The fiscal year 2025 (FY25) Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program (PRCRP) Idea Award (IA) supports innovative, untested, high-risk/potentially high-reward concepts, theories, paradigms, and/or basic cancer research. The advancement of knowledge in cancer research, patient care, and/or treatment options in the Military Health System (MHS) is critical to active-duty Service Members, Veterans, other military beneficiaries, and the American public.
• The proposed project should demonstrate creative thinking and innovation.
• Incremental advances, the next logical step, or switching a model system from one cancer to another cancer are not appropriate for this award.
• Inclusion of preliminary data is not required; however, the project must be based on strong scientific rationale.
Deadlines:
- Required Pre-Application Submission Deadline: June 20, 2025
- Application Submission Deadline: September 25, 2025
Congressional language stipulates the FY25 PRCRP must be relevant to Service Members, and address at least one of the congressionally directed FY25 PRCRP topic areas listed below.
• Bladder cancer
• Blood cancers
• Brain cancer
• Colorectal cancer
• Endometrial cancer
• Esophageal cancer
• Germ cell cancers
• Kidney cancer
• Liver cancer
• Lung cancer
• Lymphoma
• Mesothelioma
• Metastatic cancers
• Myeloma
• Neuroblastoma
• Neuroendocrine tumors
• Pancreatic cancer
• Pediatric, adolescent, and young adult cancers1
• Pediatric brain tumors
• Sarcoma
• Stomach cancer
• Thyroid cancer
To be named as the Principal Investigator (PI) on application, the PI must have a faculty-level appointment or equivalent. Industry titles may not be analogous to the faculty hierarchy in academia. For industry, investigators at or above an independent scientist level may be named by the company as the PI on the application.
Individuals affiliated with an eligible organization are eligible to be named as PI regardless of ethnicity, nationality or citizenship status.
The Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) expects to allot approximately $14 million (M) to fund approximately 25 Idea Award applications with total cost caps of $560,000. The maximum period of performance is 2 years. It is anticipated that awards made from this FY25 funding opportunity will be funded with FY25 funds, which will expire for use on September 30, 2031. Awards supported with FY25 funds will be made no later than September 30, 2026.