Federal Science and Technology Grants

The intent of the Breakthrough Award is to support promising research that has high potential to lead to or make breakthroughs in breast cancer. The critical components of this award mechanism are:Impact: Research supported by the Breakthrough Award will have the potential for a major impact and accelerate progress toward ending breast cancer. The impact may be near-term or long-term but must move beyond a minor advancement and have the potential to lead to a fundamentally new approach that is significantly more effective than interventions already approved or in clinical development. Applications are expected to identify the breast cancer patients or at-risk individuals who would ultimately benefit from the proposed research.Research Scope: The Breakthrough Award is structured with four different funding levels. The levels are designed to support major (but not all) stages of research that will lead to clinical application. Each level has a defined research scope. It is the responsibility of the Principal Investigator (PI) to select the level that aligns with the scope of the proposed research. The funding level should be selected based on the research scope defined in the program announcement, and not on the amount of the budget.The current program announcement discusses the Breakthrough Award Levels 1 and 2. Funding Levels 3 and 4 are available under other program announcements (HT942524BCRPBTA3 and HT942524BCRPBTA4, respectively). The PI is strongly encouraged to review the research scope defined under each funding level as described in the corresponding Breakthrough Award program announcement before submitting the pre-application. An application that does not meet the intent of the funding level selected will not be recommended for funding, even if it might meet the intent of a different funding level.The following are general descriptions, although not all-inclusive, of the scope of research projects that would be appropriate to propose under the current program announcement: Funding Level 1: Innovative, high-risk/high-reward research that is in the earliest stages of idea development or is an untested theory that addresses an important problem. To foster research that yields new avenues of investigation, preliminary data are not required. Proof of concept is the anticipated outcome. Funding Level 2: Research that is already supported by substantial preliminary or published data and strongly validates clinical translation in a well-defined context within thebreast cancer landscape. Funding Level 2: Population Science and Prevention Studies: Population Science and Prevention Studies should involve investigations into why certain human patient populations differ in cancer risk or clinical prognosis. The studies should focus on the analysis of human data and biospecimens. Research should be already supported by substantial preliminary or published data and strongly validate clinical translation in a well-defined context within the breast cancer landscape. With compelling justification, population science and prevention studies may request higher levels of funding and an additional year in the period of performance.Partnering PI Option: The Breakthrough Award encourages applications that include meaningful and productive partnerships between investigators. The Partnering PI Option is structured to accommodate two PIs. 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 will be identified as a Partnering PI. Both PIs should contribute significantly to the development of the proposed research project, including the Project Narrative, Statement of Work (SOW), and other required components. The PIs may have expertise in similar or disparate scientific disciplines, but each PI is expected to bring distinct contributions to the application. The application should clearly demonstrate that both PIs have equal intellectual input into the design of the project and will devote similar and appropriate levels of effort to the conduct of the project. It is expected that funding will be balanced between both PIs unless appropriately justified. New partnerships are encouraged, but not required. The application is expected to describe how the PIs unique expertise combined as a partnership will better address the research question, how the unique expertise that each individual brings to the application is critical for the research strategy and completion of the SOW, and why the work should be done together rather than through separate efforts. To meet the intent of the Partnering PI Option, applicants are discouraged from being named as a Partnering PI on multiple Breakthrough Award Levels 1 and 2 applications unless they are clearly unique, meaningful partnerships addressing distinct research questions. Applications in which a mentor and their current postdoctoral fellow or junior investigator are named as Initiating and Partnering PIs do not meet the intent of the Partnering PI Option. Applications where one PI is providing samples, animal models, or investigational agents while the other PI is conducting most, or all of the experiments and analyses, do not meet the intent of the Partnering PI Option. If recommended for funding, each PI will be named on separate awards to the recipient organization(s). Each award will be subject to separate reporting, regulatory, and administrative requirements. For individual submission requirements for the Initiating and Partnering PIs, refer to Section II.D.2, Content and Form of the Application Submission.Personnel: Applications are expected to include an appropriate and robust research team with the combined backgrounds and breast cancer-related expertise to enable successful conduct of the project.Research involving human subjects and research involving human anatomical substances and data is permitted; however, clinical trials are not allowed under this funding opportunity.Applications seeking support for a clinical trial may be submitted to the FY24 BCRP Breakthrough Award Level 3 and Level 4 program announcements (HT942524BCRPBTA3 and HT942524BCRPBTA4, respectively).A congressionally mandated Metastatic Cancer Task Force was formed with the purpose of identifying ways to help accelerate clinical and translational research aimed at extending the lives of advanced state and recurrent patients. As a member of the Metastatic Cancer Task Force, CDMRP encourages applicants to review the recommendations (https://health.mil/Reference-Center/Congressional-Testimonies/2018/05/03/Metastatic-Cancer-Research) and submit research ideas to address these recommendations provided they are within the limitations of this funding opportunity and fit within the FY24 BCRP priorities.Innovative research involving nuclear medicine and related techniques to support early diagnosis, more effective treatment, and improved health outcomes of active-duty Service Members and their Families is encouraged. Such research could improve diagnostic and targeted treatment capabilities through noninvasive techniques and may drive the development of precision imaging and advanced targeted therapies.The proposed research must be relevant to active-duty Service Members, Veterans, military beneficiaries, and/or the American public. Collaborations between researchers at military or Veteran institutions and non-military institutions are strongly encouraged. These relationships can leverage knowledge, infrastructure, and access to unique clinical populations that the partners bring to the research effort, ultimately advancing cancer research that is of significance to the Warfighter, military Families, and the American public.Clinical trials are not allowed. A clinical trial is defined in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 45, Part 46.102 (45 CFR 46.102) as a research study in which one or more human subjects are prospectively assigned to one or more interventions (which may include a placebo or another control) to evaluate the effects of the interventions on biomedical or behavioral health-related outcomes.Studies that do not seek to measure safety, effectiveness, and/or efficacy outcome(s) of an intervention are not considered clinical trials.For the purposes of this funding opportunity, research that meets the definition of a clinical trial is distinct from clinical research. Clinical research encompasses research with human data, human specimens, and/or interaction with human subjects. Clinical research is observational in nature and includes:(1) Research conducted with human subjects and/or material of human origin such as data, specimens, and cognitive phenomena for which an investigator (or co-investigator) does not seek to assess the safety, effectiveness, and/or efficacy outcomes of an intervention. Research meeting this definition may include but is not limited to: (a) mechanisms of human disease, (b) diagnostic or detection studies (e.g., biomarker or imaging), (c) health disparity studies, and (d) development of new technologies.(2) Epidemiologic and behavioral studies that do not seek to assess the safety, effectiveness, and/or efficacy outcomes of an intervention.(3) Outcomes research and health services research that do not fit under the definition of clinical trial.Excluded from the definition of clinical research are in vitro studies that utilize human data or specimens that cannot be linked to a living individual and meet the requirements for exemption under 46.104(d)(4) of the Common Rule.The funding instrument for awards made under the program announcement will be grants (31 USC 6304).The anticipated direct costs budgeted for the entire period of performance for an FY24 BCRP Breakthrough Award Funding Level 1 should not exceed $450,000 for applications with a single PI or $750,000 if applying under the Partnering PI Option.The anticipated direct costs budgeted for the entire period of performance for an FY24 BCRP Breakthrough Award Level 2 should not exceed $1.0M for applications with a single PI or $1.5M if applying under the Partnering PI Option.The anticipated direct costs budgeted for the entire period of performance for an FY24 BCRP Breakthrough Award Funding Level 2, Population Science and Prevention Studies, should not exceed $1.5M for applications with a single PI or $2.0M if applying under the Partnering PI Option. Refer to Section II.D.5, Funding Restrictions, for detailed funding information.Awards supported with FY24 funds will be made no later than September 30, 2025.The CDMRP expects to allot approximately $20.9M to fund approximately 14 Breakthrough Award Levels 1 and 2 applications. Funding of applications received is contingent upon the availability of federal funds for this program, the number of applications received, the quality and merit of the applications as evaluated by peer and programmatic review, and the requirements of the government. Funds to be obligated on any award resulting from this funding opportunity will be available for use for a limited time period based on the fiscal year of the funds. It is anticipated that awards made from this FY24 funding opportunity will be funded with FY24 funds, which will expire for use on September 30, 2030.

