CDMRP: Lupus Research Program (LRP)

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

Executive Summary:

The CDMRP’s FY26 Lupus Research Program (LRP) pre-announcement signals anticipated funding opportunities supporting innovative, high-impact lupus research aimed at understanding, preventing, diagnosing, and treating lupus, as well as improving the quality of life for individuals living with lupus. This pre-announcement does not include application deadlines or guarantee funding — the official Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs) will be posted on Grants.gov with formal deadlines and requirements. Investigators should begin planning now to align with expected FY26 mechanisms and program goals.

How much funding would I receive?

The pre-announcement outlines multiple award mechanisms with specified maximum total costs:

• Idea Award – up to $300,000 (2 years)

• Impact Award – up to $1,000,000 (4 years)

• Transformative Vision Development Award – up to $250,000 (2 years)

• Transformative Vision Award – up to $2,000,000 (4 years)

What could I use the funding for?

Funding must support research aligned with one or more LRP focus areas:

Biological & Clinical Research

• Mechanisms of lupus disease and pathobiology

• Genetic, epigenetic, and gene–environment interaction studies

• Disease heterogeneity, presentations, and outcomes
  Applies to Idea & Impact Awards

Quality of Life & Intervention Studies

• Addressing social determinants of health

• Nutrition, symptom control, comparative effectiveness

• Outcomes research and patient-reported outcomes
  Applies to Impact, Transformative Vision Development, and Transformative Vision Awards

Innovative Health Care Delivery Models

• Models improving lupus outcomes
  Applies to Impact, Transformative Vision Development, and Transformative Vision Awards

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

• Mechanism clarity ahead of FOAs allows early planning.

• Subscribe to email updates through eBRAP for timely notifications when FOAs are released.

• Being positioned early can improve competitiveness.

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

• Pre-announcement released: February 11, 2026.

• Formal FOAs — will be posted on Grants.gov with official pre-application and full application deadlines.

• Investigators must submit a pre-application through eBRAP prior to the pre-application deadline specified in the FOAs.

Where does this funding come from?

Funding is provided through the FY26 Defense Appropriations Act appropriated to the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) and managed by the Defense Health Agency Research & Development and Medical Research and Development Command (DHA R&D-MRDC).

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is defined by mechanism:

• Idea Award: Investigators at or above postdoctoral level.

• Impact & Transformative Awards: Investigators at or above Assistant Professor (or equivalent).

• Team Requirements: Transformative mechanisms must include at least one lupus consumer advocate as part of the research team.

What companies and projects are likely to win?

Projects that:

• Align tightly with the specified focus areas.

• Demonstrate high innovation and impact potential.

• Involve strong preliminary data (as required for Transformative Vision Award).

• Include meaningful involvement of lupus consumer advocates (for transformative mechanisms).

Are there any restrictions I should know about?

• This pre-announcement is not a funding commitment; only the FOAs establish requirements and obligations.

• Applications cannot support clinical trials in Idea or Impact Awards; Transformative Vision Awards may support clinical trials but not animal studies.

• Transformative Vision Development Awards cannot support clinical trials or animal studies.

How long will it take me to prepare an application?

Preparation time depends on mechanism and complexity, but begin planning now — especially for pilot data and consumer engagement for transformative mechanisms. Historically, competitive CDMRP applications often require several weeks to months of focused preparation.

How can BW&CO help?

BW&CO can:

• Develop alignment narratives tied to LRP focus areas.

• Assist with preliminary data framing and research strategy articulation.

• Craft strong consumer advocacy integration plans.

• Ensure conformity with CDMRP review criteria once FOAs are released.

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.

Administration for Community Living (ACL): Caregiver AI Challenge

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

Executive Summary:

The Caregiver AI Challenge is a new federal prize competition launched by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), to accelerate practical, ethical, and scalable AI technologies that support caregivers—including family, friends, and direct care workers—across the U.S. Caregiving demands are rising dramatically, and this challenge seeks tools that reduce caregiver burden, improve quality of care, and strengthen workforce systems. Phase 1 of the competition is open for applications now, with a Phase 1 deadline of July 31, 2026 for submissions.

How much funding would I receive?

