The FY26 Melanoma Research Program Idea Award supports highly innovative and exploratory research that introduces new concepts, challenges existing scientific paradigms, or examines melanoma-related problems from a substantially different perspective.
Successful projects should establish proof of principle and generate preliminary data that can support future melanoma research. The program is not intended to extend an established line of research or fund the next incremental step of previously published work.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Applicants must hold a position at or above the level of Postdoctoral Fellow or an equivalent appointment.
- Each investigator may be named as Principal Investigator on only one FY26 Melanoma Research Program full application.
- Eligible U.S. federal and Defense Health Agency organizations may also apply.
- There are no restrictions based on citizenship, nationality, or ethnicity.
- Applicants new to melanoma research are encouraged to apply.
- Proposed projects must address at least one FY26 Melanoma Research Program focus area.
- Clinical research is permitted, but clinical trials are not allowed.
Funding Details:
- The maximum award amount is USD 560,000 in total costs.
- The maximum project period is two years.
- Approximately USD 5.6 million is expected to support around ten Idea Awards.
- Direct and indirect costs must be included within the USD 560,000 total-cost limit.
Deadline:
- Required pre-application deadline: July 13, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
- Invitation to submit a full application: August 19, 2026.
- Invited full application deadline: October 14, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.
- Application verification period ends: October 20, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
Further Information:
- Eligible projects must address melanoma prevention and interception, rare melanoma subtypes, or survivorship, including psychological, social, physical, reproductive, lifestyle, and quality-of-life outcomes.
- Proposals must represent genuinely new research directions rather than incremental advances, extensions of published findings, or continuation of an established laboratory research program.
- The pre-application is competitively screened for innovation, relevance to an FY26 focus area, feasibility, and potential benefit to people affected by melanoma.
- Invited full applications require a six-page Project Narrative, technical and lay abstracts, Innovation Statement, Impact Statement, Statement of Work, budget, biosketches, current and pending support, and applicable research documentation.
- Official program information and application details: Visit the CDMRP funding opportunities page and search for Funding Opportunity Number HT942526MRPIA to access the full announcement, application package, submission guidance, and current program updates.
- Download the official program document: Download the PDF.