This funding opportunity provides additional financial support to active health services research projects facing unforeseen costs, helping researchers continue their work effectively.

This funding opportunity is designed to support researchers and organizations developing advanced communication and networking technologies to enhance the operational capabilities of the Navy and Marine Corps.

The OCRP Investigator-Initiated Research Award is intended to support high-impact research that addresses a critical need and has the potential to make an important contribution to ovarian cancer or patient/survivor care. Research projects may focus on any phase of research, from basic laboratory research through translational research, excluding clinical trials. The application must demonstrate logical reasoning and a sound scientific rationale established through a critical review and analysis of the literature for the application to be competitive. Applications must include preliminary data that are relevant to ovarian cancer and support the proposed research project. These data may be unpublished or from the published literature.

This grant provides funding for U.S. institutions to conduct research and development in Earth science, utilizing data from NASA's Earth observation missions to advance scientific understanding and transition to the new Earth System Observatory.

This grant provides funding for doctoral students conducting research that improves our understanding of the Arctic's environmental and social changes, with a focus on interdisciplinary and community-engaged projects.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for researchers at domestic institutions to study atmospheric processes using data from the Department of Energy's ARM facility, with a focus on improving climate models and understanding critical environmental factors.

This funding opportunity supports researchers and educational institutions in developing engineered microbial communities to advance scientific understanding and practical solutions for climate change, sustainability, and biotechnology.

