CDMRP: Breast Cancer Research Program (BCRP)

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Executive Summary:

The Breast Cancer Research Program (BCRP), managed by the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP), has released a Pre-Announcement for anticipated Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) funding opportunities to support innovative, high-impact research aimed at ending breast cancer for Service Members, Veterans, their families, and the general public. This pre-announcement is intended to let investigators plan and develop proposals before the full Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs) are posted on Grants.gov. The government does not guarantee awards based on this document alone. FOA release dates, pre-application, and application deadlines will be announced on Grants.gov and eBRAP. Driven investigators should begin conceptualizing competitive approaches immediately.

How much funding would I receive?

The Pre-Announcement outlines anticipated award types with specified maximum total costs for FY26:

Breakthrough Award

• Level 1: up to $750,000 (single PI) or $1.25M (partnering PIs)

• Level 2: up to $1.65M (single PI) or $2.5M (partnering PIs)

• Population Science (Level 2): up to $2.5M (single) or $3.35M (partnering)

• Level 3: up to $5.6M (single) or $7M (partnering)

• Level 4: up to $21M
  (Breakthrough Awards range from early high-risk ideas to transformative approaches.)

Other Anticipated Mechanisms

• Era of Hope Scholar Award: up to $4.9M

• Clinical Research Extension Award: up to $7M (single) / $8.4M (partnering)

• Transformative Breast Cancer Consortium Award: up to $35M

• Transformative Breast Cancer Consortium Development Award: up to $140,000
  (These awards support early-career investigators, ongoing clinical research, and large multi-project consortia.)

What could I use the funding for?

Funded research must address one or more overarching challenges critical to ending breast cancer:

Topic Areas / Research Aims

• Primary prevention of breast cancer

• Determinants of initiation, risk, or susceptibility

• Distinguishing lethal vs. non-lethal tumors

• Solutions to overdiagnosis/overtreatment

• Pathways driving tumor growth and metastasis

• Mechanisms of dormancy and lethal recurrence

• More effective, less toxic treatments

• Reducing mortality from metastatic disease

Mechanism-Specific Uses

• Breakthrough Awards: high-risk/high-reward or translation-focused research

• Era of Hope Scholar Award: early-career leadership and innovation

• Clinical Research Extension: extending clinical data collection and analysis

• Consortium Awards: integrated multi-project collaborations toward transformative goals

(Mechanism scopes will be confirmed in the FOAs.)

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

Participating teams may benefit from:

• Collaborative frameworks with consumer advocates required on some mechanisms

• Access to eBRAP support and templates for submission guidance

What is the timeline to apply and when would I receive funding?

• Pre-Announcement Released: February 2026 (no exact FOA deadlines yet)

• FOAs and deadlines: Will be posted on Grants.gov and eBRAP once finalized.

• Plan: Prepare project concepts now; watch Grants.gov and eBRAP for pre-application and application due dates, which may be weeks to months after FOA publication. Award start dates typically follow after review and appropriation obligations.

Where does this funding come from?

This funding is provided by the FY26 Defense Appropriations Act under the Department of Defense’s Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs, specifically appropriated for breast cancer research.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility varies by mechanism but generally includes:

• Investigators at all academic levels or equivalent (Breakthrough, Clinical Extension)

• Independent investigators (higher level awards)

• Teams including consumer advocates for specified awards

• Exact eligibility will be detailed in each FOA.

(Final eligibility criteria are determined in the FOAs.)

What companies and projects are likely to win?

Competitive proposals typically:

• Address key overarching challenges defined by BCRP

• Demonstrate innovation, clinical relevance, and impact

• Include translational pathways or transformative potential

• Meet mechanism-specific expectations (e.g., data access plans, interdisciplinary teams)

Are there any restrictions I should know about?

• This pre-announcement is not a FOA and does not guarantee funding.

• Final applications must conform to Grants.gov FOAs once released.

• Mechanism specific limits on clinical trials and preliminary data requirements will be in each FOA.

How long will it take me to prepare an application?

Preparation time varies by project complexity, but given the breadth of mechanisms and expected competitive standards, begin planning now while awaiting FOAs:

• Concept refinement: ~2–4 weeks

• Team assembly & consumer advocate engagement: ~2–6 weeks

• Budget & prelim data planning: ~4–8+ weeks depending on scope

How can BW&CO help?

BW&CO can assist with:

• Translating BCRP FOA language into tailored project responses

• Drafting narrative, budget justification, and impact sections

• Aligning your concept with mechanism-specific review criteria

• Incorporating consumer review perspectives where required

How much would BW&CO Charge?

We have both fractional engagements ($250 an hour) and full engagements ($13,000 + 5%) available.

Additional Resources

Review the solicitation here.