2026 Lotus Award
for Ovarian Cancer Research

The Pershing Square Foundation (PSF) has worked across sectors to catalyze innovative approaches to the most difficult problems. Talented individuals have always been at the center of our approach. We aim to support leaders who transform systems, embrace new paradigms, and have an innate drive to make an impact.

PSF has funded pioneering cancer researchers through the Pershing Square Sohn Cancer Research Alliance for over a decade and supported women’s health initiatives in New York City. Through this Request for Proposals (RFP), PSF aims to combine these two priority areas of women’s health and cancer to shine a lens on one of the most understudied and underfunded cancers—ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer is the deadliest gynecologic cancer, with 80% of women diagnosed at an advanced stage. Only 27% of women diagnosed during an advanced stage survive for five years. Ovarian cancer remains a disease with a poor prognosis due to limited early-detection and treatment options.

PSF supports research efforts by (1) deploying capital quickly, (2) funding high-risk, high-reward ideas, (3) bringing new perspectives into a field, (4) encouraging collaboration, and (5) leveraging our vast network. We challenge our scientific partners to think creatively and across silos, to spur innovation to fight ovarian cancer.

Through the Pershing Square Lotus Award (formerly the Ovarian Cancer Challenge Grant) for Ovarian Cancer Research, PSF is looking for investigators in the Pershing Square Sohn Cancer Research Alliance community who are either already working on a promising project in ovarian cancer or in another type of cancer that could have an impact on ovarian cancer. Grantees each receive $250,000 a year for three years, totaling $750,000.

Researchers who are not studying ovarian cancer are encouraged to apply and required to find a collaborator with experience in ovarian cancer research. The aim of this award is to (1) inspire investigators with unique expertise to apply their knowledge to ovarian cancer and/or (2) empower ovarian cancer researchers to pursue their boldest ideas. Facing a disease where too few have survived to-date, PSF ultimately aims to create a culture around ovarian cancer that offers women hope, akin to the breast cancer community. PSF is passionate about changing outcomes for tens of thousands of women a year and is hopeful that future scientific discoveries will allow for more survivors who can share their stories for years to come.

The application process will be conducted in one stage:

Stage 1: Letter of Intent (LOI), Biosketch, and Budget – Opens on Monday, January 5th, 2026, to all who meet the eligibility criteria.

• For clarity, the Lotus Award does not have a full proposal or finalist presentation stage. Projects will be evaluated solely through the LOI.

Please note that PSF may adjust the notification dates without notice to applicants:

January 5, 2026: Open to receive Letter of Intent (LOI) applications

February 2, 2026: Deadline to submit LOI

March & April, 2026: Application review

May 2026: 2026 winners notified (all applicants will be notified regarding their status)

June 9, 2026: Pershing Square Prize Award Dinner

August 1, 2026: Projects start

Radically innovative research: The project needs to display great innovation, with potential for impact in ovarian cancer research. Research areas may include, but are not limited to, basic research, early detection, immune-oncology approaches (ovarian cancer vaccines, new cell therapy approaches), creation of realistic models, novel technological approaches, profiling and targeting of dormant cells, and translational and therapeutic applications. The objective is to support projects that may be too risky for traditional funding sources but still have a likelihood of producing findings that will make an impact. Impact is defined as a transformative finding in ovarian cancer research—opening new avenues of research, examining important paradigms that have been established in other cancer types in ovarian cancer, as well as pursuing advanced stage research with a clear path to translation. Accordingly, priority will be given to bold projects whose intent is curing the disease.

Scientific excellence: Scientific merit as determined by peer review.

Potential impact on ovarian cancer: Proposals that articulate a clearly defined application to and impact on the field of ovarian cancer will be favored. The goal is to advance research in new ways that will have an impact on the understanding, diagnosis (especially early detection), prevention (including vaccines), and/or treatment (including, but not limited to, immunotherapy) of primary or recurrent (e.g. research on dormant or quiescent cells) ovarian cancer. Consider the significance of the research question being asked, and the potential to shift paradigms or address unmet needs.

