How the UVA Comprehensive Cancer Center Scaled Internal Funding Programs

Overview

In 2022, the University of Virginia Comprehensive Cancer Center (UVACCC) faced a pivotal challenge: scaling its internal funding opportunities from just a handful per year to more than 25 annually with the availability of new state funds. To meet this challenge without overburdening staff or compromising quality, the Cancer Center adopted InfoReady, transforming its internal funding process with automation, transparency, and ease of use.

The Challenge: Rapid Growth, Manual Burden

When Dr. Rebecca Latimer joined UVACCC in 2022, the Cancer Center was running 2-5 internal competitions per year using a manual, email-heavy system with spreadsheets to track. With additional state funding available and their recent designations as an NCI Comprehensive Cancer Center, the number of competitions was set to increase dramatically.

“We jumped from 2 to 5 internal funding opportunities a year to over 25... I knew we needed help and InfoReady fit the bill perfectly.”
— Dr. Rebecca Latimer, Director for CCSG Administration, UVACCC

Problems Faced:

• Time-consuming processes using spreadsheets and email to announce RFAs, collect applications, set up reviews, send award notices, requesting progress reports and keeping track of everything.
• No standardized timelines or review process
• Difficulty tracking progress and collecting outcome data
• No scalable system for increasing reviewer volume or external outreach

The Solution: Implementing InfoReady for End-to-End Process Management

Dr. Latimer, having previously used InfoReady at UVA’s Office of the Vice President for Research, led the implementation of the platform in the Cancer Center in summer 2022.

Key Implementation Strategies:

• Created master templates with built-in milestone and progress report forms
• Standardized deadlines for funding cycles (April, August, December) to avoid NIH conflicts
• Established a standing review committee with rotating membership for large, center-wide RFAs and limited submission opportunities
• Developed automated workflows for pilot grants, seed funding, community grants, and trainee travel awards
• Integrated InfoReady with internal funding newsletters and an opt-in listserv for outreach
• Leveraged logic and conditional fields in forms to streamline applicant and reviewer experience

“Being able to house all documents in InfoReady really helped streamline our internal funding procedures. InfoReady has processes built-in, so it was about making sure the right documents got to the correct people.”
— Dr. Rebecca Latimer

The Impact: Measurable Growth and ROI

With InfoReady, UVACCC achieved dramatic improvements in scale, speed, and clarity:

Quantitative Results:

• 5x increase in RFAs issued (from 5 to 25+ annually)
• 200+ applications received annually
• 100+ awards granted per year
• 6:1 return on investment

Qualitative Benefits:

• Reduced administrative burden
• Improved applicant and reviewer experiences
• Streamlined decision-making
• Enhanced transparency and tracking
• Everything managed in one place
• Standardized the pilot and limited submission process so deadlines and processes are clear to our team and applicants.

“InfoReady allowed us to create a consistent and fair review process that enabled real-time communication with reviewers and program sponsors.”
— Dr. Rebecca Latimer

 Best Practices to Borrow

1. Standardize Funding Cycles: Use fixed deadlines to reduce confusion and encourage faculty planning.
2. Leverage InfoReady’s Templates & Logic: Build progress reporting and routing logic into templates for reuse and consistency.
3. Create a Reviewer Rotation System: Establish standing committees for major competitions and tap past awardees as reviewers.
4. Expand Communication Channels: Combine newsletters, opt-in lists, and InfoReady announcements to increase participation.
5. Use Progress Reports for Accountability: Implement milestone-based funding release, reviewed via InfoReady’s built-in progress reporting tools.

Conclusion

The UVA Comprehensive Cancer Center demonstrates how InfoReady empowers teams to scale rapidly without sacrificing structure or overloading staff. With clear processes, robust tracking, and built-in reporting, InfoReady became an essential platform for internal funding success—and a model for other cancer centers and research institutions to follow.

“InfoReady handles the bulk of the administrative work for us. It has made such a huge difference in how we organize and manage our internal funding opportunities.”
— Dr. Rebecca Latimer

 We are grateful to Dr. Rebecca Latimer for her willingness to share her analysis and insights. To learn more about InfoReady and how it can help your team scale up to meet growth and new challenges, contact sales@inforeadycorp.com.