Federal Funding Supports Cancer Control in Nevada

The change of presidential administrations in January 2025 brought with it increased scrutiny of federal program funding. In late January, the administration put a halt to much of the nation’s federally funded research and issued memos to pause federal funding for most programs while the administration ensures that the spending complies with executive orders eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion activities.

Nevada’s Attorney General Aaron Ford joined a lawsuit against the administration seeking a temporary restraining order to the funding pause. A federal judge on Friday, Jan. 31, approved the order, saying the administration cannot “pause, freeze, impede, block, cancel, or terminate” federal funds approved by Congress and already allocated to the 23 jurisdictions that filed the complaint.

The following talking points can help cancer control partners and policymakers understand and explain how funding from federal sources, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and National Cancer Institute (NCI), supports cancer control efforts in Nevada.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

• The CDC’s cancer programs focus on cancer control and population health, which is the focus on improving the health of entire populations.
• CDC funding to Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health (NDPBH) from the Cancer Prevention and Control Programs for State, Territorial, and Tribal Organizations totals $4,735,275 to the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services.
  • CDC's National Comprehensive Cancer Control Program (NCCCP) provides funds, guidance, and technical assistance to help cancer control coalitions implement effective and sustainable plans to prevent and control cancer. It provides funding to all 50 states, including Nevada.
    • Nevada’s Comprehensive Cancer Control Program (CCCP) will receive approximately $345,000 in CDC funding this fiscal year.
    • These funds support staff at the NDPBH working in cancer control and a contract with NCC to implement evidence-based interventions and cancer control activities across the state.
    • Cancer control efforts through NCC engage more than 250 member organizations working to accomplish prevention, early detection and quality of life goals outlined in the Nevada Cancer Plan. These activities include patient navigation, sun safety outreach, cancer screening education and community events, policy and systems change to increase access to screening, and provider education.
  • The National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) grant currently funds 71 award recipients across the United States, including Nevada. NBCCEDP provides breast and cervical cancer screening for those who qualify.
    • The Nevada NBCCEDP (called Women’s Health Connection in Nevada) will receive about $3.7 million this year.
    • Women’s Health Connection provides free or low-cost breast and cervical screenings to people who have no insurance or whose insurance does not cover screening exams, whose income is at or below 250% of the federal poverty level, and who meet age requirements for each screening type. 
    • Women’s Health Connection funding is contracted to Access to Healthcare Network who administers the program to Nevadans, and to NCC and B&A Entertainment Services who provide community education and outreach to promote breast and cervical cancer screenings and navigate Nevadans to screening in the program.
  • Nevada Central Cancer Registry collects cancer data on all Nevada residents and reports on cancer incidence and mortality rates and cancer trends in the state.
    • The registry is funded by the National Program of Cancer Registries (NPCR) through Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), since 1995.
    • NCCR receives about $690,000 annually to support cancer data collection and reporting.
• Other CDC Public Health Funding: 
  • Public Health and Health Services (PHHS) Block Grant: Provides funding to all 50 states (including Nevada) and other areas. 
  • CDC Public Health Infrastructure Grant (PHIG) 
    • Three national public health partners and 107 health departments received funding through this 5-year grant (12/1/2022 – 11/30/2027), including Nevada. 
    • Nevada was awarded $20.1 million total funding including $9 million for workforce development, $8.78 million for a data modernization initiative, and $2.3 million for foundational capabilities.
  • National Tobacco Control Program Funding
    • In fiscal year 2024, Nevada received $1,249,182 in tobacco control funding and $135,293 in quitline funding for a total $1,384,475 in prevention and cessation funding.
    • In Nevada, tobacco control dollars are spent on retailer education and compliance, youth prevention outreach, and cessation services and promotion.

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

• NCI is the “federal government’s principal agency for cancer research and training.” (Source) 
• NCI is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which is one of 11 agencies making up the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). (Source) 
• NCI’s mission is to lead, conduct, and support “cancer research across the nation to advance scientific knowledge and help all people live longer, healthier lives.” (Source) 
• NCI is the largest funder of cancer research in the world. The institute’s annual budget, which is set by Congress, is approximately $6.9 billion. These funds support the infrastructure that sustains cancer research performed at NCI and at cancer centers, hospitals, community clinics, and universities across the United States and around the world. (Source)
• NCI in FY23 funded three grants in Nevada for a total $2,647,005. (Source)
• The NCI Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP) network conducts and participates in clinical trials within community settings. Trials focus on cancer prevention, screening, supportive care and symptom management, surveillance, health-related quality of life, and cancer care delivery. 
• Nevada NCORP is a member of the NCI Clinical Trials Network and brings clinical trials to more than 50 hospitals and clinics in the west to advance new treatment, screening, and prevention options.

Other Federal Funding

• Nevada receives funding for tobacco control, which is tied closely to cancer prevention, from agencies including the FDA and SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration). Much of this funding focuses on retailer compliance and youth prevention.
• The CDC provides funding to Nevada through several programs to increase HPV vaccination, a key activity for prevention of cervical, penile, anal, oropharyngeal and several other types of cancer.
  • HPV Immunization funding supports provider and community education through toolkits, media campaigns, and outreach.
  • This includes Nevada’s Vaccines for Children program that provides free vaccines to eligible children including those who are uninsured, underinsured or Medicaid-eligible.
• The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides funding to Nevada for its radon control program, which provides public information and outreach on the health effects of radon, testing, and mitigation. Radon is a leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers.