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DEPARTMENT OF WAR - CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED MEDICAL RESEARCH PROGRAMS
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Peer Reviewed Cancer

NEWS RELEASE

Released: February 20, 2026

Defense Health Agency Research and Development
Medical Research and Development Command
Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs
Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program
Anticipated Funding Opportunities for Fiscal Year 2026

The FY26 Defense Appropriations Act provides funding for the PRCRP to support innovative, high-impact research with clinical relevance that will eliminate the burden of cancer. As part of the DHA R&D-MRDC, the CDMRP is the program office managing these anticipated FY26 funding opportunities.

The PRCRP 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 PRCRP funding opportunity announcements on the Grants.gov website. Once released, the funding opportunity announcements will include pre-application and application deadlines.

Congressionally Directed Topic Areas: The FY26 PRCRP appropriation provides funds for research into cancers not addressed in the other CDMRP cancer programs. Applications submitted to the FY26 PRCRP must address at least one of the FY26 PRCRP Topic Areas as directed by Congress.

FY26 PRCRP Military Health Focus Areas: To align with to the vision and mission of the PRCRP, applications must describe how the proposed research relates to military health, mission readiness and the cancer health needs of both deployed and non-deployed military personnel, their dependents, Veterans and other military beneficiaries, i.e., Family members of retirees. The FY26 PRCRP requires all applications to address at least one of the following Military Health focus areas:

  • Environmental exposure risk factors associated with cancer
  • Mission Readiness and Gaps in cancer Research
    • Gaps in cancer prevention, early detection and diagnosis, prognosis, and/or treatment that may impact mission readiness and the health and well-being of military members, Veterans, their beneficiaries and the general public.
    • Gaps in quality of life and/or survivorship that may impact mission readiness and the health and well-being of military members, Veterans, their beneficiaries, and the general public.

Award Mechanism Eligibility Key Mechanism Elements Funding
Clinical Trial Award Independent investigators at all career levels.
  • Supports clinical trials that will advance previously completed preclinical research to the clinic, progress treatments to the next stage of study, or improve the standard of care for individuals living with cancer.
  • Applications must address at least one of the FY26 PRCRP topic areas.
  • Applications must address at least one of the FY26 PRCRP Military Health focus areas.
  • Applications must include preliminary data.
  • Applications must provide Investigational New Drug/Investigational Device Exemption application by application submission deadline.
  • The PRCRP requires submission of a preproposal; application submission by invitation only.
  • Maximum period of performance is 4 years
  • Maximum allowable funding is $4.5 million for total costs*
Idea Award New for FY26:Two options.

1. Established Investigator Option:
  • Independent investigators at all career levels.
2. Early-Career Investigator Option:
  • Within 7 years of their last training position
  • Below the level of associate professor
  • Supports innovative basic research that may introduce a new paradigm, challenge existing paradigms, look at existing problems from new perspectives, or exhibit other highly creative qualities.
  • Emphasizes innovation.
  • Applications must address at least one of the FY26 PRCRP topic areas.
  • Applications must address at least one of the FY26 PRCRP Military Health focus areas.
  • Preliminary data are not required.
  • Applications cannot support clinical trials.
  • The PRCRP requires submission of a preproposal; application submission by invitation only.
  • Maximum period of performance is 2 years
  • Maximum allowable funding is $600,000 for total costs*
Impact Award Independent investigators at all career levels.

Partnering Principal Investigator Option: Up to two investigators may collaborate on a single application, each of whom will be recognized as a PI and receive a separate award.
  • Supports hypothesis-driven, high-impact research.
  • Supports mature research projects that specifically focus on critical scientific or clinical cancer issues and have the potential to make a major near-term impact.
  • Applications must address at least one of the FY26 PRCRP topic areas.
  • Applications must address at least one of the FY26 PRCRP Military Health focus areas.
  • Applications must include preliminary data.
  • Applications can support, but do not require, clinical trials.
  • The PRCRP requires submission of a preproposal; application submission by invitation only.
  • Maximum period of performance is 3 years
  • Maximum allowable funding:
    • Single PI: $1.5M for total costs*
    • Partnering PI Option: $2M 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 PRCRP 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 Friday, February 20, 2026