DoW Rare Cancers Resource and Community Development Award
🏛 Defense Health Agency Contracting Activity - DHACA (DOD-AMRAA)
Can you apply?
This grant is for research institutions, universities, and cancer research organizations developing resources for rare cancer research. Eligible applicants typically include 501(c)(3) nonprofits, academic medical centers, and research institutions with capacity to conduct cancer research. Projects must address documented gaps in rare cancer research, such as patient tissue availability, data infrastructure, or therapeutics development. Geographic scope is national; researchers across the U.S. may apply.
The award requires meaningful engagement with patient advocates throughout the research lifecycle. Community-building and resource dissemination are mandatory components. Applicants must demonstrate a clear sustainability plan for the research platform after funding ends.
Program description
Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Rare Cancers Research Program (RCRP) Resource and Community Development Award (RCDA) supports the development of research resources and clinical or preclinical datasets that will advance the field of rare cancers research and ultimately improve outcomes for individuals with rare cancers. Research supporting this funding opportunity should fill one of the following major gaps:
- Lack of research and clinical resources, including patient tissues, cell and tumor models.
- Lack of communication and dissemination strategies within scientific and patient communities for sharing rare cancers research and clinical findings.
- Lack of infrastructure for sharing data and other resources.
- Lack of therapeutics and mechanistic research to inform treatment development.
Distinctive Features:
- Documentation of plans for engagement and partnerships with Patient Advocates throughout the life cycle of the research study from development of the research question through execution of the study.
- Community building and enhancement are key components.
- A description of the dissemination and sustainability of the platform for scientific and/or clinical and patient community is required.
- Preliminary data are not required but may be included to address feasibility.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (Federal Application form)
- Project narrative/proposal
- Budget and budget justification
- Biographical sketches of key personnel
- Letters of commitment from partner organizations and patient advocates
- Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval or certification plan
- Data management and sharing plan
Program contact
- 👤 JoAnn Martin Grantor
- 📧 help@eBRAP.org
- 📞 301-619-2594
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
-
$53,846,370
-
$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
- 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 apply for this award?
Research institutions, universities, cancer research organizations, and 501(c)(3) nonprofits with proven research capacity are eligible. Patient advocate organizations may be partners but typically cannot be lead applicants.
Is preliminary data required?
No. While preliminary data strengthens feasibility arguments, this award does not require it before application.
What types of projects does this fund?
Projects developing research resources (tissues, cell models, datasets), data infrastructure, communication platforms, or therapeutics research for rare cancers. Patient engagement throughout the project is essential.
What is the deadline?
The fixed deadline is November 18, 2026. Plan submissions well in advance; Army grants typically have strict submission timelines.
How much funding is available?
The total program pool is $5.6 million, but individual award amounts are not specified. Contact the program officer for guidance on expected funding levels.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Partner with patient advocates early and document their involvement in study design, not just execution. This is a core evaluation criterion for Army rare cancer awards.
- Emphasize how your resource or dataset addresses a specific, documented gap in the rare cancer research field. Show evidence of unmet need through literature or stakeholder input.
- Build a detailed sustainability and dissemination plan. Describe how the resource will remain accessible and useful after federal funding ends (licensing, institutional support, user fees, partnerships).
- Clarify the scientific and clinical impact. Explain how your resource will enable future research and ultimately improve patient outcomes in rare cancers.
- Request a pre-submission meeting with the program officer. Army grants benefit from alignment with agency priorities, and program staff can clarify expectations on timeline and scope.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Weak or token patient advocate engagement. Applications must show genuine partnership, not merely listing advocates as collaborators. Applicants often underestimate how much detail the Army expects on this.
Vague or overly broad project scope. Proposals without a specific, well-defined gap or resource won't compete. Define exactly what resource you'll build and why it's needed.
Missing or weak sustainability plan. Reviewers want to know how the resource persists beyond the grant. No plan, or a plan dependent entirely on future funding, significantly weakens competitiveness.
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