Defense Health Agency Contracting Activity - DHACA · Department of Defense
DoW Melanoma Research Program Focused Program Award – Rare Melanomas
Key facts
- Deadline
- Due Oct 14, 2026 · 8 days left
- Award size
- Not specified — see notice
- Total available
- $5.6M · about 2 awards
- Cost share / match
- Not required
- Who can apply
- Anyone (unrestricted)
- Where
- Anywhere in the U.S., including Tennessee
Before you apply: federal grants require an active SAM.gov registration (Unique Entity ID) and a Grants.gov account. The deadline is in 8 days. If your registration isn't already active, it may not be ready in time, so check it today. Grant-ready checklist
How this fits you
- Available in Tennessee (nationwide program)
- No cost share required
- Only 8 days left to apply
- Tennessee recipients since 2023: 25
Tell us who you are to see whether you're eligible.
Read the official notice View on Grants.gov Add deadline to my calendar
About this grant
Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Melanoma Research Program (MRP) Focused Program Award – Rare Melanomas, supports a multidisciplinary research program of at least two, but not more than three, distinct but complementary research projects addressing an overarching question relevant to rare melanomas.
Distinctive Features:
· *Updated for FY26* Investigators must include at least one rare melanoma survivor or patient advocate as part of the project team who will provide advice and consultation throughout planning, implementation, and results dissemination to maximize research impact.
· This is a partnering mechanism, requiring an Initiating Principal Investigator (PI) and at least one, but not more than two, Partnering PIs, see Figure 1.
• Each named PI is expected to be a Project Leader for one of the proposed research projects. If recommended for funding, each PI will be named on separate awards to the recipient organization(s).
· After submitting the required pre-application, investigators must receive an invitation to submit a full application.
• Only the Initiating PI will submit a pre-application. All PIs must submit full applications. The Partnering PI(s)’s application is an abbreviated package specific to their proposed research project.
· Clinical trials are allowed.
Who in Tennessee has won this program
25 awards to Tennessee recipients in 2 counties since federal FY2023. Largest shown:
| Recipient | Where | Amount | FY |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Nashville, Davidson County | $9.3M | 2018 |
| Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Nashville, Davidson County | $5.7M | 2025 |
| Vanderbilt University | Nashville, Davidson County | $4.7M | 2019 |
| University Of Tennessee | Memphis, Shelby County | $4M | 2017 |
| Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Nashville, Davidson County | $3.6M | 2025 |
| Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Nashville, Davidson County | $3.5M | 2022 |
| Idbiologics Inc | Nashville, Davidson County | $3.2M | 2019 |
| Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Nashville, Davidson County | $3.1M | 2023 |
| Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Nashville, Davidson County | $2.9M | 2017 |
| Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Nashville, Davidson County | $2.7M | 2023 |
| Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Nashville, Davidson County | $2.6M | 2020 |
| Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Nashville, Davidson County | $2.4M | 2025 |
Source: USAspending.gov. Past awards show who this program funds; they don't guarantee future awards.
About the program (12.420)
Military Medical Research and Development
How applications are judged
All applications are reviewed for technical merit and relevance to the mission of the DHA and its programs. Also, additional specific evaluation criteria will be included in each funding opportunity announcement.
Matching requirements
This program has no statutory formula.
Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.
MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.
Examples of funded projects
Fiscal Year2017: No Current Data Available.Fiscal Year2018: Gulf War Illness Research ProgramFiscal Year2020: Traumatic Brain Injury Research ProgramFiscal Year2021: Hearing Restoration Research ProgramFiscal Year2022: Combat Readiness-Medical Research ProgramFiscal Year2023: Spinal Cord Injury Research Program - Clinical trial, clinical translational research, translational research, and investigator-initiated research projectsFiscal Year2025: Military Burn Research Program - Patient-centered research, technology/therapeutic development, and clinical translational research projects