DoW Melanoma Research Program Focused Program Award Rare Melanomas

The Melanoma Research Program Focused Program Award – Rare Melanomas is administered by the Defense Health Agency through the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs. This initiative is part of a broader federal effort to advance high-impact biomedical research that improves outcomes for Service Members, Veterans, their families, and the general public. Established with congressional appropriations, the Melanoma Research Program supports innovative research addressing prevention, detection, treatment, and survivorship, with a specific emphasis in this opportunity on rare melanoma subtypes that are historically underfunded and less studied. This funding opportunity is designed to support multidisciplinary research programs composed of two to three distinct but complementary projects that collectively address a single overarching research question relevant to rare melanomas. The program emphasizes collaboration, requiring one Initiating Principal Investigator and at least one Partnering Principal Investigator, each leading an individual project within the larger effort. A key requirement is the integration of a rare melanoma survivor, patient, or caregiver as a collaborator to ensure the research reflects patient-centered priorities and enhances translational impact. The scope of funding supports research across the full spectrum of cancer research, including biology, prevention, diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, and survivorship. Clinical trials are permitted. Projects must be scientifically rigorous, supported by preliminary data where appropriate, and designed to produce findings that advance the field beyond what could be achieved through isolated studies. Research focusing on non-melanoma skin cancers is explicitly excluded. Additional emphasis is placed on relevance to military health, including potential applications for military populations or alignment with Department of Defense healthcare priorities. Financially, the program anticipates allocating approximately 5600000 dollars to fund about two awards, each capped at 2800000 dollars in total costs. The maximum performance period is four years. Funds may be used for a variety of research-related expenses including personnel, travel for collaboration and dissemination, clinical trial costs, and activities supporting patient engagement. Cost sharing is not required. Each Principal Investigator receives a separate award to their respective organization, and budgets must reflect appropriate allocation across collaborating institutions. The application process follows a two-step submission structure. First, the Initiating Principal Investigator must submit a pre-application through the eBRAP system. Only those invited based on this initial screening may proceed to submit a full application. Full applications require extensive documentation, including detailed project narratives, technical and lay abstracts, statements of work, collaboration plans, and, if applicable, clinical trial strategies. Applications from extramural organizations must be submitted via Grants.gov, while intramural Department of Defense organizations use eBRAP. Applications are evaluated through a two-tier review process consisting of peer review and programmatic review. Review criteria include the significance of the overarching research question, the strength and synergy of the proposed projects, the qualifications of the research team, the integration of patient collaborators, and the feasibility of the implementation plan. Additional considerations include potential impact, relevance to military health, and alignment with program priorities. Funding decisions are not based solely on score but also on portfolio balance and strategic relevance. Key deadlines for this funding cycle include a pre-application submission deadline of July 13, 2026, and a full application deadline of October 14, 2026, following an invitation notification in August 2026. Awards are expected to be finalized by September 30, 2027. The program requires ongoing reporting, milestone evaluations, and a mid-project review meeting. This opportunity is not explicitly recurring, and applicants must ensure compliance with all submission requirements, including system registrations and eligibility criteria, prior to applying.

Strong emphasis on multidisciplinary collaboration, clear overarching research question, and meaningful integration of patient advocates; ensure projects are complementary but not interdependent; demonstrate military health relevance and feasibility with preliminary data