HT942526MRPMASA_GG.pdf

This program announcement must be read in conjunction with the General Application Instructions, version CD26_01.

Program Announcement for the Defense Health Agency

Melanoma Research Program

Melanoma Academy Scholar Award

Funding Opportunity Number: HT942526MRPMASA

Pre-Application Due: September 22, 2026

Application Due: October 14, 2026 https://ebrap.org/eBRAP/public/gai.htm?version=CD26_01

FY26 Melanoma Academy Scholar Award 2

Content

Before You Begin 3

Basic Information Summarizes the funding opportunity, funding details, submission deadlines and review dates

Eligibility Details eligibility factors for the applicant organization and Principal Investigator

Program Description Describes the program mission and intent of the Melanoma Academy Scholar Award;

provides key award information and considerations; and outlines funding details

Application Contents Presents the two-step application process and instructions for preparing a pre-application and full application

Submission Requirements Provides locations for application packages, instructions for submitting pre-applications and full applications, and describes application verification

Application Review Information Outlines the processes for application compliance review, pre-application and full application selection/notification, and risk assessment. Also, details the review criteria for pre-application screening and both tiers of the CDMRP application review process – Peer Review and Programmatic Review

Federal Award Notices Outlines what a successful applicant can expect if recommended for funding

Post-Award Requirements References policy requirements for funded research; outlines reporting requirements and restrictions related to Principal Investigator changes and institutional award transfers

Other Information Outlines criteria for administrative actions including application rejection, modification, withdrawal and withhold

Appendix 1 Includes a checklist for all full application components to facilitate application submission

Appendix 2 Acronym List

FY26 Melanoma Academy Scholar Award 3

Before You Begin

• Active SAM.gov, eBRAP.org and Grants.gov registrations are required for application submission. User registration for each of these websites can take several weeks or longer.

Each applicant must ensure their registrations are active and up to date prior to application preparation.

• Read this funding opportunity announcement in the order it is written before beginning to prepare application materials. It is the responsibility of the applicant to determine whether the proposed research meets the intent of this funding opportunity and that all parties meet eligibility requirements.

• To support application preparation, additional resources are available including an application process FAQ, a Guide for Intragovernmental & Intramural Applicants and a CDMRP Video Series detailing the application process.

Who to Contact for Support

This document uses internal links; you can go back to where you were by pressing the Alt + left arrow keys (Windows) or command + left arrow keys (Macintosh) on your keyboard.

Click to be taken to additional guidance and instructions within the General Application Instructions (GAI).

eBRAP Help Desk

301-682-5507 help@eBRAP.org

Questions regarding funding opportunity submission requirements, as well as technical assistance related to pre-application or intramural application submission.

Grants.gov Support Center

800-518-4726 International: 1-606-545-5035 support@grants.gov

Questions regarding Grants.gov registration and Workspace.

https://sam.gov/ https://ebrap.org/eBRAP/public/index.htm https://grants.gov/register https://cdmrp.health.mil/#:~:text=Frequently%20Asked%20Questions%20%C2%BB https://cdmrp.health.mil/#:~:text=Guide%20for%20Intragovernmental%20%26%20Intramural%20Applicants https://ebrap.org/eBRAP/public/Program.htm#:~:text=Journey%20of%20an,Tier%20Review%20Process mailto:help@eBRAP.org mailto:support@grants.gov https://ebrap.org/eBRAP/public/gai.htm?version=CD26_01

Section Shortcuts Basic Information | Eligibility | Program Description | Application Contents and Format | Submission Requirements

Application Review Information | Federal Award Notices | Post-Award Requirements | Other Information

FY26 Melanoma Academy Scholar Award 4

1. Basic Information About the Funding Opportunity

Summary: Supports the addition of independent, early career investigators (Scholars) who are no more than seven years from their initial faculty appointment to the Melanoma Research Program (MRP) Melanoma Academy. The Melanoma Academy is a unique, interactive virtual academy focused on bringing together established investigators and Scholars to develop a network of successful, highly productive melanoma researchers in a collaborative research and career development environment.

Distinctive Features:

• This award mechanism focuses on both the Scholar’s research and career potential in the melanoma field.

• Scholars must designate a Career Guide. The Career Guide must have a track record of successful mentorship coupled with a strong record of funding and publications in melanoma.

• Preliminary data are not required.

Funding Details: The Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs expects to allot roughly $1.54M to fund approximately two Melanoma Academy Scholar Award applications with total cost caps of $0.77M per award. The maximum period of performance is 3 years. It is anticipated that awards made from this fiscal year 2026 (FY26) funding opportunity will be funded with FY26 funds, which will expire for use on September 30, 2032. Awards supported with FY26 funds will be made no later than September 30, 2027.

