CDMRP: FY26 Kidney Cancer Research Program (KCRP)
Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).
Executive Summary:
The Department of Defense Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) has released three Fiscal Year 2026 Kidney Cancer Research Program (KCRP) funding opportunities designed to support innovative kidney cancer research, develop future leaders in the field, and accelerate new discoveries that improve outcomes for patients. Collectively, these opportunities represent approximately $10.2 million in anticipated funding across three award mechanisms.
The FY26 KCRP continues to focus on advancing the biology of kidney cancer, developing new therapeutic approaches, improving patient care and survivorship, addressing health disparities, and expanding research capacity through investigator development and collaboration.
Researchers can apply through one of three mechanisms:
Concept Award
Supports highly innovative, untested, and potentially groundbreaking ideas in kidney cancer research. This mechanism is intended for high-risk concepts that could open entirely new avenues of investigation. Preliminary data are not allowed. Awards provide up to $120,000 in total costs over one year.
Idea Development Award
Supports hypothesis-driven research projects backed by preliminary data and a well-developed scientific rationale. Projects must address important questions in kidney cancer research or clinical care and demonstrate potential for significant impact. Awards provide up to $900,000 for a single Principal Investigator or up to $1.2 million through the Partnering Principal Investigator option over three years.
Academy of Kidney Cancer Investigators – Early-Career Scholar Award
Supports promising early-career investigators pursuing independent careers in kidney cancer research. In addition to funding a research project, awardees join a national mentoring and networking academy that provides intensive mentorship, scientific collaboration opportunities, leadership development, and career support. Awards provide up to $1.2 million over four years.
All three mechanisms require submission of a Letter of Intent prior to full application submission and do not allow clinical trials. Applicants should begin preparing immediately to ensure sufficient time for project development, institutional approvals, collaborator coordination, and application assembly.
The earliest deadline is the Concept Award Letter of Intent due July 28, 2026, 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The Idea Development Award and Academy of Kidney Cancer Investigators – Early-Career Scholar Award both require Letters of Intent by September 14, 2026, 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
How much funding would I receive?
Funding depends on the mechanism selected.
Concept Award
Up to $120,000 total costs
Maximum period of performance: 1 year
Approximately 7 awards anticipated
Idea Development Award
Single PI Option: Up to $900,000 total costs
Partnering PI Option: Up to $1.2 million total costs
Maximum period of performance: 3 years
Approximately 8 awards anticipated
Academy of Kidney Cancer Investigators – Early-Career Scholar Award
Up to $1.2 million total costs
Maximum period of performance: 4 years
Approximately 2 awards anticipated
What could I use the funding for?
All three mechanisms support research addressing at least one FY26 KCRP focus area, including:
Understanding kidney cancer biology, progression, metastasis, and prevention
Developing new screening, diagnostic, prognostic, and imaging approaches
Advancing treatments for rare kidney cancers
Creating novel therapeutic strategies
Improving quality of life and survivorship
Addressing outcomes in high-risk and underserved populations
Expanding research capacity and developing future kidney cancer researchers
The Concept Award is intended for exploratory, high-risk concepts.
The Idea Development Award supports mature research projects with preliminary data and a clearly defined hypothesis.
The Early-Career Scholar Award supports both a research project and a structured career-development program designed to establish long-term independence in kidney cancer research.
Are there any additional benefits I would receive?
The Idea Development Award includes a Partnering Principal Investigator option that supports formal collaborations between two investigators contributing distinct expertise to a single project.
The Academy of Kidney Cancer Investigators – Early-Career Scholar Award provides:
Intensive mentorship from established kidney cancer investigators
National networking opportunities
Scientific collaborations
Monthly academy programming
Annual and biennial workshops
Leadership and career development training
Access to a national peer network of kidney cancer researchers
All three mechanisms encourage multidisciplinary collaborations involving academia, industry, the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and other federal agencies.
What is the timeline to apply and when would I receive funding?
Concept Award
Letter of Intent Deadline: July 28, 2026, 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Application Deadline: August 11, 2026, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time
Peer Review: October 2026
Programmatic Review: December 2026
Idea Development Award
Letter of Intent Deadline: September 14, 2026, 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Application Deadline: September 28, 2026, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time
Peer Review: December 2026
Programmatic Review: March 2027
Academy of Kidney Cancer Investigators – Early-Career Scholar Award
Letter of Intent Deadline: September 14, 2026, 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Application Deadline: September 28, 2026, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time
Peer Review: December 2026
Programmatic Review: March 2027
Awards funded through FY26 appropriations are expected to be made no later than September 30, 2027.
Where does this funding come from?
Funding comes from the Department of Defense Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs through the Kidney Cancer Research Program.
Congress established the KCRP in 2017 to support research with exceptional scientific merit and high potential impact. The program received $15 million in FY26 appropriations.
The program's mission is to promote rigorous, innovative, high-impact kidney cancer research for the benefit of Service Members, Veterans, their families, and the American public.
Who is eligible to apply?
Concept Award
Investigators at all career levels, including postdoctoral fellows or equivalent
Foreign and domestic organizations
For-profit and nonprofit organizations
Public and private entities
Idea Development Award
Investigators at or above the level of Assistant Professor (or equivalent)
Foreign and domestic organizations
For-profit and nonprofit organizations
Public and private entities
Academy of Kidney Cancer Investigators – Early-Career Scholar Award
Investigators within seven years of their most recent postdoctoral research position, clinical fellowship, or equivalent
Must meet Early-Career Scholar eligibility requirements
Must identify a qualified Designated Mentor
Foreign and domestic organizations
For-profit and nonprofit organizations
Public and private entities
Who is not eligible to apply?
Concept Award
Investigators below the postdoctoral fellow level (or equivalent)
Idea Development Award
Investigators below the Assistant Professor level (or equivalent)
Academy of Kidney Cancer Investigators – Early-Career Scholar Award
Individuals currently in postdoctoral positions, clinical fellowships, or equivalent training positions at the application deadline
Investigators more than seven years removed from their last postdoctoral position, fellowship, or equivalent training experience
Additional eligibility restrictions apply to mentors participating in the Academy mechanism.
What companies and projects are likely to win?
Competitive applications will closely align with KCRP priorities and demonstrate clear potential to advance the field.
For the Concept Award, reviewers are looking for:
Highly innovative ideas
Novel concepts
New research paradigms
Research that goes beyond incremental advances
For the Idea Development Award, reviewers are looking for:
Strong preliminary data
Well-developed hypotheses
Rigorous research strategies
Significant potential impact on kidney cancer research or patient care
For the Early-Career Scholar Award, reviewers are evaluating:
The investigator's potential to become an independent leader in kidney cancer research
Quality of the mentoring plan
Strength of the career-development strategy
Scientific merit of the proposed research
Across all mechanisms, projects that directly address FY26 KCRP focus areas and demonstrate strong scientific rationale are likely to be most competitive.
Are there any restrictions I should know about?
Across all three mechanisms:
Clinical trials are not allowed.
Applications must address at least one FY26 KCRP focus area.
Applications must address at least one eligible kidney cancer disease type.
Cost sharing is not required.
Awards are made to organizations rather than individuals.
Additional mechanism-specific restrictions include:
Concept Award
Preliminary data are not allowed.
Applications undergo blinded review.
Applications may not contain identifying information about investigators or institutions.
Idea Development Award
Preliminary data are required.
Academy of Kidney Cancer Investigators – Early-Career Scholar Award
Preliminary data are required.
Applicants must meet specific career-stage requirements.
Applicants must identify an eligible Designated Mentor.
How competitive will this solicitation be?
The FY26 KCRP funding opportunities are expected to be highly competitive.
Historical funding data demonstrates significant demand:
Concept Award
587 applications received since FY17
73 recommended for funding
Idea Development Award
610 applications received since FY17
124 recommended for funding
Academy of Kidney Cancer Investigators – Early-Career Scholar Award
40 applications received since FY19
14 recommended for funding
Applicants should expect strong competition and should clearly demonstrate alignment with program priorities, innovation, feasibility, and potential impact.
How long will it take me to prepare an application?
Preparation effort varies significantly by mechanism.
Concept Award
Typically requires the least preparation because preliminary data are prohibited and the narrative is intentionally brief. However, applicants must carefully comply with blinded-review requirements.
Idea Development Award
Requires substantial preparation due to the need for preliminary data, a comprehensive research strategy, detailed supporting documentation, impact statements, and progression planning.
Academy of Kidney Cancer Investigators – Early-Career Scholar Award
Typically requires the greatest preparation effort because applicants must develop both a research plan and a comprehensive career-development strategy while coordinating mentor participation and institutional commitments.
How can BW&CO help?
BW&CO can help applicants determine which KCRP mechanism best aligns with their technology, scientific maturity, and career stage.
Our team can support:
Opportunity assessment and go/no-go decisions
Mechanism selection
Research strategy development
Hypothesis refinement
Innovation positioning
Impact narrative development
Mentor and collaborator coordination
Compliance review
Proposal writing and editing
Grants.gov and submission support