DoD Prostate Cancer, Idea Development Award

The Department of Defense (DOD), through its Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP), is offering the FY25 Prostate Cancer Research Program (PCRP) Idea Development Award (IDA) under funding opportunity number HT942525PCRPIDA. This grant is part of a longstanding effort initiated in 1997 to support innovative research aimed at eradicating prostate cancer. The PCRP has received $2.37 billion in appropriations from FY97 through FY24, and its FY25 budget is set at $75 million. The program is managed by the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command (USAMRDC), with awards issued via grants from the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA). This funding opportunity is designed to support novel and potentially groundbreaking ideas in prostate cancer research. The FY25 IDA specifically encourages proposals that address one or more of the program’s overarching challenges: defining the biology of progression to lethal prostate cancer, developing new or improved treatments, enhancing quality of life for patients and caregivers, and improving equitable access to care. Applications must demonstrate how the proposed research will directly tackle these critical gaps in understanding or care delivery. Submissions must avoid topics related to low- or intermediate-risk disease, active surveillance, or biochemical recurrence unless they support one of the specified challenges. Two applicant tracks are available: Established Investigator and New Investigator. Established Investigators are eligible for up to $1.7 million over a three-year period, while New Investigators—early-career researchers within ten years of completing their terminal degree—may receive up to $2.1 million over four years. New Investigators must partner with a qualified collaborator experienced in prostate cancer research, and are encouraged to include a signed collaboration letter and statement of independence. Multidisciplinary and multi-institutional projects are welcome, though clinical trials are not permitted. Studies involving human subjects, specimens, or data are acceptable provided they meet clinical research—not clinical trial—criteria. The application process involves a two-step submission: a required pre-application (Letter of Intent) via the eBRAP portal by August 11, 2025, and a full application through Grants.gov (extramural applicants) or eBRAP (DOD intramural applicants) by September 2, 2025. Applicants must have active SAM.gov and eBRAP registrations before submission. The review process includes a compliance check, a peer review in October 2025 focusing on innovation and impact, and a programmatic review in February 2026. Award announcements will follow within six weeks of programmatic review, with awards finalized no later than September 30, 2026. Applications must include a detailed project narrative, budget, biographical sketches, and documentation such as a statement of work, impact and innovation statements, and letters of support. Additional requirements apply for New Investigators, including eligibility verification and, if needed, a statement of independence. Applications that propose the same research to multiple FY25 CDMRP opportunities or that involve classified data may be administratively withdrawn. Proposals must also adhere to rigorous research standards for reproducibility and data sharing, and should demonstrate relevance to Service Members, Veterans, and their families. For further information or technical assistance, applicants can contact the eBRAP Help Desk at 301-682-5507 or help@eBRAP.org. For Grants.gov issues, contact the Grants.gov Contact Center at 800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov. Applications that include clinical research involving human subjects will require additional regulatory approvals post-award. Awards may be transferred only under limited conditions and are subject to annual and final reporting requirements, including data sharing and inclusion reporting if applicable.

Do not propose clinical trials. Clearly address at least one FY25 Overarching Challenge. Validate access to data and collaborators in writing.