Funding Opportunities
How To Apply
Learn more about CDMRP’s application submission process, including:
- General Considerations
- Eligible Organizations
- Getting Registered
- Preparing to Apply
- Submitting Pre-Applications
- Submitting Full Applications
- Application Submission Verification
***Applicants should not construe this information as the official requirements for application submission. Refer to the specific funding opportunity announcement for official requirements.***
General Considerations
The CDMRP application submission process requires Principal Investigators and Business Officials to conduct preliminary registration steps in the electronic Biomedical Research Application Portal, Grants.gov and the System for Award Management prior to executing three steps for successful application submission:
- Step 1: Submitting pre-applications in eBRAP
- Step 2: Submitting full applications in eBRAP or Grants.gov
- Step 3: Verifying application submission in eBRAP
Start website registrations and application submissions early to allow adequate time to address issues that may arise during the process.
Adhere to the timelines outlined in the funding opportunity announcement. There are no grace periods for deadlines; failure to meet submission deadlines will result in application rejection.
Review CDMRP-developed resources for more details about the application process, including our Frequently Asked Questions, Journey of an Application Videos, and Guide for Intragovernmental & Intramural Applicants.
BO: Business official from applicant organization
PI: Principal Investigator from the applicant organization
eBRAP: CDMRPs Electronic Biomedical Research Application Portal
SAM: System of Award Management
Eligible Organizations
Unless otherwise stated in the funding opportunity announcement, extramural non-DOD organizations and intramural organizations within the DOD are eligible to apply, including foreign and domestic organizations, for-profit and non-profit organizations, and public or private entities.
- Extramural Organization: An eligible foreign or domestic non-DOD organization. Examples of extramural organizations include, but are not limited to, academic institutions, biotechnology companies, foundations, federal government organizations other than the DOD, i.e., intragovernmental organizations, and research institutes.
- Intramural DOD Organization: Refers specifically to DOD organizations, including DOD laboratories, DOD military treatment facilities, and DOD activities embedded within a civilian medical center.
Getting Registered
Prior to application submission, ensure user registrations in the System of Award Management, electronic Biomedical Research Application Portal and Grants.gov are active and in good standing for Principal Investigators and organizations, including Business Officials and Authorized Organizational Representatives.
| Website | Purpose | Key Considerations | Anticipated Timeline |
| SAM.gov |
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| eBRAP.org |
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| Grants.gov |
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1 The SAM assigns a 12-character alpha-numeric identifier, called a Unique Entity ID or UEI, to identify an entity. Registering a new entity or obtaining a new UEI includes verifying your Taxpayer Identification Name and TIN with the IRS (KB0016540), and in some cases, assigning a new CAGE code or verifying an existing one. The SAM assigns registrants based in the United States a CAGE code after registration occurs. Registrants located outside of the United States need to obtain a NATO Commercial and Government Entity Code, or NCAGE Code, as part of the registration process, i.e. before registration is complete. Based on how the entity intends to do business with the United States federal government, the entity may need an IRS TIN or Employer Identification Number.
Preparing to Apply
Identify Program(s) Aligning to Your Research Area of Interest
The CDMRP supports biomedical research and health care solutions across specified research areas. Applications must align to a research/topic area and address program goals. Consider how your research may help the program meet its mission and goals.
Several programs support building research capacity within their area through funding opportunities specifically targeting researchers NEW to the field of study regardless of career level.
Prospective applicants may subscribe to email notifications from programs/areas of interest on eBRAP to receive real-time updates on anticipated and released program funding opportunities.
Review the Synopsis of Award Mechanisms for the Program
Once applicants identify a program(s) of interest, they should review the Synopsis of Award Mechanisms document, which provides a brief description and highlights key elements of the funding opportunities offered by the program. The synopsis is an excellent resource to compare the multiple funding opportunities a program offers in a given fiscal year but should not replace reading the funding opportunity in its entirety.
A Synopsis of Award Mechanisms is available for programs with open funding opportunities and can be found in the Funding Opportunities section of the CDMRP website.
Read the Entire Funding Opportunity Announcement
Once applicants identify a funding opportunity of interest, they should review the entire funding opportunity announcement before preparing application submission materials.
The funding opportunity announcement presents content in order of application preparation, submission, and review. The CDMRP recommends reading the funding opportunity announcement in the order written. Reviewing Section 2, Eligibility and Section 3, Program Description of the funding opportunity will help applicants determine whether their research project is appropriate for the funding opportunity.
The CDMRP does not provide one-on-one guidance regarding the suitability of a research project for any specific funding opportunity. Each funding opportunity announcement contains the information needed to submit an application successfully. Section 4, Application Contents and Format details how to prepare an application and Section 6, Application Review Information details the complete review criteria for all tiers of the CDMRP’s application review process.
Submitting Pre-Applications
All CDMRP funding opportunities require submission of a pre-application in eBRAP.
The CDMRP uses two types of pre-application formats, Letter of Intent or Pre-Proposal. The funding opportunity announcement specifies the type of pre-application submission. Follow instructions in sections 4.2, Pre-Application Components and 5.3.1, Pre-Application Submission of the funding opportunity announcement to prepare and submit the appropriate pre-application.
- Letter of Intent: There is no review and selection process for LOIs. The CDMRP uses LOIs for planning purposes only, e.g., reviewer recruitment. Applicants will not receive an invitation and may proceed directly to full application submission.
- Pre-Proposal: Pre-proposals undergo a review and selection process, and applicants will receive an "invite" or "not invite" decision for full application submission. Applicants that receive an invitation may proceed to full application submission. Applicants will not receive feedback at this stage, i.e., no critique of the pre-application’s strengths and weaknesses.
Submitting Full Applications
Review sections 4.3, Full Application Components and 5.3.2, Full Application Submission of the funding opportunity announcement for full application content and submission instructions.
- Extramural organizations submit full applications through Grants.gov.
- Intramural DOD organizations submit full applications through eBRAP.
Application Submission Verification
After submission of application materials, applicants should review all application components in eBRAP to ensure the proper ordering and content. Once the submission deadline passes, applicants may not make changes to the Project Narrative and Budget attachments but can make changes to most other application materials until the end of the application verification period, typically a few days beyond the application submission deadline. Section 1. Basic Information About the Funding Opportunity of the funding opportunity announcement includes deadlines and other key dates and times.
Last updated Wednesday, September 17, 2025