Submission and Review Dates and Times

• Pre-Application (Letter of Intent) Submission Deadline: 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET), September 22, 2026

• Application Submission Deadline: 11:59 p.m. ET, October 14, 2026

• End of Application Verification Period: 5:00 p.m. ET, October 20, 2026

• Peer Review: December 2026

• Programmatic Review: March 2027

Announcement Type: Initial

Funding Opportunity Number: HT942526MRPMASA

Assistance Listing Number: 12.420

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2. Eligibility Information

2.1. Eligible Applicants

2.1.1. Organization

Extramural and intramural U.S. Department of War (DOW) organizations are eligible to apply, including foreign and domestic organizations, for-profit and nonprofit organizations, and public or private entities.

2.1.2. Principal Investigator

• Scholar

To be named as the Principal Investigator (PI) on the application, the Scholar:

○ Must be an independent investigator no more than seven years from obtaining their first faculty-level appointment as of the full application submission deadline, excluding time spent on family medical leave.

○ Must have an organizational commitment of independent laboratory space.

○ May be in a non-tenure track or tenure track position.

○ If recommended for funding, must not have a concurrent career-development-like award at the time this award is made.

○ May be named on only one FY26 Melanoma Academy Scholar Award (MASA) full application as a PI.

A Statement of Eligibility is required with the submission of the full application.

An investigator in a mentored position (e.g., postdoctoral fellow, clinical fellow) at the time of full application submission is NOT considered an independent investigator and is NOT eligible to be named as the PI on the MASA application.

• Career Guide

To be named as the Career Guide on the application, the Career Guide:

○ Must be an independent, established melanoma researcher at or above the level of Associate Professor (or equivalent).

○ Must have melanoma research funding (past and present).

○ Must have a record of melanoma publications in peer-reviewed journals.

○ Must demonstrate a commitment to develop and sustain the Scholar’s independent career in the field of melanoma.

○ Must be committed to fully participating in Melanoma Academy (MA) activities as requested by the Scholar and MA Leadership throughout the MASA period of performance.

○ Must not be the current Director or the Deputy Director of the MA.

○ Must not be the named Career Guide on any previously funded (FY21-FY25) MASA applications.

https://ebrap.org/eBRAP/public/gai.htm?version=CD26_01#_Content_Form_Full_App_Submission:~:text=pre%2Dapplication%20submission.-,Extramural%20Organization%3A,-A%20foreign%20or https://ebrap.org/eBRAP/public/gai.htm?version=CD26_01#_Definition_List:~:text=Intramural%20DOW%20Organization%3A%20A%20subset%20of%20intragovernmental%20organizations%3B%20refers%20specifically%20to%20DOW%20organizations%2C%20including%20DOW%20laboratories%2C%20DOW%20military%20treatment%20facilities%2C%20and/or%20DOW%20activities%20embedded%20within%20a%20civilian%20medical%20center.

https://cdmrp.health.mil/mrp/research_highlights/22Davies_Fisher_Holder_Chua_highlight

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○ Must not be named on more than ONE FY26 MASA application.

Note: The Scholar and Career Guide DO NOT need to be located at the same organization.

Independent investigators affiliated with an eligible organization are eligible to be named PI on the application, regardless of ethnicity, nationality or citizenship status.

2.2. Cost Sharing

Cost sharing is not an eligibility requirement.

2.3. Other

Awards are made to eligible organizations, not to individuals. Refer to the GAI for additional recipient qualification requirements.

https://ebrap.org/eBRAP/public/gai.htm?version=CD26_01#_Recipient_Qualification_Restriction_Info:~:text=APPENDIX%201-,RECIPIENT%20QUALIFICATION%20AND%20RESTRICTION%20INFORMATION,-A.%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0

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3. Program Description

The Defense Health Agency Contracting Activity (DHACA) is soliciting applications to this funding opportunity using delegated authority provided by United States Code, Title 10, Section 4001 (10 USC 4001). The Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) is the program office managing this FY26 funding opportunity as part of the Melanoma Research Program (MRP). The CDMRP is located within the Defense Health Agency Research and Development (DHA R&D), which is a part of the Department of Defense, DOD, herein referred to using the secondary title Department of War, DOW. Congress initiated the MRP in 2019 to provide support for research of high potential impact and exceptional scientific merit.

Appropriations for the MRP from FY19 through FY25 totaled $220 million (M). The FY26 appropriation is $40M.

The vision of the MRP is to prevent melanoma initiation and progression and reduce hardship.

The mission is to support development of earlier interventions to enhance mission readiness, diminish melanoma burden, and improve quality of life for Service Members, Veterans, their Families and the American public.

Studies involving non-melanoma skin cancers are not allowed under the FY26 MRP.

The MRP identified three strategic priorities to ensure that funded research addresses unmet needs and/or underfunded areas of melanoma research and patient care. These three priorities are:

Prevention and Interception: Individuals diagnosed with melanoma have significantly improved prognoses when the disease is diagnosed and treated before it metastasizes.

Although primary prevention (use of sunscreen, sun avoidance, etc.) is critical, the MRP seeks to fund research that will lead to improved detection and monitoring capabilities (particularly for individuals at highest risk) as well as inhibition of melanoma initiation, early dissemination, emergence from tumor dormancy and metastases (i.e., interception).