• Total Phase 1 funding pool: up to $2.5 million across prizes for winners.

• Phase 1 prizes: Up to 10 awards of up to $100,000 each per track.

• Additional merit prizes up to $50,000 for targeted focus areas (e.g., dementia support, interoperability, partnerships).

• Subsequent phases will have additional prizes (to be announced).

What could I use the funding for?

Caregiver Support Tools (Track 1)

• AI technologies that assist home caregivers with daily tasks.

• Tools that improve scheduling, monitoring, communication, safety, documentation reduction, or training support.

Workforce Support Tools (Track 2)

• AI solutions that help home care employers and networks improve efficiency, task automation, staff scheduling, recruitment/retention, and training systems.

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

• Public recognition and validation of your technology within federal aging/disability networks.

• Technical assistance and access to federal and non-federal partners during phases.

• Potential momentum toward commercialization, scaling, and follow-on opportunities.

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

• Phase 1 application deadline: July 31, 2026 (established in press coverage).

• Winners for Phase 1 are selected after the application review following that deadline.

• Funding is typically paid out after phase awards are announced and eligibility requirements are met.

Where does this funding come from?

This is a federal prize competition administered by the ACL within HHS and conducted under the America COMPETES Act, aimed at catalyzing innovation in caregiving through responsible AI technologies.

Who is eligible to apply?

Individuals, teams, or organizations of any type may apply as long as they comply with competition eligibility.

1. Applicants must be 18 or older.

2. U.S. citizens/permanent residents are eligible to win prizes; non-U.S. participants can participate but cannot receive prize awards.

What companies and projects are likely to win?

Likely winners will propose AI solutions that:

• Are already at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) ≥ 3 with concrete design and use cases.

• Demonstrate strong human-centered design with caregiver input.

• Show potential to improve caregiving safety, reduce burden, or extend workforce capabilities.

• Align with responsible AI principles (privacy, accountability, transparency, safety).

Are there any restrictions I should know about?

• Federal employees/involved parties and federal entities cannot win.

• Solutions must directly address caregiver challenges (not tangential AI tech).

• Must respect competition responsible AI design principles (e.g., privacy, dignity, user control).

How long will it take me to prepare an application?

Preparation time will vary based on the maturity of your AI tool; typical steps include:

• Defining caregiver problems and solution design (expert interviews).

• Documenting technology readiness and evidence of impact.

• Drafting implementation/testing plans that integrate caregiver/user feedback.
  Expect several weeks to months of preparation for a competitive submission.

How can BW&CO help?

BW&CO can:

• Translate the competition’s priorities into compelling narrative Q&A (aligned with HHS goals).

• Map your technology’s current progress to the Phase 1 judging criteria.

• Assist with application drafting to emphasize caregiver impact and responsible AI design.

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.

BRAIN Initiative: Theories, Models and Methods for Analysis of Complex Data from the Brain

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

Executive Summary:

The NIH BRAIN Initiative: Theories, Models and Methods for Analysis of Complex Data from the Brain (RFA-DA-27-004) is a competitive R01 research grant supporting the development of innovative theories, computational models, and analytical tools to advance understanding of brain function from complex neuroscience data. This funding is part of the NIH BRAIN Initiative, aiming to transform neuroscience through quantitative, predictive frameworks. Applications are due as soon as October 6th, 2026.

How much funding would I receive?

Application budgets are not limited, but NIH expects direct costs of approximately $150,000 – $350,000 per year.

Awards are for up to 3 years of support.

NIH anticipates funding multiple awards each cycle, depending on score and available appropriations.

What could I use the funding for?

Theories of brain function

Development of predictive, mathematically-grounded theories explaining how behavior arises from neural structure, circuit dynamics, computation, cognition, and environmental variables. Examples include:

• Theories of embodied computation that anchor the neural representation of sensory, cognitive, and motor variables to an individual/animal’s ongoing interactions with the environment through dynamic, moment-to-moment, circular, and iterative processes.

• Theories that bridge multiple scales of spatial organization (e.g., molecular, synaptic, cellular, circuit, systems) and/or temporal dynamics (e.g., milliseconds to lifetimes) to generate testable predictions of brain-behavior links or cognitive function.

