DoD Spinal Cord Injury Investigator- Initiated Research Award | W81XWH 18 SCIRP IIRA

Opportunity Information: Apply for W81XWH 18 SCIRP IIRA

The Department of Defense Spinal Cord Injury Research Program (SCIRP) Investigator-Initiated Research Award (IIRA) is a funding opportunity designed to support spinal cord injury (SCI) studies that can meaningfully advance the field. The program is looking for projects with clear potential to improve SCI research knowledge, patient care, and/or quality of life. While the mechanism is investigator-initiated, applicants are expected to present a well-justified research plan that makes a strong case for why the work matters, what it could change in the near term, and how it could reshape longer-term outcomes for people living with SCI.

A central requirement of the IIRA is impact. Proposals are expected to explain both short-term and long-term benefits, such as how results could influence understanding of SCI biology, improve rehabilitation or clinical decision-making, reduce secondary complications, enhance independence, or otherwise lead to better day-to-day functioning and wellbeing. Importantly, projects must align with at least one of the FY18 SCIRP IIRA Focus Areas (the specific focus areas are referenced in the announcement and applicants would need to choose and justify the match). The expectation is that the research is not only scientifically sound, but also positioned to deliver outcomes that matter beyond the lab.

Military relevance is another defining feature. The proposed work must be relevant to spinal cord-injured Service members, Veterans, and/or their families, caregivers, and support networks. This does not mean the research must be conducted exclusively in military or VA settings, but it does mean applicants should be able to clearly connect the problem being studied and the anticipated benefits to the military and Veteran SCI community. The opportunity also encourages collaboration with military and Veterans Affairs (VA) researchers and clinicians, which can strengthen clinical relevance, facilitate access to real-world patient perspectives, and help with eventual translation into practice within systems that serve injured Service members and Veterans.

The IIRA also places emphasis on preliminary data. Applicants are expected to bring some level of supporting evidence that the idea is grounded and feasible. The announcement is flexible about what counts as the source of that preliminary foundation: it could come from laboratory findings, population-based analyses, a clinician's direct observations in patient care, or even credible anecdotal observations that have been organized into a testable rationale. Regardless of the origin, the application must include preliminary and/or published data that directly relate to the SCIRP mission and the proposed project, helping reviewers see that the work is ready to move forward and not purely speculative.

In terms of scope, the award is broad and can support studies across the research pipeline, from basic to translational. Permitted work includes preclinical research in animal models, studies involving human subjects, and research using human anatomical substances. It can also support correlative studies connected to an existing clinical trial, which is often a practical way to generate meaningful insights using established patient cohorts and data streams. This flexibility allows applicants to propose anything from mechanistic biological studies to clinically anchored investigations, as long as the project remains tied to SCI and meets the impact, military relevance, and preliminary evidence expectations.

Administratively, the opportunity is offered by the Department of Defense (Department of the Army, USAMRAA) under Funding Opportunity Number W81XWH 18 SCIRP IIRA. It falls under the Science and Technology/Research and Development category (CFDA 12.420) and may be supported through either a grant or a cooperative agreement, depending on the level of agency involvement required. Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, meaning the opportunity is generally open to a wide range of applicant organizations, subject to any additional eligibility details in the full announcement. The posting indicates an expected five awards. The original opportunity timeline shows a creation date of May 29, 2018 and an original closing date of October 15, 2018, which is useful context for understanding the specific cycle referenced, even though future cycles may update dates, focus areas, and funding details. The listed award ceiling is shown as 0 in the source record, which typically signals that the ceiling was not captured in that dataset field and applicants would need to consult the full program announcement for actual budget limits and guidance.

• The Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "DoD Spinal Cord Injury Investigator- Initiated Research Award" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.420.
• This funding opportunity was created on May 29, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 15, 2018. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.

Apply for W81XWH 18 SCIRP IIRA

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: