DoW Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, Idea Development Award
🏛 Defense Health Agency Contracting Activity - DHACA (DOD-AMRAA)
Can you apply?
This grant is for independent medical researchers investigating Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) therapies. Three career categories are eligible: Established Investigators, New Investigators early in their careers (within 10 years of first faculty appointment), and New Investigators transitioning into DMD research from other fields.
Applicants must be independent investigators at the faculty level or equivalent. All applications require preliminary data relevant to DMD that demonstrates feasibility. Clinical trials and clinical trial aims are not allowed.
The program strongly encourages research on therapies for the full DMD lifespan, including infants, toddlers, and nonambulatory individuals. High-risk/high-reward projects with strong scientific rationale are favored.
Program description
Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Research Program (DMDRP) Idea Development Award (IDA) promotes new ideas that are still in the early stages of development and have the potential to yield impactful data and new avenues of investigation. This award supports impactful, high-risk/high-reward research that could lead to critical discoveries or major advancements that will accelerate progress in improving outcomes for individuals with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) in the near term. Applications should include a well-formulated, testable hypothesis based on strong scientific rationale. The DMDRP strongly encourages research projects investigating therapies designed to demonstrate efficacy cross the life span, including infants, toddlers and nonambulatory individuals.
Distinctive Features: The FY26 DMDRP IDA mechanism offers three eligibility career categories:
• The Established Investigator category is for independent investigators at all academic levels, or equivalent
• The New Investigator – Early-Stage category is for independent investigators early in their careers (i.e., within 10 years of their first faculty appointment or equivalent). Applicants in this category will be reviewed separately from Established Investigators.
• The New Investigator – Transitioning category is for independent investigators at all academic levels, or equivalent, in an area other than muscular dystrophy who are seeking to transition to a career in DMD, thereby bringing their expertise to the field. Applicants in this category will be reviewed separately from Established Investigators.
Preliminary data relevant to DMD that supports the feasibility of the research hypotheses and research approaches are required for all applications. Clinical trials or clinical trial aims are not allowed.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (federal grant application form)
- Research proposal narrative
- Preliminary data supporting feasibility
- Budget and budget narrative
- Biosketch of principal investigator
- Institutional endorsement or support letter
Program contact
- 👤 Danielle Reckley Grantor
- 📧 help@eBRAP.org
- 📞 301-619-1139
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
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$2,265,729,366
-
$800,631,761
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$74,531,880
-
$67,205,571
-
$53,718,832
-
$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
- FL 8 awards $99.8M
- CA 11 awards $99.3M
- MA 7 awards $75.2M
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
What career categories are eligible?
Three categories: Established Investigators (all levels), New Investigators early in career (within 10 years of first faculty appointment), and Investigators transitioning to DMD from other fields. Each category is reviewed separately.
Is preliminary data required?
Yes. All applications must include preliminary data relevant to DMD that supports feasibility of the research hypothesis and approach.
Can I submit a clinical trial?
No. Clinical trials and clinical trial aims are not allowed for this award.
What types of research are encouraged?
High-risk/high-reward research with strong scientific rationale. The program especially encourages therapies that work across the lifespan, including infants, toddlers, and nonambulatory individuals.
What is the application deadline?
The fixed deadline is September 18, 2026. This is a single-cycle funding opportunity.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Include robust preliminary data demonstrating feasibility of your approach. Insufficient preliminary evidence is a common rejection reason.
- Frame your project as high-impact and high-risk. This mechanism prioritizes innovative ideas with potential for major breakthroughs in DMD.
- Develop a clear, testable hypothesis grounded in strong scientific rationale. Vague or poorly formulated hypotheses weaken competitiveness significantly.
- Consider the full DMD lifespan in your research design if possible. Applications addressing infants, toddlers, or nonambulatory populations align with program priorities.
- Verify your career category carefully. Established and New Investigator applications are scored separately, so accurate categorization is important.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Submitting applications without sufficient preliminary data or feasibility evidence. Proposing clinical trial designs or clinical trial components, which are explicitly prohibited. Weak or untestable research hypotheses lacking strong scientific justification.
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