Alzheimers Research Program Transforming Care Award

The FY25 Alzheimer’s Research Program (AZRP) Transforming Care Award (TrCA) is a funding opportunity administered by the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command (USAMRDC) through the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP). This initiative is funded under the Department of Defense (DOD) Defense Health Program, and aims to support clinical research or trials that provide significant, solution-oriented advancements in dementia care for individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease (AD) or Alzheimer's Disease Related Dementias (ADRD), and their care partners. The AZRP was initiated by Congress in 2011 to fund research with high potential impact and scientific merit, specifically addressing critical needs in military and public health. The Transforming Care Award emphasizes the development and implementation of care interventions, strategies, technologies, or tools that improve the quality of life and reduce caregiver burden for those impacted by dementia. Projects should address aspects such as aging in place, long-term care, psychosocial wellness, and community living. Clinical research and trials are allowed but cannot focus solely on testing pharmacological treatments. Community collaboration is a mandatory component, requiring partnerships with individuals or organizations representing the lived experience of AD/ADRD communities. Eligible applicants include both intramural and extramural organizations—such as academic institutions, private and public entities, and non-profits—regardless of nationality. Principal Investigators (PIs) may be at any career stage, and there is a Career Initiation or Transition (CIT) Partnership Option to support collaborative applications involving new or transitioning researchers. Each CIT partnership will have two separate awards, one per PI, and both are subject to independent administrative and reporting requirements. Matching funds are not required. The application process consists of two stages: a pre-application, due June 12, 2025, followed by an invitation-based full application, due August 29, 2025. Notifications of application status will be issued by July 14, 2025. Peer and programmatic reviews will occur in October 2025 and January 2026 respectively, with funding decisions finalized by September 30, 2026. Applications must be submitted through eBRAP for pre-applications and either eBRAP or Grants.gov for full applications, depending on organization type. The maximum award for single PI submissions is $1.6 million, while CIT Partnership Option submissions can request up to $1.9 million combined. The performance period is capped at four years. Awards will be funded using FY25 dollars, which are available for use until September 30, 2031. Direct costs may include travel, community collaboration costs, and clinical trial expenses but may not include animal studies or travel beyond specified limits. Key application elements include detailed research and progression plans, impact statements, community collaboration plans, and structured abstracts. All submissions must also include a draft research manual. Projects will be evaluated based on their impact, research strategy and feasibility, progression plan, team expertise, and alignment with AZRP priorities. Contact for submission support includes the eBRAP Help Desk (help@eBRAP.org, 301-682-5507) and Grants.gov Support (support@grants.gov, 800-518-4726).