With the exception of studies investigating rare melanomas, the FY26 MRP is not requesting research into established macrometastatic disease or developing treatments for macrometastatic disease.

Rare Melanomas: Rare melanoma subtypes can have distinct characteristics compared to cutaneous melanoma, which makes up the majority of melanoma diagnoses. Rare melanoma subtypes are typically less well-studied, and this has led to a variety of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment challenges. The MRP seeks to fund research across the entire cancer research spectrum addressing unmet needs and knowledge gaps associated with rare melanomas.

Although the FY26 MRP accepts applications addressing topics relevant to uveal melanoma, the MRP is particularly interested in receiving applications that address other uncommon presentations of melanoma, including but not limited to:

• Genetic (molecular subtypes).

• Histologic (desmoplastic and acral lentiginous).

• Tissue of origin (mucosal, acral).

• Clinical presentation (pediatric, leptomeningeal disease).

Survivorship: The widely accepted definition of cancer, and therefore melanoma, survivorship spans the time from an individual receiving their initial diagnosis through the balance of their life. Under this definition, an individual is considered a melanoma survivor beginning at the time they receive their initial diagnosis. For the purposes of the MRP, the needs and impact of a melanoma diagnosis on family members, friends and care partners of

Basic Information | Eligibility | Program Description | Application Contents and Format | Submission Requirements

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FY26 Melanoma Academy Scholar Award 8 melanoma survivors are also included within the purview of “melanoma survivorship.” With the increasing incidence of melanoma and the increased availability of effective treatment options for patients with melanoma, the number of melanoma survivors is also increasing. Melanoma survivorship research covers a broad range of research areas that have the goal of improving the health and well-being of melanoma survivors and their families/care partners. The MRP seeks to fund innovative and impactful research that advances studies in preservation of function (physical ability), quality of life improvement, symptom management, treatment outcomes and support for psychological and social issues related to melanoma diagnosis, treatment and life post-treatment.

3.1. Award History

The Melanoma Academy Scholar Award (MASA) mechanism was first offered in FY21. Since then, 60 MASA applications were received and 13 were recommended for funding.

Melanoma Academy Background:

The MRP Melanoma Academy (MA) is a unique, multi-institutional virtual academy providing intensive monitoring, national networking, collaborations and a peer group for early-career investigators initiated in FY21. The overarching goal of the MA is to develop a network of successful, highly productive melanoma researchers in a collaborative research and career development environment.

The MA members include Scholars (i.e., the investigator named as the PI on the MASA application) and their Career Guides (primary mentors) and the MA is led by a Director and Deputy Director (i.e., the MA Leadership).

The MA Leadership facilitates collaboration and communication among all Scholars and Career Guides as well as with national research and patient advocacy communities, and fosters connections between Scholars and other national and international melanoma experts who may not be directly affiliated with the MA. In addition to fostering scientific development, the MA Leadership provides opportunities for professional and leadership development of the Scholars, including the skills and competencies needed to fund and manage a productive laboratory.

Information about currently funded MA Leadership and Scholar Awards is available on the MRP webpages here and here.

3.2. Intent of the Melanoma Academy Scholar Award

The intent of the FY26 MASA is to solicit applications for Scholars to join the MA. This award mechanism enables the Scholar to pursue a melanoma project, with the guidance of a Career Guide, that may be basic, translational, and/or clinical research and addresses at least one of the FY26 MRP Focus Areas. The Career Guide does not have to be at the same institution as the Scholar. In addition to the activities described above, the Scholar and their Career Guide are required to attend a DOW MRP biennial multi-day MA workshop. In alternate years, they must also attend a DOW MRP MA one-day workshop.

The MRP encourages MASA applications from those whose ability to commit to conducting melanoma research is limited by minimal or a lack of resources at their institution (such as lack of a qualified Career Guide), access to melanoma research tools, opportunities for establishing collaborations or other obstacles.

https://cdmrp.health.mil/mrp/research_highlights/22Davies_Fisher_Holder_Chua_highlight https://cdmrp.health.mil/mrp/research_highlights/23_FY22Scholars_Bakhoum_Hornick_Rotemberg_highlight

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3.2.1. Focus Areas for the MASA

All applications to the FY26 MRP MASA must address at least one of the following FY26 MRP Focus Areas that support the MRP strategic priorities:

Prevention and Interception:

• Identify, understand and mitigate risk factor determinants and develop biomarkers for melanoma.

• Develop new technology for the detection, diagnosis and monitoring of melanoma that can distinguish lesions and/or individuals at higher risk for progression from lesions and/or individuals requiring only surveillance.

• Define the mechanisms of:

○ Melanoma initiation

○ Response and/or resistance to adjuvant and/or neoadjuvant therapy, including cellular-based therapies

○ Progression

○ Recurrence

○ Emergence from tumor dormancy

○ Metastatic spread

Mechanism-focused studies may include the role of the tumor microenvironment and/or microbiome in these processes.

