DoD Breast Cancer, Transformative Breast Cancer Consortium Award

The Transformative Breast Cancer Consortium Award is administered by the Defense Health Agency through the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs as part of the Breast Cancer Research Program. This funding opportunity is designed to support large-scale, multidisciplinary research collaborations that aim to fundamentally transform the understanding, prevention, and treatment of breast cancer. The program aligns with a long-standing federal investment in breast cancer research, with billions in appropriations since its inception, and reflects a mission-driven approach focused on accelerating progress toward ending breast cancer for service members, veterans, their families, and the broader public. The primary purpose of this award is to fund a single, highly integrated research consortium capable of addressing major, complex problems in breast cancer that cannot be solved by individual investigators or small teams. Applicants must propose a consortium composed of multiple project teams led by principal investigators across institutions and disciplines, all unified under a central hypothesis. The research must demonstrate the potential to produce transformative outcomes that directly improve the lives of individuals with or at risk for breast cancer, rather than incremental scientific advancements. Projects must align with one or more overarching program challenges, such as preventing breast cancer, addressing metastasis, or improving treatment effectiveness and safety. Funding under this mechanism is substantial, with a total program allocation of approximately 35 million dollars to support one award. The maximum performance period is four years. Funds may be used for a wide range of research-related costs, including personnel, consortium coordination, data sharing systems, and required meetings, as well as a limited portion reserved for high-risk “seed projects” that emerge during the award period. However, restrictions apply to ensure funds are used for collaborative, transformative research rather than duplicative or incremental efforts. Cost sharing is not required for this program. Eligibility for this opportunity is broad and inclusive. Both domestic and international organizations may apply, including public and private institutions, nonprofit and for-profit entities, and government-affiliated research organizations. Principal investigators must be independent researchers affiliated with eligible organizations, and the consortium must include multiple investigators and at least one breast cancer consumer advocate per project team. Applications must demonstrate strong leadership, multidisciplinary expertise, and a clear plan for integration and collaboration across teams. The application process follows a two-step submission model. First, a pre-application (preproposal) must be submitted through the Electronic Biomedical Research Application Portal. Only applicants invited after pre-application review may submit a full application through Grants.gov or eBRAP, depending on organizational type. The preproposal includes a narrative describing the transformative potential, consortium structure, and research approach. The full application requires extensive documentation, including a detailed project narrative, technical and lay abstracts, statements of work, consortium and management plans, and supporting documentation. Applications are evaluated through a multi-tiered review process. Initial screening assesses the transformative potential, innovation, and integration of the proposed consortium. Full applications undergo peer review based on impact, research strategy, feasibility, team composition, and innovation, followed by programmatic review that considers alignment with program priorities. Selected applicants may be invited to deliver an oral presentation as part of the final review stage. Evaluation emphasizes the ability to produce paradigm-shifting results and meaningful improvements in patient outcomes. The timeline for this funding opportunity includes a pre-application deadline of June 12, 2026, followed by invitations to submit full applications in mid-July 2026. Full applications are due by September 30, 2026, with peer and programmatic reviews occurring through early 2027. Final funding decisions are expected by September 2027. Awards are made as cooperative agreements, with substantial involvement from program staff throughout the project period, including oversight, progress reviews, and required annual reporting.

Focus on transformative impact rather than incremental research;Ensure strong integration across consortium teams;Align research with at least one overarching challenge;Demonstrate clear central hypothesis and synergy;Include meaningful consumer advocate engagement