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DEPARTMENT OF WAR - CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED MEDICAL RESEARCH PROGRAMS
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Bone Marrow Failure

NEWS RELEASE

Released: March 10, 2026

Defense Health Agency Research and Development
Medical Research and Development Command
Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs
Bone Marrow Failure Research Program
Anticipated Funding Opportunities for Fiscal Year 2026

The FY26 Defense Appropriations Act provides funding for the BMFRP to support innovative, high-impact bone marrow failure research. As part of the DHA R&D-MRDC, the CDMRP is the program office managing these anticipated FY26 funding opportunities.

The BMFRP provides the information in this pre-announcement to allow investigators time to plan and develop ideas for submission to the anticipated FY26 funding opportunities. Investigators should not construe this pre-announcement as an obligation or promise by the government. The CDMRP will post FY26 BMFRP funding opportunity announcements on the Grants.gov website. Once released, the funding opportunity announcements will include pre-application and application deadlines.

Applications submitted to the FY26 BMFRP must address one or more of the following focus areas unless otherwise noted:

  • Develop durable resources for the bone marrow failure research community
  • Find effective BMF treatments and cures
  • Understand the causes and progression of BMF diseases

Award Mechanism Eligibility Key Mechanism Elements Funding
Idea Development Award Early-Career Investigators: Independent investigators with less than 10 years from their first appointment,
or
Established Investigators: Independent investigators with 10 years or more from their first appointment.
  • The BMFRP requires submission of a preproposal; application submission by invitation only.
  • Supports innovative ideas and high-impact approaches based on scientifically sound evidence to move toward the vision to understand and cure BMF.
  • Proposed research should include a well-formulated, testable hypothesis based on strong scientific rationale and a well-developed and articulated research approach.
  • Hypothesis-generating correlative studies to existing clinical trials/studies encouraged.
  • Applications should describe the project’s translational potential.
  • May include relevant preliminary data.
  • Clinical trials not allowed.
  • Peer and programmatic review panels will review applications from early-career investigators separately from established investigators.
  • Applications must address one of the following FY26 BMFRP Focus Areas:
    • Find effective BMF treatments and cures
    • Understand the causes and progression of BMF diseases
  • Maximum period of performance is 3 years
  • Maximum allowable funding is $800,000 for total costs*
Investigator-Initiated Research Award Independent investigators at all career levels.
  • The BMFRP requires submission of a preproposal; application submission by invitation only.
  • Supports studies that further develop mature ideas, expand upon key discoveries and demonstrate the potential to significantly advance research, patient care and/or quality of life in at least one of the FY26 BMFRP Focus Areas.
  • Preliminary data required.
  • Emphasis on research approach and impact.
  • Partnering Principal Investigator Option: Allows two PIs, termed initiating and partnering PIs, to collaborate on a single project.
  • Correlative studies to existing clinical trials/studies encouraged.
  • The application should describe the project’s translational potential.
  • The BMFRP encourages studies enabling empirical, product-driven and product-focused accumulation of data to support an Investigational New Drug application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
  • Clinical trials not allowed.
  • Applications must address one of the following FY26 BMFRP Focus Areas:
    • Find effective BMF treatments and cures
    • Understand the causes and progression of BMF diseases
  • Maximum period of performance is 3 years
  • Maximum allowable funding is $1,250,000 for total costs*
Resource Development Award Independent investigators at all career levels.
  • The BMFRP requires submission of a preproposal; application submission by invitation only.
  • Emphasis on research resources development to facilitate collaboration and information sharing within researchers in the BMF community.
  • Resource distribution plan required.
  • Applications must demonstrate availability of and access to necessary data, human samples, cohort(s) and/or critical reagents.
  • Preliminary data required.
  • Clinical trials not allowed.
  • Applications must address the following FY26 BMFRP Focus Area:
    • Develop durable resources for the BMF community
  • Maximum period of performance is 2 years
  • Maximum allowable funding is $1,250,000 for total costs*
*Total costs include direct and indirect costs.

Before full application submission, the CDMRP requires submission of a pre-application through the electronic Biomedical Research Application Portal, eBRAP, prior to the pre-application deadline. All applications must conform to the final funding opportunity announcements available for downloading from Grants.gov. To obtain a listing of all CDMRP funding opportunities on the Grants.gov website, perform a basic search using CFDA number 12.420.

To receive email notifications upon release of funding opportunity announcements, subscribe to program-specific news and updates under "Email Subscriptions" on the eBRAP homepage. For more information about the BMFRP or other CDMRP-administered programs, please visit the CDMRP website.

Point of Contact:
CDMRP Public Affairs
301-619-7071
dha.detrick.cdmrp.mbx.public-affairs@health.mil


Last updated Tuesday, March 10, 2026