DoW Breast Cancer, Breakthrough Award Level 3
Supports promising breast cancer research with potential for a major breakthrough and high impact for eligible applicants, with optional small-scale clinical trials and required consumer advocate involvement.
⚑ Must address at least one FY26 BCRP overarching challenge or justify exception. · Requires two or more breast cancer consumer advocates on the team. · Clinical trials are allowed only under the Clinical Trial option; the Breakthrough Award Level 3 notice itself allows but does not require small-scale clinical trials. · Partnering PI option has a two-PI structure: only the Initiating PI submits the pre-application, but both PIs must submit full applications by the deadline or risk administrative withdrawal.
Unit fits — one characterization, each unit's own rules
| IPPRA | 58 good | peripheral portfolio topic: public_health; signature methods: community engaged; social/behavioral work is minor; funds applied research; biomedical core — IPPRA health lane is communication/crisis/policy (capped); clinical-trial/biomedical core — IPPRA angle is policy/community (capped) |
| Physical Sciences & Engineering (demo) | 55 good | technical depth: minor; funds applied research |
| Tom Love Innovation Hub | 30 weak | funds applied research; deep-tech content |
Description
Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Breast Cancer Research Program (BCRP) Breakthrough Award mechanism supports promising research with high potential to lead to or make breakthroughs in breast cancer. All applications must address at least one of the FY26 BCRP overarching challenges or provide adequate justification for exception. Applications must address the challenge in a way that can lead to a breakthrough and have major impact. The FY26 Breakthrough Award mechanism contains four different funding levels designed to support major (but not all) stages of research that will lead to clinical application. Each level specifies a distinct research scope. This program announcement discusses the Breakthrough Award Level 3.
Distinctive Features:
· For this funding mechanism, small-scale clinical trials are allowed but not required. Applications proposing projects with a clinical trial should be submitted under the Clinical Trial option.
· The research team must include two or more breast cancer consumer advocates.
· This funding mechanism allows for a single Principal Investigator (PI), or two partnering PIs referred to as the Initiating PI and the Partnering PI. For the Partnering PI Option (PPIO), only the Initiating PI will submit a pre-application, but both PIs will need to submit at the full application stage. Be advised, failure to submit all associated (Initiating and Partnering PI) applications by the deadline may result in administrative withdrawal.
Apply
View on Grants.gov → CONTACT: Jamie Shortall Grant Officer <help@eBRAP.org>
Proposal brief SEE AN EXAMPLE →
A one-page internal memo: fit assessment, submission requirements, document scaffold, and next steps dated back from the deadline — tailored to your project idea if you add one.
Proposal shell · Department of Defense (BAA-style) conventions SEE A DOD EXAMPLE →
Funder-faithful document skeletons — Department of Defense (BAA-style)'s document set with section headings, page limits, reviewer guidance, and writing prompts; add a project idea to get [DRAFT] starter bullets. Download as .md for Word or Overleaf.