• Develop new preclinical models that faithfully represent disease evolution observed in humans, from melanomagenesis through progression. New models may represent cutaneous melanoma or any rare melanoma subtype.

Rare Melanomas:

• Address unmet needs across the entire cancer research spectrum for rare melanomas, as defined above, which includes studies of biology, etiology, prevention, early diagnosis and detection, prognosis, treatment or survivorship.

Survivorship:

• Address the psychological and social impacts of a melanoma diagnosis, symptom trajectories, adverse effects of treatment and other outcomes affecting melanoma survivors and their family members/care partners.

• Address the physical impacts of symptom trajectories; acute and late-occurring adverse effects of treatment, including lymphedema, toxicities, reproductive and sexual health issues, and side effects that may not manifest until after treatment ends; role of diet, exercise and other lifestyle factors on treatment outcomes and/or quality of life; etc.

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3.2.2. Key Elements for the MASA

Principal Investigator: The PI (i.e., Scholar) must be an independent, early-career researcher or physician-scientist no more than seven years from obtaining their first faculty-level appointment. The PI’s record of accomplishments and the proposed research will be evaluated regarding their potential for contributing to the FY26 MRP Focus Area(s). Not all of the PI’s accomplishments need to be in the field of melanoma. The PI’s organization must demonstrate a commitment to the PI through confirmation of independent laboratory space.

Impact: The impact of the proposed research must relate to at least one of the FY26 MRP Focus Areas. Impactful research, including basic research, should expedite the advancement of promising ideas toward clinical and/or public utility. The application must articulate the short-and long-term impact the proposed research will have on melanoma research and/or patient care.

Career Development: A Career Development and Sustainment Plan is required and the Career Guide should provide appropriate guidance during its preparation. It should include a clearly articulated strategy for establishing collaborations and acquiring the necessary skills, competencies and expertise to advance and sustain an independent career at the forefront of the melanoma field. The Scholar must show milestones and career pathways toward achieving the milestones. The Scholar must articulate commitment to interactions with the MA.

Career Guide: The Scholar must designate a Career Guide, an experienced melanoma researcher, as demonstrated by a strong record of funding and publications in melanoma. In addition, the Career Guide must demonstrate a commitment to advancing the Scholar’s career in the melanoma field. The Career Guide must meet the stated eligibility criteria.

MA Participation Expectation: The Scholar is expected to participate in all development and training activities hosted by the MA Leadership, such as participation in monthly webinars and one-on-one mentoring sessions. The Career Guide must also commit to fully participating in the MA throughout the award period of performance, including interacting with other MA Scholars and Career Guides and participating in MA activities (e.g., serving on the MA Advisory Board) as requested by MA Leadership. Additionally, both the Scholar and Career Guide are expected to communicate and form collaborations with the other members of the MA and build relationships and collaborations within the melanoma patient advocacy community.

Preliminary Data NOT Required: Preliminary data are not required. However, any unpublished, preliminary data presented should originate from the laboratory of the PI or a member of the research team.

3.2.3. Other Important Considerations for the MASA

Melanoma Resources: When appropriate and feasible, PIs are encouraged to utilize existing, well-characterized data and specimens. Examples of such resources are listed below. PIs are encouraged to explore the utility of these and/or other resources to ensure the use of the most appropriate data and/or models to conduct impactful melanoma research. The list is not all-inclusive, and the information provided below, including external links and references, is not to be construed as endorsement by the DOW, CDMRP or MRP.

• National Cancer Institute (NCI) Patient-Derived Models Repository (PDMR). The PDMR is a national repository of patient-derived models (PDMs) comprised of patient-derived xenografts (PDXs), in vitro patient-derived tumor cell cultures (PDCs), and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), as well as patient-derived organoids. In addition to model generation, NextGen sequencing data are available for all models, as well as DNA, RNA https://pdmr.cancer.gov/default.htm

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FY26 Melanoma Academy Scholar Award 11 and flash-frozen fragments for protein extraction from early-passage PDXs. The PDMR’s catalog currently contains numerous melanoma PDXs, PDCs, organoids and CAF cultures, including some for rare melanoma subtypes.

• Human Cancer Models Initiative (HCMI). The goal of the HCMI is to create up to 1,000 patient-derived next-generation cancer models such as organoids, conditionally reprogrammed cells, neurospheres, or optimal growth condition models as a community resource. The HCMI aims to provide the models’ case-associated data which include quality-checked clinical, biospecimen and molecular characterization data from the models, the tissues from which they were derived, and normal tissues, when available. Available harmonized data are accessible through NCI's Genomic Data Commons.

• NCI-Funded Skin Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPOREs). There are currently three skin SPOREs whose programs focus predominantly on melanoma.

Historically, each SPORE site includes a biospecimen core.

• VA Science and Health Initiative to Combat Infectious and Emerging Life-Threatening Diseases (VA SHIELD). The VA SHIELD is a comprehensive, secure biorepository of specimens and associated data that provides researchers and clinicians with high-quality biosamples and comprehensive associated medical and sample data to accelerate the discovery-to-therapy pipeline for the benefit of Veterans. NOTE: These specimens and data are available ONLY to authorized U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) investigators.

