Defense Health Agency Grants

ATTENTION: This announcement will be revised regularly to incorporate country specific narratives (Attachment 1 of the announcement) with information vital to the content of application. Potential applicants interested in applying to this announcement should click 'Subscribe' to be notified of future revisions. DoD HIV/AID Prevention Program's (DHAPP) objective, through the PEPFAR program, is to save lives, prevent HIV infections, and accelerate progress toward achieving HIV/AIDS epidemic control and to support the development of interventions and programs in military health systems that address these issues. DHAPP works with militaries of foreign countries to devise plans based on the following process: Meet with key partners in country to determine provisional major program areas and other technical assistance needs. Adapt DHAPP support to a country’s need for prevention, care and/or treatment of its HIV/AIDS situation based on an assessment of the country’s epidemic, and more specifically, in that country’s military. Strengthen the military capacity for ownership and behavioral changes over the long term. Consider program design by leveraging assets with other country partners who have/had successful prevention, care, and/or treatment efforts. Focus on prevention, care and/or treatment impact aligned with national implementation plans. Implement and monitor programs to ensure accountability and sustainability. Countries and their militaries need strong evidenced based HIV programs with measurable courses of action that demonstrate the following specific attributes. Priorities for DHAPP include the following but are subject to change. Support and ownership from the military sector. Development of plans of action and support for military policies that further HIV epidemic control. Alignment with PEPFAR and national strategies and priorities. Testing and treatment expansion to meet 2020 goals of 90-90-90 and 2030 goals of 95-95-95 for people living with HIV. (The first goal is identifying 90/95 percent of all HIV-positive individuals in the population; the second goal is linking 90/95 percent of all those identified HIV positive people to consistent antiretroviral treatment; and the last goal is reaching 90/95 percent of all those on antiretroviral treatment to attain viral suppression.) Care and treatment plans should use the “Treat All” approach with differentiated models of care including tuberculosis (TB), hepatitis, cervical cancer in HIV positive women, other sexually transmitted infections (STI) other opportunistic infections, and care for those with advanced HIV disease. Reduction of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Combination prevention using biomedical, behavioral and structural support for sexual transmission of HIV and other STI. Prevention packages for specific populations including a comprehensive package for Key Populations (KP), Priority Populations, and prevention interventions for young people. Stigma and discrimination reduction associated with HIV infection. Program monitoring to collect and report on PEPFAR indicators, ensure quality of service delivery using clinical and laboratory monitoring tools and to take rapid corrective action based on results. Strengthen HIV data collection systems for improved clinical decision making and program management. Promoting sustainability through capacity building of the military partner. Transition to Local Partners: Local partners are encouraged to apply to this announcement . To sustain epidemic control, it is critical that the full range of HIV prevention and treatment services are owned and operated by local institutions, governments, and community-based and community-led organizations – regardless of current antiretroviral (ARV) coverage levels. The intent of the transitioning to local partners is to increase the delivery of direct HIV services, along with non-direct services provided at the site, and establish sufficient capacity, capability, and durability of these local partners to ensure successful, long-term, local partner engagement and impact.

The USAMRDC’s mission is to provide solutions to medical problems of importance to the American Service Member at home and abroad, as well as to the general public at large. The scope of this effort and the priorities attached to specific projects are influenced by changes in military and civilian medical science and technology (S&T), operational requirements, military threat assessments, and national defense strategies. Extramural research and development programs play a vital role in the fulfillment of the objectives established by the USAMRDC. General information on the USAMRDC can be obtained at https://mrdc.health.mil/. This BAA is intended to solicit extramural research and development ideas using the authority provided by 10 USC 4001. The BAA is issued under the provisions of the Competition in Contracting Act of 1984 (Public Law 98-369), as implemented in FAR 6.102(d)(2) and 35.016 and in Department of Defense Grant and Agreement Regulations (DoDGARs) 22.315. In accordance with FAR 35.016, projects funded under this BAA must be for basic and applied research to support scientific study and experimentation directed toward advancing the state-of-the-art or increasing knowledge or understanding rather than focusing on development of a specific system or hardware solution. Research and development funded through this BAA are intended and expected to benefit and inform both military and civilian medical practice and knowledge. This BAA utilizes competitive procedures in accordance with 10 USC 3012 for the selection for award of S&T proposals/applications. For the purposes of this BAA, S&T includes activities involving basic research, applied research, advanced technology development, and, under certain conditions, may include activities involving advanced component development and prototypes. The selection process is highly competitive, and the quantity of meaningful submissions (both pre-proposals/pre-applications and full proposals/applications) received typically exceeds the number of awards that available funding can support. This BAA provides a general description of USAMRDC’s research and development programs, including Research Areas of Interest, evaluation and selection criteria, pre-proposal/ pre-application and full proposal/application preparation instructions, and general administrative information. Specific submission information and additional administrative requirements can be found in the document titled, “General Submission Instructions,” which is available on Grants.gov along with this BAA. The FY23-FY27 USAMRDC BAA is continuously open for a 5-year period, from October 1, 2022 through September 30, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Submission of a pre-proposal/pre-application is required and must be submitted through the electronic Biomedical Research Application Portal (eBRAP) (https://eBRAP.org/). Pre-proposals/pre-applications may be submitted at any time throughout the 5-year period. If the USAMRDC is interested in receiving a full proposal/application, the Principal Investigator will be sent an invitation to submit via eBRAP. A full proposal/application must be submitted through Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov/). Invited full proposals/applications can be submitted under this FY23-FY27 BAA through September 30, 2027.

