DoW Neurofibromatosis Research Academy – Leadership 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 established neurofibromatosis (NF) researchers seeking to lead a virtual research academy. The Academy Director must be at or above Associate Professor level with documented NF funding history, publications, and mentorship experience. The Academy Deputy Director must also be Associate Professor or equivalent, but affiliated with a different institution than the Director. Only researchers with proven NF expertise and commitment to mentoring early-career investigators are eligible.
Pilot research projects conducted collaboratively by Directors and scholars are a required program component. Preliminary or published NF data is encouraged but not required for the pilot work.
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Program description
Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Neurofibromatosis Research Program (NFRP) Neurofibromatosis Research Academy – Leadership Award (NFRALA) supports visionary, established neurofibromatosis (NF) investigators with documented history of neurofibromatosis funding, publications, strong mentorship and commitment to leadership to serve as Director and Deputy Director of the Neurofibromatosis Research Academy. The Academy Director and Deputy Director will execute a multi-institutional, interactive, virtual research academy that consists of scholars, who are early-career investigators, and their career guides, who serve as the scholars’ primary mentors.
Distinctive Features:
• Academy Director: Established NF investigators at or above the level of Associate Professor, or equivalent, at the full application submission deadline.
• Academy Deputy Director: Investigators at or above the level of Associate Professor, or equivalent, at the full application deadline and affiliated with a different institution than the Academy Director.
• Pilot Research Project: The Academy Director and Deputy Director will conduct one or more pilot research projects in collaboration with the academy scholars. Preliminary and/or published data relevant to NF and the proposed research project are encouraged but not required.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (Federal Application for Grants and Cooperative Agreements)
- Project Narrative
- Budget and Budget Justification
- Biosketch (for Director and Deputy Director)
- Institutional Endorsement or Commitment Letters (from both institutions)
Program contact
- 👤 Ebony S Simmons Grantor
- 📧 help@eBRAP.org
- 📞 301-619-2105
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
-
$67,205,571
-
$55,443,120
-
$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
- 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 serve as Academy Director?
Only established investigators at Associate Professor level or higher with documented neurofibromatosis funding, publications, and mentorship history.
Do the Director and Deputy Director need to work at the same institution?
No. They must be affiliated with different institutions.
What is the Academy's main focus?
It is a multi-institutional, virtual research academy pairing early-career NF scholars with senior mentor-guides for leadership development.
What happens if I don't have preliminary NF data for my pilot project?
Preliminary or published NF data is encouraged but not required to be competitive.
When is the application deadline?
The deadline is September 14, 2026 for FY26.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Emphasize your track record of NF-specific funding and publications when describing your qualifications as Director or Deputy Director.
- Identify a collaborating Director or Deputy Director from a different institution early to strengthen your application.
- Design a pilot research project that aligns with current NF research priorities and involves meaningful collaboration with academy scholars.
- Articulate a clear mentorship philosophy and past success in developing early-career investigators in your proposal.
- Provide detailed descriptions of the virtual academy structure, scholar selection criteria, and how you will foster interactive, multi-institutional collaboration.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Weak or absent evidence of prior NF funding and publications. Unclear mentorship plan or minimal past mentoring experience. Pairing the Director and Deputy Director from the same institution rather than different institutions.
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