DoD Breast Cancer, Era of Hope Scholar Award | W81XWH 22 BCRP EOHS

DoD Breast Cancer, Era of Hope Scholar Award (W81XWH-22-BCRP-EOHS) FAQs

1) What is the DoD Breast Cancer, Era of Hope Scholar Award?

The Era of Hope Scholar Award is a U.S. Department of Defense funding opportunity administered through the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA) under the Breast Cancer Research Program (BCRP). It is designed to support early-career investigators who have already demonstrated unusual promise, creativity, innovation, and strong productivity.

2) What is the main purpose or emphasis of this award?

The emphasis is less on funding a single conventional research project and more on supporting an individual investigator who can reshape thinking in breast cancer research. Applicants are expected to articulate a big-picture vision that challenges existing assumptions and could meaningfully contribute to ending breast cancer, including ideas that cut across disciplines.

3) Who is the awarding/administrating agency for this opportunity?

This opportunity is run through the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA) for the Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program.

4) What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?

The Funding Opportunity Number is W81XWH-22-BCRP-EOHS.

5) What type of funding is this (grant, contract, etc.)?

The listing describes this as discretionary funding, with awards made as either grants or cooperative agreements.

6) What CFDA number is associated with this program?

The opportunity is associated with CFDA 12.420 (Military Medical Research and Development).

7) Who is this award intended for?

This award is intended for early-career investigators who have already shown unusual promise and a clear ability to move their fields forward through creativity, innovation, and strong productivity.

8) Do applicants need prior breast cancer research experience?

No. Prior breast cancer research experience is explicitly not required. Researchers from other scientific or technical fields are encouraged to apply if they can bring fresh concepts, tools, or perspectives that are relevant to breast cancer.

9) If prior breast cancer experience is not required, does the proposed work still need to be about breast cancer?

Yes. Even though applicants may come from outside breast cancer research, the proposed work must be clearly focused on breast cancer.

10) What level of time commitment is required from the Principal Investigator (PI)?

The PI must commit at least 50 percent of their full-time professional effort to breast cancer research for the duration of the award.

11) Can the PI meet the 50 percent effort requirement using multiple sources of support?

Yes. The 50 percent effort requirement can be met through a combination of this award and other current support, as long as the applicant can demonstrate that the time and commitment are real and sustained.

12) Is collaboration expected or required?

Strong collaboration is expected. Applicants are encouraged to build a research team with the expertise needed to achieve the vision and goals described in the application, and they must include meaningful partnerships.

13) Are breast cancer consumer advocates required on the research team?

Yes. A unique and mandatory element is the inclusion of breast cancer consumer advocates as part of the research team.

14) How many consumer advocates are required?

The research team must include two or more breast cancer consumer advocates.

15) Who qualifies as a consumer advocate for this award?

Consumer advocates must be breast cancer survivors who are actively involved in a breast cancer advocacy organization. They serve as lay representatives who provide independent, objective input throughout the research effort.

16) What role do consumer advocates play in the project?

Consumer advocates are intended to provide input on relevance, patient-centered impact, and how the work may affect people with breast cancer or those at risk. Their participation is meant to help keep the research grounded in real-world breast cancer needs and priorities.

17) Are there independence rules for consumer advocates?

Yes. Consumer advocates cannot be employees of any organization participating in the application, and their advocate role must be independent of their employment.

18) Do the consumer advocates need any specific background to participate?

The opportunity expects advocates to be well-informed about current breast cancer issues and to have enough background or training in breast cancer research to contribute constructively.

19) What is meant by a "big-picture vision" in this opportunity?

Based on the description provided, applicants are expected to present an overarching vision that challenges existing assumptions and shows how their ideas could contribute in a meaningful way to ending breast cancer, potentially through cross-disciplinary approaches.

20) What does "eligibility is unrestricted" mean here?

The eligibility is described as unrestricted, which indicates the opportunity is broadly open to different entity types unless further limited by additional eligibility language in the full announcement.

21) How many awards are expected to be made?

The posting indicates an expected total of about two awards.

22) What were the posting date and closing date listed for this opportunity?

The original posting date was March 16, 2022, and the original closing date was May 17, 2022.

23) Is there a maximum award amount (award ceiling) listed?

The award ceiling is shown as 0 in the source data. This typically signals that a specific cap may be defined elsewhere in the full funding announcement or that the cap may vary based on program guidance rather than being expressed as one fixed maximum in the summary record.

24) What kinds of approaches are encouraged by this award?

The description emphasizes creativity, innovation, and cross-disciplinary approaches that can bring fresh concepts, tools, or perspectives to breast cancer research, while maintaining a clear focus on breast cancer.