The FY23 -FY28 Broad Agency Announcement for Extramural Biomedical Research and Development - HT9425-23-S-SOC1.

Summary: The intent of the fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Tick-Borne Disease Research Program (TBDRP) Idea Development Award (IDA) is to support conceptually innovative research that could lead to impactful discoveries or significant advancements that will accelerate progress toward reducing the burden of Lyme disease and/or other tick-borne diseases and conditions, and improving patient care and/or the quality of life. Applications should propose research that is conceptually innovative, introduces a new concept or question, challenges existing paradigms, approaches issues from a new perspective, or exhibits other uniquely creative qualities; and should not merely be a next logical step or an incremental advance on published data or ongoing research. Distinctive Features: A Career Development Option is available to eligible early-career investigators who propose to conduct impactful mechanism-relevant research under the mentorship of an experienced tick-borne disease researcher(s). Applications submitted under the IDA – Career Development Option (IDA-CDO) will be reviewed using separate, career development-specific evaluation criteria by a separate, dedicated peer review panel; and are subject to a lower cost limit than those submitted under the standard IDA. https://cdmrp.health.mil/pubs/press/2026/tbdrppreann

Summary: The intent of the fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Tick-Borne Disease Research Program (TBDRP) Therapeutic/Diagnostic Research Award (TDRA) is to support product-driven therapeutic and diagnostic development research aimed at reducing the burden of Lyme disease and/or other tick-borne diseases and conditions, and improving patient care and/or quality of life. Treatment-focused applications should be therapeutic evaluation studies designed to advance new ideas aimed at drug or treatment discovery that are still in the early/preclinical stages of development. Diagnosis-focused applications should propose diagnostic approaches that will be readily integrated into clinical settings. https://cdmrp.health.mil/pubs/press/2026/tbdrppreann

Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Arthritis Research Program (ATRP) Clinical Research Award (CRA) supports clinical research that evaluates disease-specific factors and interventions. Research is intended to generate clinically useful evidence with potential to optimize patient outcomes and inform clinical care or policy. Research addressing any and all types of arthritis is encouraged. Applications must address one of two FY26 ATRP CRA Focus Areas: Prevention and Early Diagnosis, or Treatment and Mitigation of Disease Progression/Burden. Distinctive Features: The FY26 ATRP CRA offers funding for two research levels. It is the responsibility of the applicant to select the level that aligns with the scope of the proposed research. • Research Level 1: Applications proposing clinical research or early-phase/pilot clinical trials, to include new or emerging research that is not ready for a full-scale randomized controlled clinical trial. • Research Level 2: Applications proposing a full-scale clinical trial. Applications should include a community collaborator (e.g., patient/care partner, community-based organization consultant) who will provide advice and consultation during study design and throughout study planning and implementation. The ATRP encourages a community collaborator for Research Level 1 applications and requires a community collaborator for Research Level 2 applications. Preliminary and/or published data are required.

Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Arthritis Research Program (ATRP) Translational Research Award (TRA) supports high-impact translational research that will accelerate critical findings into clinically relevant solutions. Research funded under this award mechanism will be hypothesis-driven, high-impact applied research that is relevant to Service Members, Veterans, their Families and the American public. Research addressing any and all types of arthritis is encouraged. Distinctive Features: The FY26 ATRP TRA mechanism is intended to support preclinical or animal research and may not be used for clinical research or clinical trials. Basic research, as defined in Section 3.1.2, is not allowed. A key aspect of this award mechanism is impact. The application should explicitly state how outcomes of the proposed research will significantly advance arthritis research, particularly in accelerating critical findings into clinically relevant solutions. Preliminary and/or published data, originating from research conducted by the applicant(s) or others, is required.

Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Vision Research Program (VRP) Clinical Trial Award (CTA) supports the rapid implementation of clinical trials with the potential to have a significant impact on the treatment or management of service-connected eye injury and visual dysfunction. Research must align with at least one of the FY26 VRP Focus Areas . Distinctive Features: · For interventions that require Investigational New Drug (IND)/Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) or equivalent regulatory authorizations for clinical testing, the IND/IDE application or equivalent must be submitted to the relevant Regulatory Agency by the CTA application submission deadline. In addition, applicants must provide documentation of communication from the Regulatory Agency indicating that the IND/IDE or equivalent is active/safe to proceed by March 1, 2027, in order for the CTA application to be considered for funding. Refer to Attachment 7: Regulatory Strategy for further details. · Scored peer review criteria include Clinical Impact; Research Strategy and Feasibility; Recruitment, Accrual, Retention; Regulatory Strategy and Transition Plan; Statistical Plan and Data Analysis; Ethical Considerations; Personnel and Communication. · Programmatic review criteria include adherence to the intent of the CTA, contribution to program portfolio, relative impact and relevance to military health. https://cdmrp.health.mil/pubs/press/2026/vrppreann

Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Vision Research Program (VRP) Investigator-Initiated Research Award (IIRA) supports basic through early translational research that will yield highly impactful discoveries or major advancements in the research and/or patient care of eye injury and/or visual dysfunction related to military exposure . The IIRA may be used to support preclinical studies and/or clinical research . Research must align with at least one of the FY26 VRP Focus Areas . The IIRA cannot be used to support clinical trials . Distinctive Features: · The IIRA offers two Funding Levels to support research at different stages and the exploration/development of ideas of different maturity levels. · Funding Level 2 includes a Partnering Principal Investigator (PI) Option (PPIO) for two PIs, an Initiating PI and a Partnering PI. · Scored peer review criteria include Research Idea/Rationale, Research Strategy and Feasibility, Impact, and Personnel. · Programmatic review criteria include adherence to the intent of the IIRA, contribution to the VRP portfolio, relative impact, and relevance to military health. · The VRP may share FY26 IIRA applications and reviews with the National Eye Institute (NEI) for independent funding consideration. https://cdmrp.health.mil/pubs/press/2026/vrppreann

Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Vision Research Program (VRP) Translational Research Award (TRA) supports translational research that transforms a promising discovery into new drugs, devices or clinical practice guidelines that are ready for definitive testing in clinical trials during or by the end of the period of performance. The TRA may be used to support preclinical studies, clinical research or a pilot clinical trial , but not a full-scale clinical trial . Research must align with at least one of the FY26 VRP Focus Areas . Distinctive Features: · If developing new drugs or device(s), the research team must include expertise in the regulatory approval process. · The TRA includes a Partnering Principal Investigator (PI) Option (PPIO) for two PIs, an Initiating PI and a Partnering PI. · Scored peer review criteria include Research Idea/Rationale, Research Strategy and Feasibility, Impact, Personnel and Post-Award Transition Plan. · Programmatic review criteria include adherence to the intent of the TRA, contribution to the VRP portfolio, relative impact and relevance to military health. · The VRP may share FY26 TRA applications and reviews with the National Eye Institute (NEI) for independent funding consideration. https://cdmrp.health.mil/pubs/press/2026/vrppreann

Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Spinal Cord Injury Research Program (SCIRP) Translational Research Award (TRA) supports translational research that will accelerate the movement of promising ideas in spinal cord injury (SCI) research into clinical applications. Distinctive Features: • This funding opportunity contains an Early-Career Partnership Option, which allows for two principal investigators (PIs). If this option is selected, at least one of the named PIs must be an early-career investigator. Only the initiating PI will submit a pre-application, but all PIs will need to submit full applications. The partnering PI’s application is an abbreviated package specific to their distinct portion of the research project. If recommended for funding, each PI will be named on a separate award to the recipient organization(s). Be advised, all associated applications for a research project may be withdrawn if the initiating or partnering application is rejected or administratively withdrawn. • Applications to this funding opportunity must name at least one SCI community partner (e.g., SCI Lived-Experience Consultant, representative of community-based organizations) who will provide advice and consultation throughout the planning and implementation of the research project.

Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Spinal Cord Injury Research Program (SCIRP) Clinical Trial Award (CTA) supports the rapid implementation of clinical trials with the potential to have a significant impact on the treatment or management of spinal cord injury (SCI). Distinctive Features: This funding opportunity contains an Early-Career Partnership Option, which allows for two Principal Investigators (PIs). If this option is selected, at least one of the named PIs must be an early-career investigator. Only the Initiating PI will submit a pre-application, but all PIs will need to submit full applications. The Partnering PI’s application is an abbreviated package specific to their distinct portion of the research project. If recommended for funding, each PI will be named on a separate award to the recipient organization(s). Be advised, all associated applications for a research project may be withdrawn if the initiating or partnering application is rejected or administratively withdrawn. Applications to this funding opportunity must name at least two spinal cord injury (SCI) community partners (e.g., SCI Lived-Experience Consultants, representatives of community-based organizations) who will provide advice and consultation throughout the planning and implementation of the research project.

Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Spinal Cord Injury Research Program (SCIRP) Clinical Translation Research Award (CTRA) supports high-impact, new, or emerging clinical research that requires additional preliminary studies, such as feasibility, pilot, or optimization, to prepare for future larger-scale clinical trials or implementation. Primary objectives of this mechanism include: • Accelerating the translation of current and emerging techniques or interventions into clinical use by addressing specific barrier(s) to clinical success for the purpose of de-risking or informing the design of definitive trials. • Identifying the most effective diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation options to support critical decision-making for patients, clinicians, care partners and policymakers. Distinctive Features: • This funding opportunity contains an Early-Career Partnership Option, which allows for two principal investigators (PIs). If this option is selected, at least one of the named PIs must be an early-career investigator. Be advised, all associated applications for a research project may be withdrawn if the initiating or partnering application is rejected or administratively withdrawn. • Applications to this funding opportunity must name at least two spinal cord injury (SCI) community partners who will provide advice and consultation throughout the planning and implementation of the research project.

Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Spinal Cord Injury Research Program (SCIRP) Investigator-Initiated Research Award (IIRA) supports studies that have the potential to make an important contribution to spinal cord injury (SCI) research, patient care and/or quality of life. May focus on any phase of research from basic through translational science, though studies that focus solely on identifying intervention targets are discouraged. Distinctive Features: • This funding opportunity contains an Early-Career Partnership Option, which allows for two Principal Investigators (PIs). If this option is selected, at least one of the named PIs must be an early-career investigator. Only the initiating PI will submit a pre-application, but all PIs will need to submit full applications. The partnering PI’s application is an abbreviated package specific to their distinct portion of the research project. If recommended for funding, each PI will be named on a separate award to the recipient organization(s). Be advised, all associated applications for a research project may be withdrawn if the initiating or partnering application is rejected or administratively withdrawn.

Summary: Despite significant research investment in combat-relevant burn care, a disparity exists between newly discovered knowledge in burn care and its implementation into clinical practice across the distributed operational battlespace. The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Military Burn Research Program (MBRP) Patient-Centered Research Award (PCRA) seeks to bridge the gap between research, practice, and policy by developing a knowledge base that provides clinically useful findings about how interventions, clinical practices, guidelines, tools, and policies can be deployed to burn patients in an austere, resource-limited, military operational environment. Distinctive Features: · This award mechanism must support clinical research or clinical trials but cannot support preclinical or animal research . Applications may propose prospective or retrospective research involving human subjects or human subject data. · New for FY26: The FY26 PCRA offers a Mentorship Option at a higher funding level to support a synergistic relationship between an experienced researcher (Mentor) and one to two junior researchers (Mentees). The dual purpose of this award is to fund a primary research study addressing a critical gap in combat burn care while simultaneously fostering the development of the next generation of military burn research leaders.

Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Military Burn Research Program (MBRP) Technology/Therapeutic Development Award (TTDA) is a burn-focused, product-driven award mechanism intended to provide support for the translation of promising preclinical findings into burn products for clinical application in an austere, resource-limited, distributed operational environment. Distinctive Features: The technology or therapeutic product(s) to be developed must be product-oriented (e.g., medical device, drug, or clinical practice guidelines involving a therapeutic or technology). The product(s) to be developed may be tangible or knowledge supporting the development of a tangible product and must address one or more of the FY26 MBRP TTDA focus areas. Knowledge products are allowable, provided that the knowledge is applicable to a technology or therapeutic under development. (A “knowledge product” is a non-tangible, non-materiel product that results from research with the potential to improve individual or public health.) · New for FY26: The FY26 MBRP TTDA offers a Mentorship Option at a higher funding level to support a synergistic relationship between an experienced researcher (Mentor) and one to two junior researchers (Mentees). The dual purpose of this award is to fund a primary research study addressing a critical gap in combat burn care while simultaneously fostering the development of the next generation of military burn research leaders.

Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Military Burn Research Program (MBRP) Discovery Award supports innovative, untested, groundbreaking research that provides new insights and explores early concepts in combat-relevant burn care that provide the foundation for future translational and/or clinical research. The proposed project may be exploratory, hypothesis-driven, or hypothesis-generating research, but must be novel and must be based on a strong scientific rationale and a well-developed study design. Distinctive Features: The focus of this award mechanism is innovation. Proposed research should lay the groundwork for future avenues of scientific investigation or product development in the area of combat-relevant burn care. The outcome of research supported by this award should be the generation of robust preliminary data that can be used as a foundation for groundbreaking future research projects.

Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Toxic Exposures Research Program (TERP) Clinical Trial Award (CTA) mechanism supports the advancement, execution, and analysis of clinical trials with the potential to have a significant impact on the prevention, treatment, or management of symptoms, diseases or conditions associated with or resulting from military-related toxic exposures. Proposed projects may range from small proof-of-concept clinical trials (e.g., pilot, first-in-human, phase 0) designed to demonstrate the feasibility or inform the design of more advanced trials, through large-scale trials (including pragmatic clinical trials) to determine efficacy in relevant patient populations. Distinctive Features: To encourage applications that include meaningful and productive collaborations, the FY26 TERP CTA includes a Partnering Principal Investigator Option (PPIO) . One Principal Investigator (PI) is identified as the initiating PI, and an additional PI may be identified as a Partnering PI. If recommended for funding, each PI will be named on separate awards. The intent is to support interdisciplinary partnerships, such as those between clinicians and research scientists, that will accelerate the movement of promising interventions/​knowledge products into clinical applications. Partnering should significantly advance the research beyond what would be possible through independent efforts. https://cdmrp.health.mil/pubs/press/2026/terppreann

Summary: The fiscal year 2026 Toxic Exposures Research Program (TERP) Investigator-Initiated Research Award (IIRA) is intended to support studies that will make an important contribution toward research and/or patient care for diseases or conditions associated with military-related toxic exposures. Research projects may focus on any phase of research from basic laboratory research through translational research, including preclinical studies in animal models and human subjects, as well as correlative studies associated with an existing clinical trial. New Approach Methodologies may also be used. https://cdmrp.health.mil/pubs/press/2026/terppreann

Summary: The intent of the fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Toxic Exposures Research Program (TERP) Translational Research Award (TRA) is to support translational research that will accelerate the movement of promising ideas in military-related toxic exposure research into clinical applications, including health care products, interventions, technologies and/or clinical practice guidelines. Translational research may be defined as an integration of basic science and clinical observations. New Approach Methodologies may also be used. Applications should provide evidence for the reciprocal transfer of information between basic and clinical science, or vice versa, in developing and implementing the research plan. Distinctive Features: To encourage applications that include meaningful and productive collaborations, the FY26 TERP TRA includes a Partnering Principal Investigator Option (PPIO). One Principal Investigator (PI) is identified as the initiating PI, and an additional PI may be identified as a Partnering PI. If recommended for funding, each PI will be named on separate awards. The intent is to support interdisciplinary partnerships, such as those between clinicians and research scientists, that will accelerate the movement of promising ideas into clinical applications. Partnering should significantly advance the research beyond what would be possible through individual efforts. https://cdmrp.health.mil/pubs/press/2026/terppreann

Summary: The Orthopaedic Research Program (ORP) Applied Research Award (ARA) seeks applied research applications focused on advancing optimal treatment and restoration of function for individuals with orthopaedic injuries sustained during combat or service-related activities. Distinctive Features: • Applied research is defined as work that refines concepts and ideas into potential solutions with a view toward evaluating technical feasibility of promising new knowledge products, pharmacologic agents, behavioral and rehabilitation interventions, diagnostic and therapeutic techniques, clinical guidance and/or emerging approaches and technologies. • Preliminary data is required. • Military relevance : the ORP expects that research findings benefit Service Members, their families, Veterans and the general public. • Clinical research is not allowed.

Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Orthopaedic Research Program (ORP) Clinical Research Award (CRA) seeks clinical research that evaluates orthopaedic-specific factors and interventions. The ORP intends for research supported by this mechanism to generate clinically useful evidence with potential to optimize patient outcomes and inform clinical care or policy. Applications must address how the proposed research will impact patient care and reduce the burden of orthopaedic injury and sequela. The ORP expects that research findings benefit Service Members, their families, Veterans and the general public. To meet the intent of the award mechanism, applications must specifically address at least one of the FY26 ORP CRA Focus Areas. Distinctive Features: · The CRA offers two research levels. Research Level 1 (RL1) supports clinical research in the following FY26 ORP focus areas: · Ligamentous Trauma · Osseointegration Outcomes · Return-to-Duty Strategies · Military Women’s Health Research Level 2 (RL2) supports clinical trials in the following FY26 ORP focus areas: · Ligamentous Trauma · Limb Stabilization and Protection · Return-to-Duty Strategies

Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Autism Research Program (ARP) Career Development Award supports early-career, independent investigators and/or the transition of established investigators from other research fields to conduct innovative, high-impact ideas or early-phase, proof-of-principle clinical trials with the potential to have a major impact on autism. Distinctive Features: Applications are strongly encouraged to address one of the FY26 ARP Career Development Award Areas of Interest or provide justification that the proposed research addresses a critical problem, question, or need in autism. FY26 Career Development Award submissions with a pilot clinical trial component are required to include community collaborations to optimize research impact. Applications are expected to name at least one community partner (e.g., an Autistic individual or caregiver, representatives of community-based organizations) who will provide advice and consultation throughout the planning and implementation of the research project.

Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Autism Research Program (ARP) Clinical Trial Award supports the rapid implementation of clinical trials with the potential to have a significant impact on the treatment or management of autism. Clinical trials may be designed to evaluate promising new products, pharmacologic agents (drugs or biologics), devices, clinical guidance and/or emerging approaches and technologies. Proposed projects may range from small proof-of-concept trials (e.g., pilot, first-in-human, phase 0) to demonstrate the feasibility or inform the design of more advanced trials through large-scale trials to determine efficacy in relevant patient populations. Distinctive Features: Applications are strongly encouraged to address one of the FY26 ARP Clinical Trial Award Areas of Interest. Partnering Principal Investigator (PI) Option for Early-Career Investigator: The FY26 Clinical Trial Award mechanism is offering a higher level of funding for applications that propose to partner an experienced PI (i.e., Initiating PI) with an Early-Career Investigator (i.e., Partnering PI) wishing to pursue a career in autism clinical trial research. FY26 Clinical Trial Award submissions are required to include community collaborations to optimize research impact. Research teams are therefore required to establish and utilize effective and equitable collaborations and partnerships with community members to maximize the translational and impact potential of the proposed research. Applications to the FY26 ARP Clinical Trial Award are expected to name at least one community partner (e.g., Autistic individual or caregiver, representatives of community-based organizations) who will provide advice and consultation throughout the planning and implementation of the research project. Interactions with other team members should be well integrated and ongoing, not limited to attending seminars and semi-annual meetings (see Attachment 12, Community Collaboration Plan).

Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Autism Research Program (ARP) Idea Development Award supports the development of innovative, high-risk/high-reward research that could lead to critical discoveries or major advancements that will accelerate progress in improving outcomes for Autistic individuals. This award mechanism is designed to support innovative ideas with the potential to yield impactful data and new avenues of investigation. Distinctive Features: Applications are strongly encouraged to address one of the FY26 ARP Idea Development Award Areas of Interest or provide justification that the proposed research addresses a critical problem, question, or need in autism. Partnering Principal Investigator (PI) Option: The Partnering PI Option is structured so that two investigators, each of whom will be designated as a PI, will work synergistically on a single project. The results of this partnering project should significantly advance the research beyond what would be possible through individual efforts.

Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Reconstructive Transplant Research Program (RTRP) Concept Award supports the exploration of highly innovative new concepts or untested theories that address an important problem relevant to reconstructive transplantation. The Concept Award does not support clinical trials . Distinctive Features: · Innovation: Innovative research may introduce a new paradigm, challenge existing paradigms, examine existing problems from new perspectives, or exhibit other highly creative qualities. Research that is an incremental advance upon published data is not considered innovative. · Relevance: Projects should address at least one of the FY26 RTRP Focus Areas. · Preliminary Data: Presentation of preliminary data is not allowed; however, applications should demonstrate the ability to achieve interpretable results. A rationale for the proposed work must be provided. · Early-Career Investigators: Early-career investigators are encouraged to apply. Investigators at or above the level of postdoctoral fellow are eligible to apply.

Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Rare Cancers Research Program (RCRP) Idea Development Award (IDA) promotes ideas that are ready for further development and have the potential to yield high-impact findings and new avenues of investigation. Distinctive Features: The RCRP encourages applicants to include an exploratory aim or sub-aim to support any necessary discovery-driven research. Preliminary data with disease-specific rationale are required. However, these data do not necessarily need to originate from studies of the proposed rare cancer type(s)/subtype(s) under study. Research should have high potential impact on rare cancers and the patient community.

Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Rare Cancers Research Program (RCRP) Resource and Community Development Award (RCDA) supports the development of research resources and clinical or preclinical datasets that will advance the field of rare cancers research and ultimately improve outcomes for individuals with rare cancers. Research supporting this funding opportunity should fill one of the following major gaps: Lack of research and clinical resources, including patient tissues, cell and tumor models. Lack of communication and dissemination strategies within scientific and patient communities for sharing rare cancers research and clinical findings. Lack of infrastructure for sharing data and other resources. Lack of therapeutics and mechanistic research to inform treatment development. Distinctive Features: Documentation of plans for engagement and partnerships with Patient Advocates throughout the life cycle of the research study from development of the research question through execution of the study. Community building and enhancement are key components. A description of the dissemination and sustainability of the platform for scientific and/or clinical and patient community is required. Preliminary data are not required but may be included to address feasibility.

