DoW Peer Reviewed Cancer, Idea Award

The FY26 Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program (PRCRP) Idea Award, HT942526PRCRPIA, is a funding opportunity from the Defense Health Agency. It aims to support innovative, high-risk/high-reward basic cancer research relevant to Service Members, Veterans, and their Families. The program encourages applications from both established and early career investigators, with a special Early Career Investigator option. Total funding is approximately $18.0M for Idea Awards and $9.0M for the Early Career Investigator Option, with a maximum of $600,000 per award over two years. Key dates include a pre-application due date of June 26, 2026, and a full application due date of October 5, 2026. Research must address at least one of the congressionally directed FY26 PRCRP Topic Areas and Strategic Goals, and demonstrate military health relevance. Clinical trials are not permitted. The application process is two-step, requiring a pre-application through eBRAP and a full application via Grants.gov (extramural) or eBRAP (intramural). Applications are evaluated based on innovation, impact, military relevance, and research strategy.