• Million Veteran Program. The Million Veteran Program (MVP) is the nation’s largest genomic biorepository of Veteran data and is one of the most diverse cohorts of any genetic research program in the world. NOTE: Access to MVP data is currently limited to ONLY VA-affiliated researchers.

• American Association for Cancer Research Project Genomics Evidence Neoplasia Information Exchange (GENIE®). Project GENIE is a publicly accessible cancer registry of real-world clinico-genomic data assembled through data sharing between 19 international cancer centers. As of the January 2024 release there were over 198,000 sequenced samples from more than 172,000 patients, with melanoma samples, including uveal melanoma, being well-represented.

• Patient-Derived Cancer Models. CancerModels.Org provides harmonized and integrated model attributes to support consistent searching for PDX, organoid and cell line models and to facilitate researchers’ search for models and associated data across multiple commercial and academic resources.

• The Community United for Research and Education of Ocular Melanoma (CURE OM) Virtual Information System to Improve Outcomes and Networks (VISION) Platform. The CURE OM VISION Platform is a patient-powered OM research project funded and sponsored by the Melanoma Research Foundation’s CURE OM initiative. The registry launched in the United States in May 2021 and was made available to participants worldwide soon thereafter. The CURE OM initiative’s patient community and collaborators are now actively participating, sharing data and joining researchers in the work toward more effective treatments and, one day, a cure.

• INSIGHT: A Global Ocular Melanoma Patient Registry. The ocular melanoma INSIGHT patient registry is a collaborative effort between A Cure In Sight, the University of California San Francisco Beckman Vision Center and the National Organization for Rare Disorders.

This participant-driven registry launched in 2019 to enhance the understanding of ocular melanoma, collect data for medical research and facilitate the development of new diagnostic and treatment options.

https://www.cancer.gov/ccg/research/functional-genomics/hcmi https://trp.cancer.gov/spores/skin.htm https://www.research.va.gov/programs/shield/about.cfm https://www.research.va.gov/programs/shield/about.cfm https://www.research.va.gov/mvp/research.cfm https://www.aacr.org/professionals/research/aacr-project-genie/ https://www.aacr.org/professionals/research/aacr-project-genie/ https://www.cancermodels.org/ https://melanoma.org/cure-om-patient-registry/ https://melanoma.org/cure-om-patient-registry/ https://acureinsight.org/om-registry/?v=7516fd43adaa

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• The RARE® Registry. The RARE Registry is an initiative led by the Melanoma Research Alliance primarily for patients with acral and mucosal melanoma. It provides a free, interactive, web and mobile-friendly tool to share information, experiences and disease history; advance research and awareness; and get potential matches to clinical trials.

Relevance to Military Health: Advancing knowledge in melanoma research, patient care and/or treatment options in the Military Health System is critical. Therefore, the MRP seeks to support research that is relevant to the health care needs of Service Members, Veterans and/or their Families. The MRP encourages investigators to consider the following examples of how a project may demonstrate relevance to military health:

• Use of military or Veteran populations, biospecimens, data, databases or programs in the proposed research.

• Applications from investigators within the DOW and applications involving multidisciplinary collaborations among academia, industry, DOW, VA and other federal government agencies are highly encouraged. These relationships can leverage knowledge, infrastructure and access to unique clinical populations that the collaborators bring to the research effort, ultimately advancing research that is of significance to Service Members, Veterans and/or their Families.

• Explanation of how the project addresses an aspect of melanoma that has relevance or is unique to Service Members, Veterans, and/or their Families.

If the proposed research involves access to active-duty military and/or VA patient populations and/or DOW or VA resources or databases, the application must describe the access at the time of submission and include a plan for maintaining access as needed throughout the proposed research. Refer to the Full Application Submission Components, for detailed information. Refer to the GAI, Appendix 4, for additional information.

A list of websites that may be useful in identifying additional information about ongoing DOW and VA areas of research interest or potential opportunities for collaboration can be found in Appendix 10 of the GAI.

Preclinical Research: All projects should adhere to a core set of standards for rigorous study design and reporting to maximize the reproducibility and translational potential of clinical and preclinical research, such as those described in the STROBE, CONSORT, SPIRIT and ARRIVE guidelines 2.0.

For Research Involving Animals: In accordance with the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026, Section 732, CDMRP does not support the conduct of painful research U.S. Department of Agriculture pain category D or E) involving domestic cats or dogs, except for studies relating to military or service animals.

The MRP acknowledges that domestic dogs can spontaneously develop mucosal melanoma.

FY26 applications proposing mucosal melanoma studies involving pets that are voluntarily enrolled in studies at the owner’s discretion may be considered (e.g., a pet owner enrolling their domestic dog in a clinical trial administered in a veterinary hospital setting). Such studies, if recommended for funding, must obtain a waiver of National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026, Section 732 before initiating. Receipt of such a waiver is not guaranteed.

