The American Society of Clinical Oncology Cancer Foundation Grants Program: a 25-year report and a look toward the future.

The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Grants Program began in 1984 with a single $16,000 grant to a young investigator for start-up research funding. In 2009, the Grants Program, now administered by The ASCO Cancer Foundation, awarded more than $6.5 million to 70 different investigators. This article, celebrating the 25th anniversary of this initiative, describes the history and evolution of the Grants Program, attempts to measure the impact of the program on clinical cancer research through an analysis of the career paths of past recipients, and addresses challenges that the program will face as it enters its second 25 years.