DoW Orthopaedic, Clinical Research Award
🏛 Defense Health Agency Contracting Activity - DHACA (DOD-AMRAA)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Sep 13, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for clinical research on orthopaedic injuries and outcomes. Eligible applicants typically include research institutions, universities, hospitals, and nonprofit organizations with research capacity. Focus areas include ligamentous trauma, osseointegration outcomes, return-to-duty strategies, and military women's health. Applications must address clinical impact on Service Members, Veterans, and the general public.
Two research levels are available: Research Level 1 supports observational/clinical studies, while Research Level 2 supports randomized clinical trials. All applications must align with at least one FY26 focus area and demonstrate potential to improve patient outcomes and reduce orthopaedic injury burden.
Applicants should have access to patient populations and clinical data relevant to their proposed research focus.
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Key dates
- Jun 17, 2026 Applications open
- Nov 18, 2026 Application deadline in 65 days
- Sep 30, 2027 Award announced
- Sep 30, 2027 Project start
Program description
Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Orthopaedic Research Program (ORP) Clinical Research Award (CRA) seeks clinical research that evaluates orthopaedic-specific factors and interventions. The ORP intends for research supported by this mechanism to generate clinically useful evidence with potential to optimize patient outcomes and inform clinical care or policy. Applications must address how the proposed research will impact patient care and reduce the burden of orthopaedic injury and sequela. The ORP expects that research findings benefit Service Members, their families, Veterans and the general public. To meet the intent of the award mechanism, applications must specifically address at least one of the FY26 ORP CRA Focus Areas.
Distinctive Features:
· The CRA offers two research levels.
Research Level 1 (RL1) supports clinical research in the following FY26 ORP focus areas:
· Ligamentous Trauma
· Osseointegration Outcomes
· Return-to-Duty Strategies
· Military Women’s Health
Research Level 2 (RL2) supports clinical trials in the following FY26 ORP focus areas:
· Ligamentous Trauma
· Limb Stabilization and Protection
· Return-to-Duty Strategies
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
Demographic focus
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- Standard Federal Form 424 (SF-424)
- Project Narrative/Proposal
- Budget and Budget Justification
- Institutional Approval/IRB documentation
- Institutional Biosafety Committee approval (if applicable)
- Letters of institutional support and clinical site commitment
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
-
$77,591,450
-
$74,531,880
-
$55,443,120
-
$34,191,124
-
$24,783,894
-
$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 13 awards $114.4M
- FL 8 awards $99.8M
- MA 9 awards $90.0M
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 is eligible to apply for this grant?
Research institutions, universities, hospitals, and nonprofit organizations with research capacity. Check the full funding opportunity for specific institutional requirements and affiliation rules.
What is the deadline?
November 18, 2026. This is a fixed deadline, not rolling.
Must my research address a specific focus area?
Yes. Applications must address at least one FY26 ORP CRA Focus Area (ligamentous trauma, osseointegration outcomes, return-to-duty strategies, military women's health, or limb stabilization).
What is the difference between Research Level 1 and Level 2?
RL1 funds clinical research and observational studies. RL2 funds clinical trials specifically.
How much funding can I request?
The total program pool is $13.6 million. Specific per-award limits are not specified; check the detailed FOA.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Demonstrate clinical relevance and how results will directly impact patient care and outcomes.
- Ensure your research clearly aligns with at least one FY26 focus area; vague alignment will weaken your proposal.
- Emphasize benefit to Service Members, Veterans, military families, and the broader public, not just a single population.
- Use preliminary data or feasibility evidence to strengthen credibility of your research plan and timeline.
- Address the specific research level (RL1 or RL2) and explain why your study design fits that classification.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications rejected for vague alignment with focus areas or failure to demonstrate clinical impact. Studies that prioritize basic science over clinically actionable outcomes rarely succeed. Weak preliminary data or unrealistic timelines relative to research complexity undermine competitiveness.
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