• Theories linking circuit dynamics and function to specific properties of cell types or anatomical connections, identifying general rules, scaling principles, and contributions of specific circuit motifs to computation.

• Theories elucidating fundamental computational principles employed by biological neural networks, potentially drawing inspiration from or contrasting with artificial networks, but firmly grounded in biological constraints (e.g., neuronal/synaptic dynamics, connectivity patterns, metabolic limits, specific cell-type properties, learning rules).

Computational models of neural and behavioral dynamics

Development and validation of quantitative models that are mechanistically grounded, interpretable, predictive, and rigorously tested against neural and behavioral data. Examples include:

• Mechanistic, interpretable, and/or predictive models of neural dynamics, circuit function, or brain-behavior links that integrate biological details with computational principles.

• Models that integrate knowledge across multiple levels (e.g., linking behavior to neural population activity and cellular/circuit properties).

• Models of cognitive processing (e.g., sensory coding, decision-making, motor control, learning, memory) that are mechanistically grounded in identified circuit elements and dynamics, make quantitative predictions, and are rigorously tested against neural and behavioral data, potentially under ecologically relevant or challenging conditions (e.g., limited information, dynamic environments).

• Development and analysis of neural-inspired computational architectures or artificial intelligence/machine learning systems explicitly designed to gain novel insights into brain function.

Methods for complex data analysis

Development of novel computational, statistical, and analytical techniques designed to extract key insights from complex, large-scale neuroscience datasets. Examples include:

• Development of innovative and scalable computational/statistical methods for dimensionality reduction, identifying latent structure, disentangling contributing factors (e.g., sensory, motor, cognitive, state variables), extracting key dynamical features, or characterizing information flow within large, complex neural and behavioral datasets.

• Novel approaches for principled data fusion and assimilation to quantitatively integrate heterogeneous datasets (e.g., linking behavior with multi-regional activity, anatomical connectivity, and cell-type information) to infer new theories of brain function, or to constrain and validate multi-scale computational models.

• Novel statistical/signal processing methods (e.g., component analysis, graphical models, compressed sensing) to track structure in neural data and link to biophysical signals for mechanistic insights across scales.

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

• Collaboration with NIH program staff and participation in the broader BRAIN Initiative network.

• Tools developed are expected to be shared with the neuroscience community, enhancing visibility and impact.

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

Application Due Dates (all by 5:00 PM local time):

• Cycle 2: October 6, 2026

• Cycle 3: October 6, 2027

Expiration of this NOFO: November 9, 2027

Following review, awards generally begin in March–July of the year after submission.

Where does this funding come from?

This funding is provided by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) through multiple participating Institutes and Centers under the NIH BRAIN Initiative, including NIDA, NEI, NIA, NIAAA, NIBIB, NICHD, NIDCD, NIMH, NINDS, and NCCIH.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligible applicant organizations include:

• Higher Education Institutions

• Nonprofit organizations

• For-profit organizations (including small businesses)

• Local/state governments and tribal governments

• Foreign organizations (with restrictions on foreign subawards)

• Other research or non-profit entities

Eligible individuals are those qualified to lead the proposed research.

What companies and projects are likely to win?

Strong applicants typically:

• Propose novel and rigorous theoretical or computational frameworks.

• Demonstrate deep expertise in neuroscience, modeling, or computational analysis.

• Have clear plans to validate and share tools with the research community.

• Show relevance to BRAIN Initiative goals and the integration of complex datasets.

Are there any restrictions I should know about?

• Clinical trials are not allowed—only research on theory/model/method development.

• Proposed work must go beyond simple data collection and focus on quantitative theories or analytical tools.

• Foreign subawards are not permitted; collaborations must be unfunded or through other compliant mechanisms.

How long will it take me to prepare an application?

Plan 4-5 months minimum for:

• Concept development

• Budget preparation

• Letters of support and team coordination

• Registering with Grants.gov and eRA Commons (if not already completed)

NIH registration processes can take 6+ weeks, so start early.

How can BW&CO help?

BW&CO can assist with:

• Translating your science aims into NIH-ready specific aims.

• Coordinating NIH format and submission requirements.

• Aligning proposal with BRAIN Initiative priorities.

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.