Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs

The Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) are funded through the US Department of Defense (DoD). The CDMRP fills research gaps by funding high impact, high risk and high gain projects that other agencies may not venture to fund.

While individual programs are unique in their focus, all of the programs managed by the CDMRP share the common goal of advancing paradigm shifting research, solutions that will lead to cures or improvements in patient care, or breakthrough technologies and resources for clinical benefit.

Since its inception in 1992, the CDMRP has awarded USD$15.9 Billion in research funding and between 1992 and 2020 had awarded a total of 18,662 grants/contracts.

The program solicits and encourages applications from international institutions.

2021 Funding Opportunities

The CDMRP announced grant opportunities which may be available in 2021. Information has been provided for each program to allow investigators time to plan and develop their applications. Possible grant opportunities are:

• Alcohol and Substance Abuse Research Program
• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Research Program
• Autism Research Program
• Bone Marrow Failure Research Program
• Breast Cancer Research Program OPEN - Closing dates in March 2021
• Chronic Pain Management Research Program
• Combat Readiness Medical Research Program
• Defense Medical Research and Development
• Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Research Program
• Epilepsy Research Program
• Gulf War Illness Research Program
• Hearing Restoration Research Program
• Joint Warfighter Medical Research Program
• Kidney Cancer Research Program
• Lung Cancer Research Program
• Lupus Research Program
• Melanoma Research Program
• Military Burn Research Program
• Multiple Sclerosis Research Program
• Neurofibromatosis Research Program
• Neurotoxin Exposure Treatment Parkinson's Research Program
• Orthotics and Prosthetics Outcomes Research Program
• Ovarian Cancer Research Program
• Pancreatic Cancer
• Peer Reviewed Alzheimer's Research Program
• Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program
• Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program
• Peer Reviewed Orthopaedic Research Program
• Prostate Cancer
• Psychological Health/Traumatic Brain Injury
• Rare Cancers Research Program
• Reconstructive Transplant Research Program
• Scleroderma Research Program
• Spinal Cord Injury Research Program
• Tick-Borne Disease Research Program
• Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Research Program
• Vision Research Program

Download an overview document (PDF) of the above programs.

How to Apply

The submission process for CDMRP opportunities varies slightly depending on the program/award so it is always important to visit the CDMRP website to check what is required. Generally however, applicants should be aware of the following steps

1. Contact research-applications@newcastle.edu.au to notify the Research office of your intent to apply. Our office will let you know what internal deadlines apply and what internal submission procedures you need to follow (these may change depending on the Research program requirements)
2. Register for an eBRAP account as a Principal Investigator (PI). You must request to be affiliated with an organisation - The University of Newcastle
3. Submit a pre-application in eBRAP. There are 2 types of pre-applications depending on award mechanism, a Letter of Intent or a pre-proposal. Pre-application submission is MANDATORY and must be ON TIME
4. Submit Full Application in Grants.gov
   1. If the pre-application was a pre-proposal, an invitation to submit a full application is required
   2. You will need a Workspace in Grants.gov in order to submit your application. Please contact research-applications@newcastle.edu.au ASAP to have one set up
      1. Workspace Process Overview (PDF)
5. Verify Application in eBRAP

More information, links to eBRAP and an application flowchart are available on the CDMRP website.

Further Resources

CDMRP Webinar Series

Additional information about applying to CDMRP programs, as well as tips for successfully preparing applications for different types of CDMRP award mechanisms, are available in the CDMRP Webinar Series.

CDMRP Presentation

In December 2017, Dr Dan Rhon a retired military officer and clinician, active researcher within the US Department of Defense, and Assistant Professor at Baylor University in Texas who has previously been successful in obtaining CDMRP funding, gave a presentation at UON. The presentation gives an overview of the CDMRP and the Research Programs available.

A recording of the presentation is available here. Use password KH412 to access.

If you have any questions, or need assistance with the application processes for CDMRP opportunities, please contact research-applications@newcastle.edu.au