For Research Involving Human Data, Human Anatomical Substances, Human Subjects, or Human Cadavers:

Clinical trials are not allowed within this funding opportunity.

https://www.raremelanoma.org/ https://ebrap.org/eBRAP/public/gai.htm?version=CD26_01#DOW_AND_VA_WEBSITES:~:text=APPENDIX%204.%0AUSE%20OF%20DOW%20OR%20U.S.%20DEPARTMENT%20OF%20VETERANS%20AFFAIRS%20RESOURCES https://ebrap.org/eBRAP/public/gai.htm?version=CD26_01#DOW_AND_VA_WEBSITES:~:text=APPENDIX%2010.%0ADOW%20AND%20VA%20WEBSITES https://www.strobe-statement.org/ https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-025-03635-5#:~:text=SPIRIT%20and%20CONSORT%20are%20evidence,relevant%20empirical%20evidence%20where%20possible https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-025-03668-w?fromPaywallRec=false https://arriveguidelines.org/arrive-guidelines https://arriveguidelines.org/arrive-guidelines https://www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/ac-tech-note-categorizing-animal-pain-or-distress.pdf https://ebrap.org/eBRAP/public/gai.htm?version=CD26_01#_Definition_List:~:text=or%20hardware%20procurement.-,Clinical%20Trial%3A,-As%20defined%20in

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For the purposes of this funding opportunity, research that meets the definition of a clinical trial is distinct from clinical research.

Metastatic Cancer Task Force: A congressionally mandated Metastatic Cancer Task Force was formed with the purpose of identifying ways to help accelerate clinical and translational research aimed at extending the lives of advanced state and recurrent patients. As a member of the Metastatic Cancer Task Force, CDMRP encourages applicants to review the recommendations and submit research ideas to address these recommendations provided they are within the limitations of this funding opportunity and fit within the FY26 MRP strategic priorities.

3.3. Funding Instrument

The funding instrument for awards made under the program announcement will be grants

(31 USC 6304).

3.4. Funding Details

Period of Performance: The maximum period of performance is 3 years.

Cost Cap: The application’s total costs budgeted for the entire period of performance should not exceed $770,000. If indirect cost rates have been negotiated, indirect costs are to be budgeted in accordance with the organization’s negotiated rate. Collaborating organizations should budget associated indirect costs in accordance with each organization’s negotiated rate.

All direct and indirect costs of any subaward or contract must be included in the direct costs of the primary award.

The applicant may request the entire maximum funding amount for a project that may have a period of performance less than the maximum 3 years.

The appropriateness of the budget for the proposed research will be assessed during peer review.

Direct Cost Restrictions: For this award mechanism, direct costs:

Must be requested for:

• Travel costs associated with attending workshops described in Section 8.3. For planning purposes applicants may assume that the MA Workshops will be located in the national Capital Region. The specific dates and locations will be determined during the period of performance.

May be requested for (not all-inclusive):

• Maximum allowable funding for the Career Guide(s) is $30,000 per year in direct costs.

• Travel costs in support of multi-institutional collaborations.

• Costs associated with participating in the MA (e.g., hardware and/or software for audio- or video-teleconferencing or web-based communications).

• Costs for one investigator to travel to two scientific/technical meetings per year in addition to the required MA meeting/workshops described above. The intent of travel to scientific/technical meetings should be to present project information or disseminate project results and/or attend workshops as designated in the Career Development and Sustainment Plan.

https://ebrap.org/eBRAP/public/gai.htm?version=CD26_01#_Definition_List:~:text=considered%20clinical%20trials.-,Clinical%20Research%3A,-For%20the%20purposes https://health.mil/Reference-Center/Congressional-Testimonies/2018/05/03/Metastatic-Cancer-Research https://ebrap.org/eBRAP/public/gai.htm?version=CD26_01#_Recipient_Qualification_Restriction_Info:~:text=Period%20of%20Performance%3A%20The%20time%20interval%20between%20the%20start%20of%20a%20federal%20award%20and%20the%20planned%20end%20date.

https://ebrap.org/eBRAP/public/gai.htm?version=CD26_01#_Recipient_Qualification_Restriction_Info:~:text=in%20project%20activities.-,Cost%20Cap%3A,-The%20maximum%20cost https://ebrap.org/eBRAP/public/gai.htm?version=CD26_01#:~:text=and%20system%20accounts.-,Total%20Cost%3A,-The%20total%20costs

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FY26 Melanoma Academy Scholar Award 14

Must not be requested for:

• Tuition of graduate students.

• Clinical trial costs.

Basic Information | Eligibility | Program Description | Application Contents and Format | Submission Requirements

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FY26 Melanoma Academy Scholar Award 15

4. Application Contents and Format

4.1. Application Overview

Application submission is a two-step process requiring both a pre-application submitted via the Electronic Biomedical Research Application Portal (eBRAP) and a full application submitted through eBRAP or Grants.gov. Depending on the submission portal, certain aspects of the application will differ.

