DoW Tick-Borne Disease Idea Development Award

The FY26 Tick-Borne Disease Research Program Idea Development Award is a federal grant from the Defense Health Agency, administered through the Department of the Army’s USAMRAA, to support conceptually innovative research that can reduce the burden of Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases and improve patient care or quality of life. The work is intended to advance new ideas or questions rather than incremental follow-on studies, with focus areas including pathogenesis, treatment, and diagnosis. It includes a standard award for independent investigators and a career development option for early-career researchers under mentorship, with a three-year period of performance, funding caps of $800,000 and $550,000, and attention to U.S.-endemic and persistent Lyme disease. The application process is two-step, requiring a pre-application through eBRAP and a full application through eBRAP or Grants.gov, with pre-applications due July 22, 2026 and full applications due October 22, 2026; active SAM.gov, eBRAP.org, and Grants.gov registrations are required.