Ovarian Cancer Research Grant Programs

Launched in 2004, this grant provides funds for research projects focusing on ovarian cancer and/or related gynecologic cancer research, that involve several investigators within one institution or collaborations between groups in multiple institutions. Support of $300,000 annually for three years, for a total of $900,000, will be awarded to the institution where the recipient will conduct the research.

Launched in 2022, this grant is the result of a unique partnership between OCRA and Microsoft AI for Health, a philanthropic program at Microsoft. This collaboration will help OCRA accelerate ovarian cancer and/or related gynecologic cancer research by harnessing the power of data science and Artificial Intelligence (AI), potentially leading to new insights into the disease. The grant will provide funds for ovarian cancer and/or related gynecologic cancers research projects that may involve several investigators within one institution or collaborations between groups in multiple institutions. Support of $300,000 annually for three years, for a total of $900,000, will be awarded to the institution where the recipient will conduct the research in addition to in-kind support from Microsoft.

The Early Career Investigator Grant (formerly the Liz Tilberis Early Career Award) is for junior faculty (Assistant Professor level) with a strong commitment to an investigative career in ovarian cancer and/or related gynecologic cancer research. Support of $150,000 annually for three years, for a total of $450,000, will be awarded to the institution where the recipients will conduct the research. This grant was created in honor of Liz Tilberis, former editor-in-chief of Harper’s Bazaar and the first president of Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance, who passed away from ovarian cancer in 1999.

The Mentored Investigator Grant (formerly the Ann and Sol Schreiber Mentored Investigator Award) provides funding for trainees (post-doctoral fellows or clinical fellows) working under the supervision of a mentor who is a recognized leader in ovarian cancer research, or related area. Applicants must have an MD or a PhD degree. The grant provides a total of $100,000 to be used over one or two years and will encourage the recipient’s research career in the field of ovarian cancer and/or related gynecologic cancers. Ann Schreiber, a distinguished public administrator and wife of Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance’s founder Sol Schreiber, is the inspiration for this grant. Sol started OCRA in memory of Ann, who passed away from ovarian cancer in 1994.

OCRA’s first-ever Health Equity Research Grant (HEG) was launched in 2024. The first grant was sponsored by GSK. This grant is intended to overcome barriers to care faced by marginalized communities and is geared to all investigators with projects focusing on ovarian cancer and/or related gynecologic cancers research that have a health equity focus. Support of $100,000 annually for two years, for a total of $200,000, will be awarded to the institution where the recipient will conduct the research.

The Rivkin Pilot Grants pave the way for innovative breakthroughs in all areas of ovarian cancer research. Support of $37,500 annually for 2 years, totaling $75,000, will be awarded to the institution where the recipient will conduct the research. The grants were inspired by Marsha Rivkin, beloved wife of Dr. Saul Rivkin, a renowned oncologist at Swedish Hospital. After her death from ovarian cancer, Dr. Rivkin and his daughters established the Marsha Rivkin Ovarian Cancer Research Center, which eventually became the Seattle-based Rivkin Center. OCRA and the Rivkin Center joined forces in a historic collaboration in April 2025, enhancing OCRA’s national and global reach. OCRA is proud to be continuing the Rivkin Center’s extraordinary legacy of hope, determination, and relentless pursuit of a cure through its Rivkin Pilot Grants.

The Rivkin Center and Washington state’s Andy Hill Cancer Research Endowment (CARE) Fund joined together to invest $1M in ovarian cancer research in 2024 and 2025, creating a pioneering public-private partnership. Investigators in Washington state pursuing projects in all areas of ovarian cancer research were eligible to apply to these two-year awards. Researchers did not need to find additional funding as the Rivkin Center and the CARE Fund matched private and state funds 1:1.

The Rivkin Center for Ovarian Cancer Research offered research grants from 1999 to 2025. In addition to the Rivkin Pilot Grant, which OCRA is continuing, Rivkin offered funds for 2 other grants: Scientific Scholar Awards and Bridge Funding Awards. The Scientific Scholar Award was a two-year mentored career development grant of up to $120,000 for early researchers pursuing a career as an independent investigator. The Bridge Funding Award was a six-month grant for $30,000 which helped researchers gather the data needed to secure federal grants, allowing promising work to progress to the next stage.