DoW Melanoma Research Program Team Science Award
Can you apply?
This grant is for researchers conducting hypothesis-driven melanoma research through multidisciplinary team efforts. Applicants must be organized as research teams with 2-3 Principal Investigators collaborating on a single project. Multi-institutional partnerships are encouraged.
Eligible applicants typically include academic institutions, research hospitals, and research organizations with appropriate infrastructure to support cancer research. The Department of the Army's Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs administers this award.
Projects may span basic science, translational research, or clinical studies that advance melanoma science or patient care. Consumer collaboration with the melanoma community is encouraged but not required. All PIs must be named on separate awards if funded.
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) Team Science Award supports a broad range of hypothesis-driven, multidisciplinary studies that have a short-term goal of advancing the state of the science in melanoma research and/or patient care. Team science is a synergistic effort that harnesses techniques, approaches and perspectives from multiple disciplines and/or therapeutic areas to address complex, multi-dimensional problems that will impact patient outcomes.
Distinctive Features:
· This funding mechanism requires multiple Principal Investigators (PIs). At least two and up to three PIs should partner to jointly design and execute a single research project; multi-institutional partnerships are encouraged. If recommended for funding, each PI will be named on separate awards to the recipient organization(s).
· Consumer Collaboration Option: Investigators are encouraged, but not required, to form collaborative relationships with the melanoma consumer community to maximize the impact and translatability of the research for the benefit of the intended community(ies).
· After submitting the required pre-application, investigators must receive an invitation to submit a full application.
○ Only the Initiating PI will submit a pre-application. All PIs must submit full applications. The Partnering PI(s)’s application is an abbreviated package specific to their proposed research effort.
Funding Details: The Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs expects to allot roughly $18.9M to fund approximately nine Team Science Award applications with total cost caps of $2.1M 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
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- Pre-application (Initiating PI only)
- Full application from all PIs (if invited)
- Partnering PI application package (abbreviated)
- Institutional Biosafety Committee approval (if applicable)
- Institutional Review Board approval (if human subjects involved)
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 serve as Principal Investigator on this award?
You must have a team of 2-3 PIs working jointly on a single project. All PIs will receive separate awards if recommended for funding. Multi-institutional teams are encouraged.
Is there a deadline and what happens next?
The deadline is October 14, 2026. After submitting a pre-application, only invited applicants may submit full applications. The Initiating PI submits the pre-application; all PIs then submit full applications if invited.
What is the funding amount and project duration?
Awards are capped at $2.1M per team, with a maximum 3-year project period. Approximately nine awards will be funded from the $18.9M total pool.
Can we include consumer input in our research?
Yes, collaboration with the melanoma consumer community is encouraged but not required. This can strengthen the translational impact of your work.
What types of research does this fund?
The program supports hypothesis-driven, multidisciplinary studies advancing melanoma research or patient care. Basic science, translational, and clinical projects are eligible.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Assemble your research team early. Invest time building complementary expertise across disciplines; this is the foundation of competitive team science.
- Emphasize how multiple PIs bring distinct perspectives. Show clearly how your team's diversity strengthens the project and addresses complex melanoma challenges.
- Address the pre-application stage seriously. Only invited teams proceed to full application, so your pre-application must demonstrate strong team dynamics and scientific merit.
- Consider melanoma consumer engagement. Even if not required, involving patient advocates can strengthen your proposal's relevance and translational focus.
- Ensure each PI has strong individual credentials. Reviewers will evaluate all PIs, so all team members must be scientifically competitive and appropriately positioned for their role.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Weak team composition with unclear role delineation between PIs. Proposing parallel projects instead of one truly integrated research effort. Neglecting to address how team science approach adds value over single-investigator design.
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