ADMINISTRATIVE CORE: ABSTRACT The Administrative (Admin) Core at the Stephenson Cancer Center (SCC) provides administrative support for all SCC research components and activities – including programs, members, shared resources, and other infrastructure – with the goal of operationalizing research initiatives and activities to advance the overall mission and strategic goals of the SCC. The Admin Core is led by Wade Williams, PhD, Associate Director for Research Administration, and is currently staffed with 15 FTE. This team is responsible for overseeing and coordinating all SCC research administrative functions to help advance the strategic goals and implement the priorities of the cancer center as determined by SCC Director Robert Mannel and the senior leadership team. Primary responsibilities of the Admin Core are: 1) overseeing all aspects of the SCC’s NCI CCSG, including data tracking, annual reporting, and grant renewal compilation and submission; 2) facilitating and documenting SCC research meetings; 3) facilitating the development of the SCC’s strategic plan, supporting the implementation of plan tactics, and assisting SCC research leadership with ongoing annual evaluation activities; 4) promoting collaborations among cancer center members through supporting meetings, seminars and other interactive activities; 5) providing coordinating support for SCC shared resources; 6) supporting SCC research faculty recruitment and retention activities; 7) overseeing grant pre-award administrative processes; 8) providing SCC members with proposal services, project management, and scientific writing support; 9) managing SCC membership application and review processes; 10) overseeing the solicitation, receipt, review, award, and outcomes tracking of intramural grants; and 11) providing coordinating support for SCC research space allocation and cancer center policies related to space utilization and management. Through fulfilling these responsibilities, the Administrative Core is a key resource that supports the SCC’s central research components, including its: senior leadership team; three research programs; four shared resources; Clinical Trials Office; Protocol Review and Monitoring System; Community Outreach and Engagement (COE) Core; Education, Training and Career Enhancement (ETCE) Core; and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Core. In addition, the Admin Core provides a range of value-added support services for the SCC’s 120 full and associate members. Admin Core support was a key contributing factor in the significant increases in peer- reviewed research funding (61%, $14.28M $22.97M) and total research funding (42%, $30.13M $43.09M) over the five-year reporting period (annual, direct cost). The Admin Core also supported the external recruitment and onboarding of 31 new SCC research members during the period. Another major accomplishment was supporting strategic planning activities that led to the reorganization of the SCC’s research program ...