tobacco control systems (e.g., improving the progression of discovery to development, and to delivery) and the development of collaborative networks of scientists in order to improve communication and collaboration on tobacco control research in priority areas. Collaborations ensure that funds are used as efficiently and effectively as possible. In addition, networks create the opportunity for increasing transdisciplinarity across existing research grants and initiatives. Networks on tobacco products purported to reduce harm and disparities have been created and are progressing, and networks on surveillance/evaluation and cessation are planned.

Tobacco Research Network on Disparities (TReND)

The NCI partnered with the American Legacy Foundation to develop and implement the Tobacco Research Network on Disparities (TReND). The mission of the Network was to understand and address tobacco-related health disparities by advancing the science, translating that scientific knowledge into practice, and informing public policy. TReND was designed to stimulate new studies, challenge existing paradigms, and address significant gaps in research on understudied and underserved populations. TReND included a diverse disciplines of researchers who seek to achieve the following goals:

  • encourage collaborations among multiple research disciplines;
  • serve as a forum for generating new ideas and research projects focusing on tobacco-related health disparities;
  • establish a translation mechanism for communicating and interacting with other networks and community advocacy groups;
  • promote the involvement and training of junior investigators and the participation of senior researchers in health disparities research; and
  • provide scientific information and serve as a resource on tobacco and health disparities issues.

Visit the TReND Tobacco-Related Health Disparities public website for additional resources: http://www.tobaccodisparities.org

Youth Tobacco Cessation Collaborative (YTCC)exit disclaimer

The Youth Tobacco Cessation Collaborative (YTCC) was formed in 1998 to address the gap in knowledge about what cessation strategies are most effective in assisting youth to quit smoking. Collaborative members represent major organizations that fund research, program, and policy initiatives related to controlling youth tobacco use. As of September 30, 2011, YTCC is no longer operational.

Last Updated
September 24, 2020