DoW Pancreatic Cancer Research Program, Idea Development Award
🏛 Defense Health Agency Contracting Activity - DHACA (DOD-AMRAA)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Aug 3, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for research institutions and organizations conducting pancreatic cancer research funded by the Department of the Army. Applicants must have preliminary data relevant to their proposed project and address at least one of the FY26 PCARP Focus Areas. The award supports innovative, high-risk/high-reward research ideas but does not fund clinical trials. An Early-Career Investigator option allows partnership with an experienced mentoring PI for higher funding levels.
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Program description
Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Pancreatic Cancer Research Program (PCARP) Idea Development Award supports the development of innovative, high-risk/high-reward research that could lead to critical discoveries or major advancements that will accelerate progress in improving outcomes for individuals with pancreatic cancer. This award mechanism supports innovative ideas with the potential to yield impactful data and new avenues of investigation. All applications must address at least one of the FY26 PCARP Focus Areas.
Distinctive Features:
- This award mechanism requires preliminary data relevant to the proposed project. Applications can support clinical research studies; however, this mechanism does not allow clinical trials.
- Partnering Principal Investigator (PI) Option for Early-Career Investigator: This funding mechanism offers a higher level of funding for applications that propose to partner an experienced PI (i.e., Initiating PI, who will serve as the mentor) with an Early-Career Investigator (i.e., Partnering PI) wishing to pursue a career in pancreatic cancer research. For this option, only the Initiating PI will submit a pre-application, but both PIs will need to submit at the full application stage. The partnering PI’s application is an abbreviated package specific to their distinct portion of the research project. Be advised, all associated applications for a research project may be withdrawn if the initiating or partnering application is rejected or administratively withdrawn.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- Pre-application (Initiating PI required; Partnering PI optional)
- Full application package (both PIs if early-career partnership)
- Preliminary data supporting project feasibility
- Project narrative addressing FY26 PCARP Focus Areas
- Budget and budget narrative
- Institutional commitment letters
- Curriculum vitae or biosketches
Program contact
- 👤 Jamie Shortall Grant Officer
- 📧 help@eBRAP.org
- 📞 301-619-2393
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
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$800,631,761
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$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 12 awards $107.3M
- FL 8 awards $99.8M
- MA 8 awards $83.2M
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 apply for this grant?
Research institutions, universities, and eligible organizations conducting pancreatic cancer research. Early-career investigators can partner with experienced mentors for higher funding.
What kind of research does this award support?
Innovative, high-risk/high-reward pancreatic cancer research and clinical studies. Clinical trials are not eligible.
Is preliminary data required?
Yes, applications must include preliminary data relevant to the proposed project.
What is the application timeline?
The deadline is October 7, 2026. Pre-applications are typically required before full applications.
Can early-career investigators apply?
Yes, they can partner with an experienced PI (mentoring role). Both PIs submit at the full application stage if the pre-application succeeds.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Clearly address at least one FY26 PCARP Focus Area in your application narrative and aims. Misalignment with focus areas is a common reason for rejection.
- Include strong preliminary data demonstrating feasibility. Weak preliminary findings significantly weaken competitiveness.
- For early-career partnerships, ensure the mentoring PI's experience and commitment are well documented. Clarity on distinct roles prevents confusion.
- Emphasize innovation and high-reward potential. Applications lacking bold ideas or incremental research are less competitive.
- Budget narratives should justify how funding accelerates pancreatic cancer research progress. Vague or generic justifications weaken proposals.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications lack clear alignment with FY26 PCARP Focus Areas or insufficient preliminary data supporting feasibility. Proposals proposing clinical trials are ineligible despite the mechanism supporting clinical research. Early-career partnership applications fail when mentoring roles, distinct contributions, and withdrawal contingencies are not clearly articulated.
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