DoW Parkinson’s, Investigator-Initiated Research Award

The FY26 Parkinson’s Research Program Investigator-Initiated Research Award supports high-impact, multidisciplinary research projects that address at least one of the four designated focus areas: Biological and Clinical Heterogeneity, Model Systems, Mechanisms and Biomarkers, and Therapeutic Development. Applications must include preliminary data and are permitted to include clinical trials. The program allows for a Partnering Principal Investigator option, permitting up to two Partnering PIs alongside one Initiating PI, with a combined budget cap of $2 million over the project period. The maximum award duration is three years, and funding is contingent on federal availability, application quality, programmatic relevance, and portfolio balance. All applicants must maintain an active SAM.gov registration with a valid Unique Entity Identifier and submit required representations, particularly for Grants.gov submissions. Research must be aligned with the intent to benefit Service Members, their families, Veterans, and the general public by advancing understanding of Parkinson’s disease, reducing risk, slowing progression, or alleviating symptoms. Submission requires a two-step process: a one-page Letter of Intent via eBRAP followed by a full application through either eBRAP (for intramural DOD organizations) or Grants.gov (for extramural applicants). Full applications must include thirteen specific attachments uploaded as individual PDFs, including a 12-page Project Narrative, a three-page Statement of Work detailing feasible milestones and timelines, Technical and Lay Abstracts, a Research Team Statement, Impact Statement, Post-Award Transition Plan, and mandatory documentation for human subjects, animal research, and clinical trials if applicable. Budgets must be submitted separately for each PI with clear justifications, and indirect costs must align with negotiated institutional rates. Travel costs are restricted to one annual meeting per PI, and all subaward costs are included in the primary award’s direct costs. Applications are reviewed through a two-tier process: peer evaluation on equal-weight criteria including research strategy, budget, environment, data sharing, and presentation, followed by programmatic review assessing alignment with FY26 PRP priorities. Foreign affiliation disclosures for all key personnel are mandatory, and failure to comply results in disqualification. Award recipients must also provide a quad chart and a DoD-compliant data management plan if selected for funding.