DoW Neurofibromatosis Synergistic Idea 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 investigating neurofibromatosis (NF) who can form collaborative teams of two or three Principal Investigators. All PIs must be at eligible research institutions. Each PI submits a separate application and receives an individual award, even if at the same organization.
Applicants must have preliminary and/or published data relevant to neurofibromatosis and their proposed research. The synergistic team approach is required—investigators must bring complementary expertise to address a central NF research question.
This is a federal grant administered by the Defense Health Agency. Eligible applicants typically include academic medical centers, research hospitals, and institutions with established research infrastructure.
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Program description
Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Neurofibromatosis Research Program (NFRP) Synergistic Idea Award (SIA) supports new ideas that represent synergistic approaches to neurofibromatosis (NF) research involving two or three Principal Investigators (PIs). These investigators should utilize their complementary and synergistic perspectives to address a central problem or question in NF research. Applications must include preliminary and/or published data that are relevant to NF and the proposed research project.
Distinctive Features:
• Partnering Principal Investigators: One PI will be identified as the Initiating PI and will be responsible for the majority of the administrative tasks associated with application submission. An additional one or two PI(s) will be identified as a Partnering PI. Each partner will be recognized as a PI, submit a separate application (even if the partners are at the same organization), and receive an individual award.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance)
- Project Narrative/Research Proposal
- Preliminary data and/or publications
- Budget and budget narrative
- Institutional commitment letters (if multi-institutional)
- Biosketches of all PIs and key personnel
- Institutional review board and radiation safety approvals (if applicable)
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
-
$2,265,729,366
-
$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 be a Principal Investigator on this application?
Researchers with expertise in neurofibromatosis research at eligible research institutions. You must form a team of 2-3 PIs with complementary perspectives on a central NF research question.
Do all PIs need to be at different institutions?
No. PIs can be at the same organization, but each PI must submit a separate application and will receive an individual award.
What kind of preliminary data is needed?
Applicants must include preliminary data and/or published work relevant to neurofibromatosis and the specific research project proposed.
How much funding is available per award?
Award amounts are not specified in the program description. Consult the full solicitation for individual award ranges and the $6.4M total pool.
What makes a competitive application?
Strong preliminary data, clear complementary expertise among PIs, a well-defined central research question, and realistic synergistic approaches to NF research.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Form your research team early and confirm complementary expertise before drafting the application. Weak synergy between PIs is a red flag.
- Present strong preliminary data. This grant expects researchers to show progress and feasibility, not early-stage ideas.
- Clarify each PI's role and contribution. Explain how their expertise combines to address the central research problem.
- Review the full NFRP solicitation for specific NF research priorities. Alignment with program focus areas strengthens competitiveness.
- Each PI submits separately—coordinate timelines and ensure each application clearly describes the synergistic partnership.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Weak or missing synergy between PIs; each investigator's contribution should be distinct and complementary. Insufficient preliminary data; reviewers expect solid evidence of feasibility. Unclear central research question; the application must focus on one well-defined NF problem.
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