The FY26 Kidney Cancer Research Program Idea Development Award supports high-impact research ideas that advance the understanding of kidney cancer and have the potential to improve patient care and outcomes.
Projects must present a well-formulated, testable hypothesis supported by a strong scientific rationale, preliminary data, and a clearly developed research approach. Applications may use either a single Principal Investigator or a Partnering PI model that brings together two investigators with complementary expertise.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Principal Investigators must hold a position at or above the level of Assistant Professor or an equivalent independent appointment.
- Applicants may serve as a single PI, Initiating PI, or Partnering PI.
- Each investigator may be named as PI on only one FY26 Kidney Cancer Research Program Idea Development Award application.
- Eligible U.S. federal and Department of War organizations may also apply.
- There are no restrictions based on citizenship, nationality, or ethnicity.
- Applications must address at least one of the designated FY26 Kidney Cancer Research Program focus areas.
- Preliminary data do not need to originate exclusively from kidney cancer studies and may include relevant published or unpublished data.
Funding Details:
- Single-PI projects may request up to USD 900,000 in total costs.
- Projects using the Partnering PI option may request up to USD 1.2 million in combined total costs.
- The maximum period of performance is three years.
- Approximately USD 7.8 million is expected to support around eight Idea Development Awards.
- Clinical-trial expenses and scientific-meeting travel exceeding the stated limits are not allowed.
Deadline:
- Required Letter of Intent deadline: September 14, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
- Full application deadline: September 28, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.
- Application verification period ends: October 5, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
- Peer review: December 2026.
- Awards are expected to be issued no later than September 30, 2027.
Further Information:
- Eligible research may address kidney cancer biology, progression, metastasis, treatment resistance, prevention, screening, early detection, biomarkers, rare kidney cancers, less toxic treatments, survivorship, quality of life, or outcomes in high-risk populations.
- The application process requires a mandatory one-page Letter of Intent through eBRAP followed by a full application; the LOI is used for planning and is not competitively screened, so applicants do not wait for an invitation.
- The Partnering PI option requires one Initiating PI to submit the LOI, followed by separate but linked full-application packages and budgets from both investigators.
- Full applications require a 12-page Project Narrative, technical and lay abstracts, Statement of Work, Impact Statement, Post-Award Progression Plan, budget, biosketches, current and pending support, and additional materials applicable to the proposed research.
- Official program information and application details: Visit the CDMRP funding opportunities page and search for Funding Opportunity Number HT942526KCRPIDA to access the complete announcement, application package, submission portals, General Application Instructions, and current program updates.