DoW Melanoma Research Program Idea Award

The Melanoma Research Program Idea Award is offered by the Defense Health Agency through the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs, which operates within the Department of Defense research and development structure. The Melanoma Research Program was initiated by Congress to support high-impact research addressing melanoma, with a long-term vision to prevent melanoma initiation and progression while improving outcomes and quality of life for affected populations. This funding mechanism is part of a broader federal effort to advance innovative biomedical research that benefits service members, veterans, their families, and the general public. The purpose of the Idea Award is to support highly innovative, exploratory, and high-risk research that has the potential to generate significant advances in melanoma science. Projects funded under this mechanism are expected to introduce novel concepts, challenge existing paradigms, or explore entirely new approaches to understanding melanoma. The program emphasizes originality and creativity over incremental progress, and preliminary data are discouraged to maintain the focus on early-stage, transformative ideas. By the end of the funding period, projects are expected to establish proof of principle and generate preliminary data that can support future research funding. Funding is structured with a maximum total cost cap of 560000 dollars per award, with an anticipated total program funding of approximately 5600000 dollars supporting around 10 awards. The maximum period of performance is two years. Funds may be used for research-related expenses including personnel, supplies, and limited travel for collaboration or dissemination of results. However, clinical trials are not permitted under this funding opportunity, and certain cost categories such as clinical trial expenses are explicitly disallowed. There is no cost-sharing requirement, allowing applicants to request full funding within the specified cap. Eligibility for this opportunity is broad and inclusive. Both domestic and international organizations may apply, including for-profit and nonprofit entities, public and private institutions, and government-affiliated organizations. Principal Investigators must be at or above the postdoctoral level but are not required to be affiliated with academic institutions. Independent investigators are eligible regardless of citizenship status, and applicants from diverse backgrounds are encouraged. However, an investigator may only serve as the Principal Investigator on one application for this funding cycle, and awards are made to organizations rather than individuals. The application process follows a two-step submission model. Applicants must first submit a pre-application through the Electronic Biomedical Research Application Portal. Only those who receive an invitation based on the pre-application review may submit a full application. The pre-application includes narrative responses addressing the research hypothesis, innovation, relevance to program focus areas, and anticipated impact. Full applications require detailed components such as a project narrative, technical and lay abstracts, statement of work, innovation and impact statements, supporting documentation, and budget forms. Submission portals differ depending on whether the applicant is an extramural or intramural organization. Applications are evaluated through a multi-stage review process. Pre-applications are screened for alignment with program priorities, feasibility, and innovation. Invited full applications undergo a two-tier review consisting of peer review and programmatic review. Peer review assesses innovation, scientific merit, feasibility, and impact, while programmatic review considers alignment with strategic priorities, portfolio balance, and relevance to military health. Additional factors such as personnel qualifications, budget appropriateness, and data sharing plans are also considered. Final funding decisions are made based on a combination of these criteria and available funding. The timeline for this funding opportunity includes a pre-application deadline of July 13, 2026, followed by invitations to submit full applications on August 19, 2026. Full applications are due October 14, 2026, with a verification period ending October 20, 2026. Peer review is scheduled for December 2026, and programmatic review occurs in March 2027. Awards are expected to be made by September 30, 2027. Applicants must ensure all required registrations, including SAM.gov, eBRAP, and Grants.gov, are active prior to submission. Support is available through designated help desks for both technical and submission-related inquiries.

Focus on high-risk innovative ideas; avoid incremental research; align clearly with melanoma focus areas; ensure strong hypothesis and feasibility justification