DoD Breast Cancer Era of Hope Scholar Award

The Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) Breast Cancer Research Program (BCRP) Era of Hope Scholar Award is administered by the U.S. Department of Defense through the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP), under the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command. This opportunity is aimed at early-career, independent investigators who demonstrate exceptional creativity, vision, and potential for leadership in breast cancer research. The award is not project-centric but rather focused on identifying individuals capable of making transformative contributions toward eradicating breast cancer. The program's overarching objective is to support scientists positioned to challenge existing paradigms and drive innovation. It funds researchers who propose work aligned with at least one of the FY25 BCRP’s overarching challenges, which include preventing breast cancer, distinguishing between lethal and non-lethal forms, addressing metastasis and recurrence, and transforming treatment protocols. Successful applicants must commit at least 25% of their professional effort to this work and incorporate two or more consumer advocates—breast cancer survivors engaged in advocacy—into their research team to provide input from a patient-centered perspective. The funding instrument is a grant, with up to $4.9 million available per award for a maximum performance period of four years. A total of approximately $9.8 million is allocated to fund two awards in FY25. Clinical trials are allowed, provided they meet regulatory definitions, and applications should propose research relevant to service members, veterans, military beneficiaries, and/or the American public. Applicants must submit a two-step application: a pre-application (Letter of Intent) through eBRAP by June 13, 2025, and a full application via Grants.gov or eBRAP by June 27, 2025. Confidential letters of recommendation are due by July 2, 2025. Invited applicants will give an oral presentation in January 2026. Full applications must include a detailed project narrative, supporting documentation, a statement of work, team composition, and consumer advocate participation. Applications will be evaluated through a two-tier review process: peer review assessing scientific merit, followed by programmatic review focused on innovation and alignment with BCRP goals. Eligibility is broad, allowing both domestic and international applicants from public or private, nonprofit or for-profit organizations. The Principal Investigator must be within six years of their last training position (excluding medical or family leave), and may not be in a mentored role such as a postdoctoral fellow. Awards are made to institutions, not individuals, and require organizational support for eligibility, including verification of institutional commitment to the PI's proposed research role. For support, applicants can contact the eBRAP Help Desk at 301-682-5507 or help@eBRAP.org, and the Grants.gov Contact Center at 800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov. Awards will be finalized by September 30, 2026, with funds available through September 30, 2031.