Summary: The BMFRP Idea Development Award (IDA) is intended to support innovative ideas and high-impact approaches based on scientifically sound evidence to move toward the BMFRP’s vision of understanding and curing BMF diseases. Distinctive Features: This funding opportunity is open to Established Investigators (EIs) and Early-Career Investigators (ECIs). Reviewers will assess Principal Investigators (PIs) using distinct review criteria based on their eligibility as an EI or ECI. Preliminary data is not required. Applications should demonstrate the ability to achieve interpretable results in the absence of preliminary data supporting the hypothesis.

Summary: Supports studies that further develop mature ideas, expand upon key discoveries, and have the potential to make significant advances in bone marrow (BMF) failure research and/or patient care. Investigator-Initiated Research Award (IIRA) applications may involve translational and clinical research including studies in preclinical models, research with human data and/or anatomical substances, and research with human subjects, as well as correlative studies associated with a clinical trial(s); however, this award mechanism does not support clinical trials. IIRA applications may also support Investigational New Drug (IND)-enabling efforts such as lead compound characterization, and assessments of formulation and stability, absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion, dose/response and toxicology. Distinctive Features: This funding mechanism allows for a partnering Principal Investigator (PI). Only the initiating PI will submit a pre-application, but both PIs will need to submit full applications. The partnering PI application is an abbreviated package specific to their distinct portion of the research project. Be advised, all associated applications for a research project may be withdrawn if the initiating or partnering application is rejected or administratively withdrawn. This award mechanism requires preliminary data relevant to the proposed project. Applications can support clinical research studies; however, this mechanism does not allow clinical trials.

Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Bone Marrow Failure Research Program (BMFRP) Resource Development Award (RDA) supports the development of a multiomic atlas generated from well-annotated human bone marrow failure (BMF) samples, with omic data derived from marrow specimens. The resulting dataset should serve as an open-access, durable resource for the BMF research and clinical communities and is expected to facilitate key discoveries that advance the understanding of BMF diseases. Distinctive Features: The application must include a robust Data Resource Sharing Plan that describes the means and timeline by which the fully developed resource will be made available to the scientific and clinical community.

Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Joint Warfighter Medical Research Program (JWMRP) Military Medical Research and Development Award (MMRDA) mechanism is intended to fund the logical continuation of previous Department of War (DOW)-funded research and development efforts relevant to the FY26 JWMRP that augment and accelerate high-priority medical requirements to meet the needs of Service Members and other Military Health System beneficiaries. The MMRDA supports a wide range of research projects spanning late-stage preclinical studies, late-state technology development efforts, technology demonstration, translational, and clinical research. Projects must be relevant to at least one of the FY26 JWMRP focus areas. Distinctive Features: To be eligible for JWMRP funding, applicants/offerors must have already received DOD/DOW core or DOD/DOW Congressional Special Interest funding. An MMRDA Clinical Research or Clinical Trial Option (MMRDA-CRCTO) is available to specifically support clinical research/observational studies, all phases of clinical trials/interventional studies, and/or correlative studies in support of the development of promising pharmaceutical or biologic candidates, medical devices and technologies. Applicants/offerors should select MMRDA-CRCTO when the application/proposal involves research that includes any human subjects, human biological samples (prospective or retrospective) or human data sets. Note: If selecting this option, applicants must submit additional relevant application/proposal materials.

Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Parkinson’s Research Program (PRP) Early Investigator Research Award (EIRA) supports Parkinson’s disease (PD) research for investigators in the early stages of their careers. The FY26 EIRA offers two funding levels, which align to the research career stage of the Principal Investigator (PI). Funding Level 1 (for fellows) requires the investigator to receive guidance from a designated Mentor, whereas Funding Level 2 (for early-career independent investigators) does not. Proposed research must address at least one of the four FY26 PRP Focus Areas . Distinctive Features: · The Early Investigator is considered the PI of the application and must exhibit strong potential for and commitment to pursuing a career as an investigator at the forefront of PD research; however, the PI is not required to have previous PD research experience. · Funding Level 1: Applications must include at least one Mentor appropriate to the proposed research project who has experience in PD research and mentoring, as demonstrated by a record of active funding, recent publications, and successful mentorship. The selected Mentor(s) should also demonstrate a clear commitment to the development of the PI toward independence as a PD researcher. Preliminary data are encouraged but not required . · Funding Level 2: Mentor not required. Preliminary data are required . · Clinical trials are not allowed.

Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Parkinson’s Research Program (PRP) Investigator-Initiated Research Award (IIRA) supports highly rigorous, multidisciplinary, high-impact research projects that have the potential to make an important contribution to Parkinson’s disease research. Research must address at least one of the four FY26 PRP Focus Areas . Distinctive Features: · Partnering Principal Investigator (PI) Option: Allows for more than one PI. One PI will be identified as the Initiating PI and will be responsible for the majority of the administrative tasks associated with application submission. The other PI(s) will be identified as Partnering PI(s), with a maximum of two Partnering PIs. · Preliminary data are required. · Clinical trials are allowed.

Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Combat Readiness – Medical Research Program (CRRP) Translational Research Award (TRA) supports hypothesis-driven innovative, high-impact translational research that will accelerate the movement of promising ideas and/or technologies in trauma care into solutions to maximize casualty survivability, improve patient care closer to the point of injury and/or trauma care guidelines. Preliminary data are required. Research using well-validated animal models is allowed. Distinctive Features: • **NEW for FY26** An investigator may be named as the Principal Investigator (PI) on only one FY26 CRRP TRA application. • Research supported by the FY26 CRRP TRA must represent a mature, translational research effort with a minimum biomedical technology readiness level (TRL) of 4 or knowledge readiness level (KRL) of 4.

Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Reconstructive Transplant Research Program (RTRP) Investigator-Initiated Research Award supports studies that have the potential to make an important contribution to reconstructive transplant research, patient care, and/or quality of life. All projects must demonstrate solid scientific rationale with military-relevant utility. The Investigator-Initiated Research Award does not support clinical trials . Distinctive Features: · Scope: Applications may focus on any phase of research from basic through translational, including preclinical studies in animal models, and clinical research in human subjects or human anatomical substances. · Study Design and Feasibility: The study design should be rigorous and support maximal reproducibility and translational feasibility. A strong statistical plan with appropriate power analysis is important. · Impact: Project results should have the potential for long- and short-term impact on the reconstructive transplant research field and/or patient community. Projects should address at least one of the FY26 RTRP Focus Areas. · Preliminary Data: Preliminary and/or published data that are relevant to reconstructive transplantation and support the rationale for the proposed research must be included. · Military Relevance: All projects must be responsive to the health care needs of military Service Members and/or Veterans recovering from traumatic injury, and/or their Family members, caregivers, or clinicians, as well as the general public. Collaboration with military researchers and clinicians is encouraged but not required.

Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Breast Cancer Research Program (BCRP) Breakthrough Award mechanism supports promising research with high potential to lead to or make breakthroughs in breast cancer. All applications must address at least one of the FY26 BCRP overarching challenges or provide adequate justification for exception. Applications must address the challenge in a way that can lead to a breakthrough and have major impact. The FY26 Breakthrough Award mechanism contains four different funding levels designed to support major (but not all) stages of research that will lead to clinical application. Each level specifies a distinct research scope. This program announcement discusses the Breakthrough Award Levels 1 and 2. Distinctive Features: * This funding mechanism allows for applications submitted under Funding Level 1 or Funding Level 2. Funding Level 2 also includes a Population Science Studies option. With compelling justification, population science studies may request higher levels of funding and an additional year in the period of performance. * This funding mechanism allows for a single Principal Investigator (PI), or two partnering PIs referred to as the Initiating PI and the Partnering PI. For the Partnering PI Option (PPIO), only the Initiating PI will submit a pre-application, but both PIs will need to submit at the full application stage. Be advised, failure to submit all associated (Initiating and Partnering PI) applications by the deadline may result in administrative withdrawal.

Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Breast Cancer Research Program (BCRP) Clinical Research Extension Award supports research that extends the data collection, follow-up, and analysis of breast cancer clinical studies. The intent of this award mechanism is to increase the clinically relevant impact of breast cancer patient participation in clinical studies by addressing the knowledge lost due to early trial termination, limited patient follow-up, or suboptimal sample and/or data collection and analysis. All applications must address at least one of the FY26 BCRP overarching challenges or provide adequate justification for exception. Distinctive Features: • The research team must include two or more breast cancer consumer advocates. • This funding mechanism allows for a single Principal Investigator (PI), or two partnering PIs referred to as the Initiating PI and the Partnering PI. For the Partnering PI Option (PPIO), only the Initiating PI will submit a pre-application, but both PIs will need to submit at the full application stage. Be advised, failure to submit all associated (Initiating and Partnering PI) applications by the deadline may result in administrative withdrawal.