A PhD, MD, MD-PhD degree (or equivalent) is required. Lead Principal Investigators (PIs) of the submitted proposal must be nominated by a Pershing Square Sohn Prize Advisory Board member, Scientific Review Council member, or Cancer Prize winner. PIs must hold tenure-track faculty appointments (or equivalent) at academic research institutions in the United States of America and must have at least two (2) years of experience running their own laboratories by the start date of the grant (August 2026). Multiple applicants from the same institution may apply as long as eligibility criteria are met. If a PI wishes to nominate a member of their lab, the PI should apply as the mentor overseeing their lab member. Each Prize Advisory Board member, Scientific Review Council member, and Cancer Prize winner may nominate up to two (2) lead PIs (including themselves). Current PSF awardees (including MIND and PSSCRA winners) may not apply to the Lotus Award until their existing award term has concluded, and final reports have been received.

If a lead PI does not have demonstrated experience in ovarian cancer research, they must include a collaborator with a background in ovarian cancer. Lead PIs and collaborators can only be on one application—i.e. a collaborator cannot be on multiple applications, a lead PI cannot be a collaborator on another application, and a collaborator cannot be a lead PI on another application.

Collaborations are encouraged, and only the lead PI needs to meet these eligibility requirements.

A PI who is not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, by submitting an application for this funding, assures that his/her visa status will provide sufficient time to complete the project and grant term within the United States. 

The Pershing Square Foundation does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability or any other legally protected characteristics.

We will begin to accept LOI applications on Monday, January 5th, 2026. LOIs are due Monday, February 2nd by 5:00pm ET. The LOI is a one-page document in Georgia, 11-point font, single-spaced, with one-half inch (.5) margins (figures are accepted, references not included in the limit), that must include the following elements:

1. A description of the proposed project – must include scientific rationale, aims, and research plan

2. A description of why the project is innovative within the context of ovarian cancer

3. A description of how this funding will help your research contribute to the field.

A budget and a biosketch will be required along with the LOI. Applicants must use the provided PSF templates. Both templates and the link to submission form can be found on our application portal: https://prizeapplication.smapply.io/.

The total budget per year must reach but should not exceed $250,000 (this includes direct and indirect costs).  The budget should be constructed as follows:   

NOTE: You can absolutely have less than $25K in indirect costs and more than $225K in direct costs. You simply cannot exceed the numbers above, and totals must reach $250K/year.

• After submission of the LOI, applications will undergo peer review by Foundation leadership and the Lotus Scientific Review Board. Conflicts of Interest will be considered.

• Proposals will be selected by a group of qualified individuals based on their credentials, the merits of their proposals, and the connection of their proposals to the goals of the Foundation.

• The final selection will be contingent upon ratification by Foundation leadership. 

• As a policy, PSF does not provide reviewer critiques or evaluations to applicants.

Award Agreement

Upon acceptance of the award, the grantee and their employing organization will be required to sign an award agreement indicating acceptance of the Foundation’s Award Agreement. Among other requirements, the Foundation must be notified in advance and approve of any significant changes in objectives, key personnel, or budget. As the agreement template reflects over a decade of collaboration with institutions on best practices and fair terms, we do not allow any edits to the award agreement unless there is information included that is factually incorrect. If you have questions about this before applying, please email us.

Publicity

By submitting an application for funding, the PI grants the Foundation permission to use their name, image, likeness and quotes at any time in connection with the publicity relating to this Award (whether during the Award period or after) provided that such use is factual, accurate and for non-commercial purposes only. The Foundation will coordinate with the appropriate individuals with the employing institution for use of institution name. (Further publicity terms related to the PI’s institution will be outlined in the award agreement and will be agreed to upon agreement execution.)

Funding

PSF will allow no more than 10% of the award amount ($25,000/year) to be allocated to indirect costs. Full term funding will be contingent upon review of annual progress reports and other oversight activities conducted by PSF.  PSF will determine future funding at its sole discretion. Multi-year support is not automatic and is conditioned on meeting certain milestones and deliverables defined in the Award Agreement, including submission of complete and accurate progress reports indicating that the project is meeting measurable objectives.

Reporting Requirements

All grantees are required to provide an annual written progress report in accordance with applicable IRS requirements. The reports will be reviewed to ensure that the purposes of the grants are being fulfilled. A reminder will be sent in advance of the deadline. All project PIs and key scientists will also be required to attend an annual scientific retreat. Additional details will be included in the award agreement.

Any questions concerning this RFP should be addressed to: lifesci@persq.org.