Intramural DOW organizations submitting a full application should follow instructions for submission through eBRAP.

Extramural organizations submitting a full application must follow instructions for submission through Grants.gov.

4.2. Pre-Application Components

Pre-application submissions must include the following components.

Letter of Intent (LOI) (one-page limit): Provide a brief description of the research to be conducted.

4.3. Full Application Components

Each application submission must include the completed full application package for this program announcement. See Appendix 1 for a checklist of the full application components.

(a) SF424 Research & Related Application for Federal Assistance Form (Grants.gov submissions only):

IMPORTANT: When completing the SF424 R&R, enter the eBRAP log number assigned during pre-application submission into Block 4a – Federal Identifier.

(b) Attachments:

Each attachment of the full application components must be uploaded as an individual file in the format specified and in accordance with the formatting guidelines in the GAI.

○ Attachment 1: Project Narrative (eight-page limit): Upload as “ProjectNarrative.pdf”.

Describe the proposed project in detail using the outline below.

– Background: Present the scientific rationale to support the proposed research project and its feasibility, as established through the demonstration of logical reasoning and a critical review and analysis of published literature; include relevant literature citations. Preliminary data are not required. Any unpublished preliminary data presented should originate from the laboratory of the PI or a member of the research team.

– Hypothesis and Objective: State the hypothesis to be tested or the objective to be reached.

– Specific Aims: State the specific aims of the study. If proposed research is part of a larger study, present only tasks that this award would fund.

https://ebrap.org/eBRAP/public/index.htm https://ebrap.org/eBRAP/public/gai.htm?version=CD26_01#_Recipient_Qualification_Restriction_Info:~:text=APPENDIX%202.%0AFORMATTING%20GUIDELINES https://ebrap.org/eBRAP/public/gai.htm?version=CD26_01#_Recipient_Qualification_Restriction_Info:~:text=(a)%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%20SF424%20(R%26R)%20%E2%80%93%20Application%20for%20Federal%20Assistance%20Form https://ebrap.org/eBRAP/public/gai.htm?version=CD26_01#_Recipient_Qualification_Restriction_Info:~:text=%C2%B7-,Project%20Narrative%3A,-Attach%20as%20%E2%80%9CProjectNarrative https://ebrap.org/eBRAP/public/gai.htm?version=CD26_01#_Full_App_Submission_Grants:~:text=IV.%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%20FULL%20APPLICATION%20SUBMISSION%20THROUGH%20GRANTS.GOV https://ebrap.org/eBRAP/public/gai.htm?version=CD26_01#_Full_App_Submission_eBRAP:~:text=V.%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%20FULL%20APPLICATION%20SUBMISSION%20THROUGH%20eBRAP

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FY26 Melanoma Academy Scholar Award 16

– Research Strategy and Feasibility: Describe the experimental design, methodology, and analyses, including appropriate controls, in sufficient detail for evaluation of their appropriateness and feasibility. Describe how the studies are designed to achieve reproducible and rigorous results that support successful completion of the project aims. Address potential problem areas and pitfalls, and present alternative methods and/or approaches.

▪ Clearly describe the statistical plan and the rationale for the statistical methodology. If applicable, describe an appropriate power analysis, how it supports the sample size, and how it adequately represents an assessment of the population or subpopulation proposed. If a power analysis was not used to determine the proposed sample size, justify why a power analysis is not essential to the statistical evaluation. Ensure sufficient information is provided to allow thorough evaluation of all statistical calculations and/or the power of the proposed studies during review of the application. If there are sample size limitations (budget limitations, availability of specimens, etc.) justify how results from the proposed sample size(s) will yield meaningful information. A separate Sex as a Biological Variable (SABV) Strategy is required as part of Attachment 2.

▪ If cell lines are to be used, justify why the proposed cell line(s) are appropriate to achieve the goals the proposed study(ies) and clearly articulate the source(s) of the proposed cell line(s).

▪ If animal studies are proposed, including the use of PDX models, justify why the proposed animal model was chosen and clearly articulate the source of the model(s). Describe how the animal studies are conducted in accordance with the appropriate guidelines to ensure relevant aspects of rigorous and reproducible research are adequately planned for and, ultimately, reported.

▪ If human data sets, human anatomical substances (blood, tumor tissue, etc.), and/or human participants will be used, provide evidence supporting the availability of and access to the proposed specimens/populations required for the study. Include a detailed plan for the acquisition of samples or the recruitment of participants, and for acquiring any additional research resources necessary for conducting the proposed research project. If there are sample size limitations (funding restraints, availability of rare specimens, etc.), justify how the proposed sample size(s) will provide sufficient information to support moving forward with the line of research.

▪ For all applications that propose clinical research, describe the strategy for the inclusion of women and minorities appropriate to the objectives of the study, including a description of the composition of the proposed study population in terms of sex, racial and ethnic group, and an accompanying rationale for the selection of specimens/subjects. Studies utilizing human biospecimens or datasets that cannot be linked to a specific individual, ethnicity, or race (typically classified as exempt from Institutional Review Board [IRB] review) are exempt from this requirement. This award cannot be used to conduct clinical trials.

