DoW Rare Cancers Resource and Community Development Award

The fiscal year 2026 Rare Cancers Research Program Resource and Community Development Award (HT942526RCRPRCDA) is a funding opportunity issued by the Defense Health Agency to support the creation of research resources, clinical or preclinical datasets, and infrastructure to advance rare cancers research. The program specifically targets gaps in patient tissues, cell and tumor models, communication strategies, and mechanistic research to improve outcomes for individuals with rare cancers. Key requirements include the integration of Patient Advocates throughout the research lifecycle, the development of a sustainable platform for the scientific and patient community, and alignment with FY26 RCRP Platform Development or AI/ML focus areas. Clinical trials are strictly prohibited under this award. The program provides approximately 5.6 million dollars in total funding, with individual awards capped at 1.12 million dollars for a maximum period of performance of four years. Eligible applicants include extramural and intramural U.S. Department of War organizations. The application process is a two-tier system starting with a pre-application due August 19, 2026, followed by a full application deadline of November 18, 2026. Proposals are evaluated based on a pass/fail pre-application screening and a subsequent two-tier review process focusing on technical merit and programmatic relevance. High-priority evaluation factors include the project's impact on unmet needs in rare cancers and the overall project design. Applicants must maintain active registrations in SAM.gov, eBRAP.org, and Grants.gov.