DoW Breast Cancer, Breakthrough Award Level 3
🏛 Defense Health Agency Contracting Activity - DHACA (DOD-AMRAA)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Jul 27, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for researchers proposing breast cancer research with breakthrough potential at the pre-clinical to early translational stage. Applications must address at least one of the FY26 BCRP overarching challenges or provide justification for exception. Research teams must include at least two breast cancer consumer advocates. Either a single PI or two partnering PIs may lead the project, though both must submit applications at the full application stage.
Eligible applicants include universities, research institutions, hospitals, and other research-performing organizations. Both domestic and international organizations may be eligible. Small-scale clinical trials are permitted but not required for this funding level.
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Program description
Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Breast Cancer Research Program (BCRP) Breakthrough Award mechanism supports promising research with high potential to lead to or make breakthroughs in breast cancer. All applications must address at least one of the FY26 BCRP overarching challenges or provide adequate justification for exception. Applications must address the challenge in a way that can lead to a breakthrough and have major impact. The FY26 Breakthrough Award mechanism contains four different funding levels designed to support major (but not all) stages of research that will lead to clinical application. Each level specifies a distinct research scope. This program announcement discusses the Breakthrough Award Level 3.
Distinctive Features:
· For this funding mechanism, small-scale clinical trials are allowed but not required. Applications proposing projects with a clinical trial should be submitted under the Clinical Trial option.
· The research team must include two or more breast cancer consumer advocates.
· This funding mechanism allows for a single Principal Investigator (PI), or two partnering PIs referred to as the Initiating PI and the Partnering PI. For the Partnering PI Option (PPIO), only the Initiating PI will submit a pre-application, but both PIs will need to submit at the full application stage. Be advised, failure to submit all associated (Initiating and Partnering PI) applications by the deadline may result in administrative withdrawal.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
Demographic focus
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- Pre-application (Initiating PI only if using Partnering PI Option)
- Full application (both PIs if using Partnering PI Option)
- Project narrative/scientific proposal
- Budget and budget justification
- Institutional Assurance of Commitment
- CV/biosketch for PI(s)
- Letters of commitment from consumer advocates
Program contact
- 👤 Jamie Shortall Grant Officer
- 📧 help@eBRAP.org
- 📞 301-619-2393
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
-
$24,783,894
-
$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
- MA 8 awards $83.2M
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 serve as the Principal Investigator for this grant?
Either a single PI or two partnering PIs (Initiating PI and Partnering PI) can lead the project. If using two PIs, both must submit full applications by the deadline or risk administrative withdrawal.
What role do breast cancer consumer advocates play?
The research team must include two or more breast cancer consumer advocates. Their involvement is a distinctive requirement of this mechanism.
Can I conduct a clinical trial under this funding level?
Small-scale clinical trials are allowed but not required. If your project includes a clinical trial, submit under the Clinical Trial option.
What must my research address?
Your application must address at least one of the FY26 BCRP overarching challenges or provide adequate justification for an exception. Research should have potential to lead to major breakthroughs in breast cancer.
What is the deadline and funding pool?
The deadline is September 30, 2026. The total funding pool is $12.6 million for this mechanism across all applicants.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Engage breast cancer consumer advocates early in your research design. Their perspectives strengthen applications and meet this distinctive requirement.
- Clearly articulate how your research addresses an FY26 BCRP overarching challenge or justify why your exception merits funding. Breakthrough potential matters most.
- If using the Partnering PI Option, ensure both PIs understand submission timelines. Both applications must be submitted together by the deadline.
- Budget for the involvement of two or more consumer advocates. Their participation should be substantive, not perfunctory.
- Review the FY26 BCRP overarching challenges carefully before developing your application. Alignment with program priorities increases competitiveness.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications fail to adequately justify how research addresses FY26 BCRP overarching challenges or lacks clear breakthrough potential. Consumer advocates are listed but not meaningfully integrated into the research team or study design. Partnering PI applications are submitted separately or one PI fails to submit, triggering administrative withdrawal.
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