See Attachment 2 for instructions regarding the Inclusion Enrollment Report that is required with all applications that propose clinical research.

▪ If the proposed research involves access to military and/or VA patient populations and/or DOW or VA resources or databases, describe the access at the time of submission and include a plan for maintaining access as needed throughout the proposed research. Also include a plan for obtaining any required data sharing, https://ebrap.org/eBRAP/public/gai.htm?version=CD26_01#_Definition_List:~:text=considered%20clinical%20trials.-,Clinical%20Research%3A,-For%20the%20purposes

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FY26 Melanoma Academy Scholar Award 17 memorandum of understanding or other agreements required to access and publish data. Refer to the General Application Instructions, Appendix 4, for additional considerations.

○ Attachment 2: Supporting Documentation: Combine and upload as a single file named “Support.pdf”.

There are no page limits for these components unless otherwise noted. Include only components described below; inclusion of items not requested or viewed as an extension of the Project Narrative will result in the removal of those items or may result in administrative withdrawal of the application.

References Cited: List the references cited in the Project Narrative using a standard reference format (include URLs, if available).

List of Abbreviations, Acronyms and Symbols: Provide a list of abbreviations, acronyms and symbols.

Facilities, Existing Equipment and Other Resources: Describe the facilities and equipment available for performance of the proposed project; include any additional facilities or equipment proposed for acquisition at no cost to the award. Indicate whether government-furnished facilities or equipment are proposed for use. If so, reference the original or present government award under which the facilities or equipment items are now accountable. There is not a standardized form for this information.

Publications and/or Patents: Include a list of relevant publication URLs and/or patent abstracts. If articles are not publicly available, then copies of up to five published manuscripts may be included in Attachment 2. Extra items will not be reviewed.

Letters of Support (two-page limit per letter is recommended): Provide individual letters signed by collaborating individuals and/or organizational officials demonstrating that the PI has the support and resources necessary for the proposed work. Letters from the PI’s Department Chair, or appropriate organization official, should also confirm that the PI meets eligibility criteria. If applicable, provide a letter of support, signed by the lowest-ranking person with approval authority, confirming participation of intramural DOW collaborator(s) and/or access to military populations, databases or DOW resources. If applicable, provide a letter of support signed by the VA Facility Director(s), or an individual designated by the VA Facility Director(s), confirming access to VA patients, resources and/or VA research space.

SABV Strategy (two-page limit is recommended): Describe the strategy for how sex will be considered as a biological variable. This strategy should include a brief discussion of what is currently known regarding sex differences in the applicable research area. Clearly articulate how sex as a biological variable will be factored into the data analysis plan and how data will be collected and disaggregated by sex. If needed, provide a strong rationale for proposing a single-sex study, based on justification from scientific literature, preliminary data or other relevant considerations. Refer to the CDMRP Directive on Sex as a Biological Variable in Research for additional information.

Research Sharing Plan: Describe the type of data or research resources (e.g., bio-specimen, analysis tool/software, training material) to be made publicly available as a result of the proposed work. Describe the mechanism (e.g., direct sharing, https://ebrap.org/eBRAP/public/gai.htm?version=CD26_01#_Use_Of_DOW_Dept_Veterans_Affairs_Resource:~:text=APPENDIX%204.%0AUSE%20OF%20DOW%20OR%20U.S.%20DEPARTMENT%20OF%20VETERANS%20AFFAIRS%20RESOURCES https://cdmrp.health.mil/pubs/pdf/CDMRP%20SABV%20Directive_Revised_MAR2025_signed.pdf https://cdmrp.health.mil/pubs/pdf/CDMRP%20SABV%20Directive_Revised_MAR2025_signed.pdf https://ebrap.org/eBRAP/public/gai.htm?version=CD26_01#_Recipient_Qualification_Restriction_Info:~:text=%C2%B7-,Supporting%20Documentation%3A,-Combine%20and%20attach

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FY26 Melanoma Academy Scholar Award 18 repository, mixed mode) by which data and resources generated during the period of performance will be shared with the research community and other affected communities, including clinical research participants. Include the name of the repository(ies) where scientific data and resources arising from the proposed study will be archived, if applicable. Identify and provide the rationale for any data or resources that will not be shared (e.g. for intellectual property, feasibility, cost or other considerations). The plan should also protect participant privacy, confidential and proprietary data, and performer/third-party intellectual property. Provide a milestone plan for disseminating data/results including when data and resources will be made available to other users. In cases where the study participant could potentially derive medical or other benefit from the information, explain whether the results of screening and/or study participation will be shared with the participant or their primary care provider, including results from any screening or diagnostic tests performed as part of the study.

Do not submit a copy of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Data Management and Sharing Plan or duplicate the Data Management Plan which will be requested only after a recommendation for funding is made.

Refer to the CDMRP Directive on Sharing Data and Research Resources for more information about the CDMRP’s expectations…