DoW Alzheimer’s Transforming Research Award
🏛 Defense Health Agency Contracting Activity - DHACA (DOD-AMRAA)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Jul 16, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for researchers investigating Alzheimer's disease and related dementias with transformative prevention and risk reduction research. Eligible applicants typically include academic institutions, research centers, and nonprofit research organizations. The research must advance understanding of risk factors or develop solutions to prevent AD/ADRD. Clinical research is allowed, but clinical trials and animal research are prohibited.
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Program description
Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Alzheimer’s Research Program (AZRP) Transforming Research Award (TrRA) supports non-incremental, robust, well-designed research that drives transformative advancements in reducing risk and preventing the development of Alzheimer’s disease and/or Alzheimer’s disease related dementias (AD/ADRD).
Distinctive Features:
• Applications must address at least one of the following focus areas:
○ Risk Factor Knowledge: Research that advances understanding, identification, and/or validation of risk and/or protective factors, with research outcomes/products focused on accelerating solutions. Projects may include, but are not limited to, research on environmental, epigenetic, genetic, lifestyle, occupational, or other risks not listed here.
○ Risk Reduction Solutions: Research that describes methods, technologies, and strategies that contribute to reducing risk and preventing AD/ADRD.
• Clinical research is allowed, however clinical trials and animal research are prohibited.
• Preliminary data are required.
• Community collaboration is required for research prospectively enrolling human subjects.
• Career Initiation or Transition (CIT) Partnership Option: The TrRA includes an option for more than one PI and supports both new and existing collaborative partnerships. If recommended for funding, each PI will be named on separate awards to the recipient organization(s). If utilizing this option, at least one independent investigator must meet
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
Demographic focus
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (federal application form)
- Project Narrative
- Preliminary Data or Evidence of Feasibility
- Budget and Budget Narrative
- Biographical Sketches of PIs
- Institutional Commitment (if multi-organizational)
Program contact
- 👤 JoAnn Martin Grantor
- 📧 help@eBRAP.org
- 📞 301-619-2594
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 12.420 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$2,265,729,366
-
$800,631,761
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$74,531,880
-
$67,205,571
-
$55,443,120
-
$34,191,124
-
$24,907,742
-
$21,394,379
-
$19,100,256
-
$19,002,641
Top States by Funding
- MD 10 awards $3,150.1M
- NC 11 awards $132.3M
- CA 12 awards $107.3M
- FL 8 awards $99.8M
- TX 8 awards $76.5M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 12.420). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $1,483,968,520 | |
| 2025 | $1,201,153,417 |
FAQ
Who can apply for this grant?
Academic institutions, research organizations, and nonprofits with research capacity typically qualify. Career initiation or transition researchers with a mentor or independent investigators may both apply.
What research topics are supported?
Projects must address risk factor knowledge (identification and validation) or risk reduction solutions. Environmental, genetic, lifestyle, and occupational risk factors are eligible focus areas.
Are clinical trials allowed?
No. Clinical research is permitted, but clinical trials and animal research are explicitly prohibited.
Is preliminary data required?
Yes, preliminary data are mandatory for competitive applications. Community collaboration is also required if enrolling human subjects.
What is the funding amount?
The total FY26 pool is $4,000,000, but individual award amounts are not specified. Check the grant announcement for expected range.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Focus applications on transformative, non-incremental research that advances understanding of prevention. Incremental projects are less competitive.
- Include strong preliminary data demonstrating feasibility of your approach. Weak or absent preliminary work is a major weakness.
- If enrolling human subjects, establish community collaboration partnerships early and document those relationships in your proposal.
- Clearly align your project to either risk factor knowledge or risk reduction solutions. Mixed or unclear focus weakens competitiveness.
- Avoid proposing clinical trials or animal research, as both are ineligible. Reframe animal work as mechanistic human research if possible.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Submitting without preliminary data or with insufficient evidence of feasibility. Proposing clinical trials or animal studies, which are explicitly prohibited. Failing to establish community partnerships when human subject enrollment is planned.
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