DoW Lupus, Transformative Vision 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 seeking funding to advance innovative lupus research. Eligible applicants include academic institutions, nonprofit research organizations, and government laboratories. Applicants must demonstrate significant prior accomplishments in lupus immunology, genetics, or patient-centered outcomes research. Projects must address unmet research needs with potential to transform lupus treatment or prevention. The award supports novel, high-risk research that departs meaningfully from existing methodologies.
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Program description
Summary: This funding mechanism supports interventional research at the individual and/or health care system level which will result in near-term impact on the health-related quality of life of individuals living with lupus. The emphasis is on near-term impact on quality of life. Research must address at least one of the fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Lupus Research Program (LRP) Transformative Vision Award (TVA) focus areas. This mechanism allows for clinical trials but does not allow animal studies.
Distinctive Features:
• Applications must include preliminary data.
• Applications must include at least one lupus consumer advocate as a member of the research team.
• This funding mechanism allows for up to three Principal Investigators (PIs). Only the initiating PI will submit a pre-application, but all PIs will need to submit full applications. The partnering PI(s) application is an abbreviated package specific to their distinct portion of the research project. Be advised, all associated applications for a research project may be withdrawn if the initiating or partnering application(s) is rejected or administratively withdrawn.
• An individual may be named as PI on only one application per LRP award mechanism (Idea Award, Impact Award, Transformative Vision Development Award, TVA), for a maximum of four applications to the FY26 LRP.
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (Federal Application for Grants and Agreements)
- Project Narrative and Research Plan
- Budget and Budget Justification
- Biographical sketches (PI and key personnel)
- Letters of commitment from collaborating institutions
- Preliminary data and feasibility documentation
- Institutional endorsement letter
Program contact
- 👤 Abigail Strock Contract Specialist
- 📧 help@eBRAP.org
- 📞 3016192342
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
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$800,631,761
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$74,531,880
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$67,205,571
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$55,443,120
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$34,191,124
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$24,907,742
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$21,394,379
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$19,100,256
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$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, nonprofit research organizations, government laboratories, and small businesses with relevant research capacity. Researchers must have established track records in lupus or closely related immunological disease research.
What is the application deadline?
The deadline is August 24, 2026. Applications open May 5, 2026. Plan to submit at least two weeks before the deadline.
What types of projects are supported?
High-risk, innovative lupus research including studies of disease mechanisms, biomarkers, therapeutics, and patient-focused outcomes. Transformative vision projects that challenge conventional thinking are prioritized.
How competitive is this grant?
Highly competitive. Success rates for DoD medical research awards typically range 10-20%. Strong preliminary data and demonstrated innovation are essential.
What funding amounts are typical?
Army lupus awards typically range from $500,000 to $2 million over 2-4 years. Exact amounts vary by project scope and research complexity.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Frame your project as transformative, not incremental. Emphasize how it breaks from conventional approaches and addresses critical gaps.
- Build a compelling innovation narrative supported by strong preliminary data. Vague vision without proof will be rejected.
- Align your research with Army clinical priorities: military readiness impacts, deployment-relevant autoimmune complications, or service member health outcomes.
- Include clear milestones and measurable outcomes. DoD reviewers expect rigorous metrics for success and translation timelines.
- Budget strategically. Include specific justifications for personnel, equipment, and travel. Unexplained costs trigger reviewer concerns.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applicants often describe incremental improvements rather than transformative breakthroughs, missing the award's core intent. Weak preliminary data undermines credibility; reviewers expect robust feasibility proof. Failing to address military relevance or clinical translation diminishes competitiveness for Army programs.
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