Abstract The Administrative Core of the Cherokee Nation/Oklahoma State University (OSU) and Stephenson Cancer Center (SCC) Collaborative Partnership for Cancer Research (the “Collaborative”) provides the organizational hub for the jointly conducted cancer-related research and cancer research education activities of this planning project. The Collaborative is novel yet organizationally complex, as it enhances the success of a prior Cherokee Nation-SCC partnership through the addition of OSU, as an academic ally for the tribe. To address this complexity, the Administrative Core establishes shared leadership between the participating institutions, an Internal Advisory Committee, and procedures for regular communication and decision making within the partnership. The research and training activities of the Collaborative are integrated and mutually reinforcing, with the ultimate goal of providing Cherokee Nation with the capacity to pursue independent research in cancer disparities, focusing on tobacco. The Administrative Core specific aims are to: 1) Provide joint leadership and infrastructure to provide the operational support, including fiscal management, to ensure the integration of the diverse components of the Collaborative; 2) Conduct rigorous planning and implementation processes for pilot research and cancer research education; 3) Conduct program evaluation to gauge overall success of the Collaborative in achieving targets and milestones; and 4) Pursue funding to ensure sustainability of our efforts to address cancer disparities at Cherokee Nation for both research and cancer research education. A major goal of this feasibility grant is to build the foundation for future tribally engaged cancer research. The Administrative Core proposed herein is essential to this effort, as it ensures that all aspects of the program are integrated into a collaborative effort addressing cancer disparities for Cherokee Nation.