DoW Spinal Cord Injury, Clinical Translation Research Award
Can you apply?
This grant is for researchers and institutions seeking to fund clinical translation research specifically focused on spinal cord injury (SCI). Applicants must be U.S. institutions, including universities, medical centers, and research organizations with the capacity to conduct clinical or clinical-translational studies. Both academic medical centers and independent research institutions are eligible. The program supports the transition of promising basic science findings toward clinical application and patient outcomes in spinal cord injury treatment. Funding is restricted to U.S. domestic research, though collaborations with international partners may be permitted with appropriate oversight.
Program description
Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Spinal Cord Injury Research Program (SCIRP) Clinical Translation Research Award (CTRA) supports high-impact, new, or emerging clinical research that requires additional preliminary studies, such as feasibility, pilot, or optimization, to prepare for future larger-scale clinical trials or implementation. Primary objectives of this mechanism include:
• Accelerating the translation of current and emerging techniques or interventions into clinical use by addressing specific barrier(s) to clinical success for the purpose of de-risking or informing the design of definitive trials.
• Identifying the most effective diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation options to support critical decision-making for patients, clinicians, care partners and policymakers.
Distinctive Features:
• This funding opportunity contains an Early-Career Partnership Option, which allows for two principal investigators (PIs). If this option is selected, at least one of the named PIs must be an early-career investigator. Be advised, all associated applications for a research project may be withdrawn if the initiating or partnering application is rejected or administratively withdrawn.
• Applications to this funding opportunity must name at least two spinal cord injury (SCI) community partners who will provide advice and consultation throughout the planning and implementation of the research project.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance)
- Project narrative/statement of work (typically 15–20 pages)
- Budget and budget justification (detailed cost breakdown)
- Biographical sketches of key personnel (e.g., NSF-style)
- Institutional/organizational support letters
- Preliminary data and figures
- Timeline/milestone chart
- Conflict of interest disclosures
- IRB approval letter (if human subjects research) or IACUC protocol (if animal work)
- Letters of collaboration from clinical partners (if applicable)
Program contact
- 👤 Abigail Strock Contract Specialist
- 📧 help@eBRAP.org
- 📞 3016192342
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
-
$53,718,832
-
$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
- MA 7 awards $75.2M
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 is eligible to apply for this award?
U.S. academic institutions, medical centers, hospitals, and research organizations with established research infrastructure and clinical capacity for spinal cord injury research are eligible. Some programs require Principal Investigator credentials; check the specific funding opportunity for details.
What is the typical deadline and application window?
The application opens May 5, 2026 and closes November 12, 2026. This provides approximately 6 months for proposal development. Applicants should monitor the official announcement for any administrative updates.
What types of research activities are supported?
This award funds clinical translation research—moving promising laboratory findings toward human clinical trials or clinical applications for spinal cord injury. Feasibility studies, early-phase clinical trials, and translational pilot projects are typical activities.
How competitive is this funding?
DoD funding is highly competitive. Proposals must demonstrate clear translational pathway, clinical significance, and realistic timelines. Strong preliminary data and experienced research teams are essential for competitiveness.
What is the typical funding range?
DoD SCI awards typically range from $500,000 to $2 million over 2–3 years, though specific amounts vary by program; check the FOA for exact budget limitations and award periods.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Emphasize the translational pathway: clearly articulate how your research bridges bench science to clinical benefit for SCI patients. DoD prioritizes work with clear clinical endpoints and realistic implementation timelines.
- Provide strong preliminary data: include published results, animal model data, or earlier clinical feasibility findings that demonstrate your team's progress and reduce perceived risk to program officers.
- Address military relevance: while civilian SCI is in scope, explicitly acknowledge how your findings could benefit service members with combat-related spinal cord injuries—this strengthens alignment with DoD mission priorities.
- Assemble a multidisciplinary team: include clinicians, basic scientists, biostatisticians, and rehabilitation specialists. DoD values collaborative teams with complementary expertise and established track records of productivity.
- Include a realistic budget and timeline: clearly justify all costs, show feasibility within the proposed period, and break work into measurable milestones. DoD reviews are rigorous on budget and schedule realism.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Common rejections result from unclear translational strategy—proposals that read as basic science rather than clinical translation, or that lack credible pathway to human application within the award period. Weak preliminary data, insufficient consideration of military relevance, and budgets that lack justification or appear inflated also reduce competitiveness. Finally, teams without established clinical SCI expertise or published track records in this therapeutic area face higher rejection rates.
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