A full study proposal and proposed budget is NOT requested at this time. Brief Description of Anticipated Work: To carry out the objectives, the recipient will provide personnel, equipment, and materials required to conduct climate change analyses including climate change risks, vulnerabilities, and adaptation strategies, etc., using authoritative region-specific climate science, climate projections, and existing climate tools. Refer to the Request for Statements of Interest (RSOI) Package / Statement of Objectives for complete details. Anticipated Period of Performance: One (1) 12-month base period (one year from date of award) plus six (6) follow-on periods with the first follow-on period beginning at the end of the base period, and so on. Responses or clarifications: Submit your Statement of Interest via e-mail with attachments by Noon, Central Time 18 August 2024, or direct questions/ clarifications no later than 31 July 2024 to:Sheri VendemiaGrants SpecialistUSACE, Fort Worth DistrictEmail: cheryl.r.vendemia@usace.army.milandKathy S. MitchellProject ManagerUSACE, Fort Worth DistrictEmail: kathy.s.mitchell@usace.army.milOffice: 817-886-1709Timeline for Review of Statements of Interest: RSOIs are required to be posted on www.Grants.gov for 30 days prior to the Government making a decision and requesting full proposals.Refer to Related Documents for additional RSOI Package details.

This funding opportunity supports research and development projects aimed at advancing air dominance technologies, targeting higher education institutions, non-profits, for-profits, and small businesses involved in innovative defense solutions.

This grant provides funding for researchers to explore the impacts of environmental changes on biodiversity and its functions, encouraging innovative studies that connect ecological and evolutionary perspectives on a global scale.

The Division of Earth Sciences (EAR) invites the submission of proposals for collaborative, interdisciplinary studies of the Earth's interior within the framework of the community-based initiative known as Cooperative Studies of the Earth's Deep Interior (CSEDI). Funding will support basic research on the character and dynamics of the Earth's mantle and core, their influence on the evolution of the Earth as a whole, and on processes operating within the deep interior that affect or are expressed on the Earth's surface. Projects may employ any combination of field, laboratory, and computational studies with observational, theoretical, or experimental approaches. Support is available for research and research infrastructure through grants and cooperative agreements awarded in response to investigator-initiated proposals from U.S. universities and other eligible institutions. Interdisciplinary projects are required.

The FY24 LCRP Translational Research Award mechanism supports advanced translational research that will foster transformation of promising ideas in lung cancer into clinical applications. Translational research may be defined as an integration of basic science and clinical observations. Observations that drive a research idea may originate from a laboratory discovery, population-based studies, or a clinicians firsthand knowledge of patient care. The ultimate goal of translational research is to move a concept or observation forward into clinical application. However, Principal Investigators (PIs) should not view translational research as a one-way continuum from bench to bedside but can include a reciprocal flow of ideas and information between basic science and clinical science (bench to bedside and/or bedside to bench). Research applications only in the area of mesothelioma will not be accepted. This mechanism is intended to fund a broad range of translational studies with two different funding levels. The following are general examples, although not all-inclusive, of the type of research projects that would be appropriate to propose under the current program announcement:Funding Level 1: Advanced preclinical studies aimed at translating results from animal studies to applications with human samples/cohorts (The Translational Research Award is not intended to support initial mechanistic studies of a new target.) Late-stage preclinical work leading to/preparing for a clinical trial, e.g., Investigational New Drug (IND) application submission Correlative studies that are associated with an open/ongoing or completed clinical trial, e.g., projects that utilize biospecimens from clinical trials to improve clinical management of lung cancer and/or define new areas of research Projects that develop endpoints for clinical trialsFunding Level 2 Pilot clinical trials where limited clinical testing (e.g., small sample size) of a novel intervention is necessary to inform the next step in the continuum of translational researchPreliminary lung cancer relevant data to support the feasibility of the research hypotheses and research approaches are required.

This funding opportunity is designed to support research initiatives that enhance the understanding and management of Atlantic bluefin tuna populations, particularly through collaboration with international partners involved in their conservation.

The DOD Pancreatic Cancer, Focused Pilot Award is a grant that supports innovative research projects aimed at improving the quality of life for pancreatic cancer patients, with a focus on areas such as healthcare access, mental health, psycho-social issues, nutrition, education, and symptom management.

This funding opportunity is designed for researchers and organizations to develop innovative solutions that improve the health and performance of Air Force personnel in challenging operational environments.

The "ROSES 2024: A.41 SERVIR Applied Sciences Team" grant is a funding opportunity supported by NASA and USAID, aiming to enhance the use of Earth observations to address environmental and developmental challenges in Africa, Asia, and Latin America by co-developing practical applications of satellite data to support decision-making in areas like agriculture, water security, and climate resilience.

This funding opportunity supports a wide range of research projects in space and Earth sciences, aimed at advancing scientific knowledge and technology development, and is open to various organizations, including government, private, and non-profit entities.

This funding opportunity supports U.S. colleges and universities in conducting research projects that engage students in developing innovative solutions for naval engineering challenges, with a focus on enhancing skills relevant to naval technology.

This grant provides funding for innovative research projects aimed at improving the understanding and treatment of eye injuries and visual dysfunction related to military service.