DoW Melanoma Research Program Survivorship Research Award
Can you apply?
This grant is for researchers conducting melanoma-specific survivorship research. Eligible applicants include academic institutions, nonprofits, research organizations, and industry partners with research capacity. At least one melanoma survivor, family member, care partner, or melanoma-community organization must actively collaborate on the research team. Projects must focus on improving health, quality of life, and function of melanoma survivors and their families — not exclusively animal models or survival metrics alone. Clinical trials are permitted.
Key dates
- May 5, 2026 Applications open
- Oct 14, 2026 Application deadline in 123 days
- Sep 30, 2027 Award announced
- Sep 30, 2027 Project start
Program description
Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Melanoma Research Program (MRP) Survivorship Research Award addresses the relatively new and underfunded area of melanoma-specific survivorship by supporting a broad range of innovative and impactful research that has the intended outcome of improving the health and well-being of melanoma survivors, their families and/or their care partners in the near term. Proposed studies focusing exclusively on animal models or considering survival only without consideration of quality of life, overall health and/or function are not responsive to this funding opportunity.
Distinctive Features:
· The application must include at least one melanoma consumer collaborator, defined as a melanoma survivor, family member and/or care partner who can provide lived experience expertise to the research project team, or a melanoma-community supporting organization to support the planning, execution, and implementation of the proposed research.
· Clinical trials are allowed.
Funding Details: The Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs expects to allot roughly $2.04M to fund approximately two Survivorship Research Award applications with total cost caps of $1.02M per award. The maximum period of performance is 3 years. It is anticipated that awards made from this FY26 funding opportunity will be funded with FY26 funds, which will expire for use on September 30, 2032. Awards supported with FY26 funds will be made no later than September 30, 2027.
https://cdmrp.health.mil/pubs/press/2026/mrppreann
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
Demographic focus
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 Application Form
- Project Narrative (proposed research)
- Budget and Budget Justification
- Institutional biosketches of key personnel
- Consumer Collaborator letter of commitment
- IRB approval documentation (or plan for human subjects research)
- Letters of support from collaborating institutions
Program contact
- 👤 eBRAP Help Desk Phone: 301-682-5507 Email: help@eBRAP.org
- 📧 help@eBRAP.org
- 📞 301-682-5507
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
-
$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
Who can lead a melanoma survivorship research project?
Universities, hospitals, nonprofits, government labs, and companies can apply. Your institution must have research infrastructure and regulatory compliance capacity.
What role must the melanoma consumer collaborator play?
A survivor, family member, care partner, or community organization must be an active team member. They provide lived experience expertise to the study design and execution.
Can I study only survival rates without quality of life?
No. Projects must address survivorship outcomes including health, quality of life, or function alongside survival considerations.
How long can a funded project run?
Projects can last up to 3 years. Awards will be made by September 30, 2027, with funds expiring by September 30, 2032.
Are clinical trials eligible?
Yes. This program welcomes clinical trial proposals alongside observational and translational research studies.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Identify and engage your melanoma consumer collaborator early. Their involvement strengthens every section of your application.
- Center survivorship outcomes: focus your research question on improving quality of life, function, or health — not just survival alone.
- Articulate clinical relevance. Show how your findings will be adopted by clinicians or melanoma survivors within a reasonable timeframe.
- Include a clear implementation or dissemination plan. Reviewers want to see how results will reach survivors and care providers.
- Build in adequate budget for genuine consumer collaborator engagement, not just a token role.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications without a genuine melanoma consumer collaborator or those treating the collaborator as an afterthought often score poorly. Research limited to animal models or focusing only on survival endpoints without health/quality-of-life outcomes will be rejected. Weak or absent implementation plans that don't address how findings will benefit survivors in practice reduce competitiveness.
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