DoW Breast Cancer, Clinical Research Extension Award

Background
The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Breast Cancer Research Program (BCRP) Clinical Research Extension Award is issued by the Defense Health Agency (DHA) as part of its mission to support innovative, high-impact research aimed at ending breast cancer for Service Members, Veterans, and the general public. This award mechanism is designed to extend data collection, follow-up, and analysis of breast cancer clinical studies to enhance the clinically relevant impact of patient participation in these studies.

Grant Details
The Clinical Research Extension Award supports research that addresses knowledge lost due to early trial termination, limited patient follow-up, or suboptimal sample and/or data collection and analysis. Applications must address at least one of the FY26 BCRP overarching challenges or provide justification for exceptions. Key elements include:

- Inclusion of two or more breast cancer consumer advocates in the research team.
- The option for a single Principal Investigator (PI) or two partnering PIs (Initiating PI and Partnering PI). Only the Initiating PI submits a pre-application, but both must submit at the full application stage.
- Proposed research may involve molecular analysis of clinical samples, new correlative studies, biomarker validation, or continuing follow-up of patients enrolled in ongoing or completed trials. Projects initiating new trials do not meet the intent of this award.

Eligibility Requirements
Eligible applicants include extramural and intramural U.S. Department of War organizations, including foreign and domestic entities, for-profit and nonprofit organizations. Independent investigators affiliated with eligible organizations can serve as PI, Initiating PI, or Partnering PI regardless of ethnicity or nationality. Investigators may only be named on one application for this funding opportunity.

Period of Performance
The maximum period of performance is four years.

Grant Value
The total funding available is approximately $8.4 million with a cost cap of $7 million for applications with a single PI and $8.4 million for Partnering PI Option applications.

Place of Performance
The grant will be performed within U.S. Department of War organizations and potentially other eligible entities.