Opportunity Information: Apply for W81XWH 20 NFRP EHDA
The Department of Defense (DoD) Neurofibromatosis Research Program (NFRP) Exploration - Hypothesis Development Award is a discretionary research funding opportunity intended to help investigators take early, well-reasoned steps into new directions in neurofibromatosis (NF) research. The award is designed for projects that are genuinely exploratory in nature, especially those that involve innovative, high-risk ideas that could produce high-impact gains if the underlying concept proves correct. In practice, this mechanism is meant to fund the kind of work that may be too preliminary or unconventional for other programs, while still requiring a clear scientific plan that can credibly test a stated hypothesis.
A central expectation of the opportunity is that the proposed work is grounded in a well-formulated and testable hypothesis supported by strong scientific rationale and an appropriate study design. Even though the program welcomes bold and potentially groundbreaking concepts, it is not a “blue-sky” or purely speculative funding mechanism; applicants are expected to articulate why the hypothesis makes sense biologically or clinically, what specific questions will be addressed, and how the planned experiments or analyses will generate interpretable results. The overall emphasis is on producing credible early evidence and conceptual groundwork that can open up new avenues for future, more definitive research.
Preliminary data is encouraged but explicitly not required, which is a key feature of this award. That flexibility is intended to lower the barrier for pursuing novel ideas that have not yet accumulated extensive supporting datasets. Applicants can strengthen their case with preliminary or published findings if available, but the absence of such data does not automatically disqualify a proposal as long as the hypothesis, rationale, and approach are strong and the project is positioned as an initial exploration that can meaningfully inform the next stage of investigation.
From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is offered by the Department of Defense, Department of the Army, through the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA). The funding opportunity number is W81XWH 20 NFRP EHDA, and it falls under CFDA 12.420, within the broader category of Science and Technology and other Research and Development. The award can be made as either a grant or a cooperative agreement, meaning the government may choose an instrument that ranges from standard grant support to a model involving more substantial federal involvement or coordination, depending on the nature of the project and program needs.
Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, indicating the competition is broadly open to applicants of any entity type, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications in the full announcement text. The opportunity was created on March 30, 2020, with an original closing date of July 9, 2020. The announcement also projected approximately five awards. Notably, the listed award ceiling is shown as 0, which typically signals that the maximum award amount may not be specified in the summary record and would need to be confirmed in the full funding announcement or associated program guidance.
Overall, this award is best understood as a seed-stage mechanism for NF research: it supports rigorous but early testing of compelling new hypotheses, prioritizes innovation and potential impact, and aims to generate the insights, feasibility data, or conceptual validation needed to justify larger follow-on studies and longer-term research programs.Apply for W81XWH 20 NFRP EHDA
- 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 Neurofibromatosis, Exploration- Hypothesis Development 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 Mar 30, 2020.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 09, 2020. (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.
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FAQs: DoD Neurofibromatosis Research Program (NFRP) Exploration - Hypothesis Development Award
What is the Exploration - Hypothesis Development Award?
It is a discretionary research funding opportunity under the Department of Defense (DoD) Neurofibromatosis Research Program (NFRP) intended to help investigators take early, well-reasoned steps into new directions in neurofibromatosis (NF) research. The focus is on genuinely exploratory projects that test a clearly stated hypothesis.
What is the main purpose of this award?
The award is meant to support seed-stage NF research by generating credible early evidence and conceptual groundwork. It is designed to open new avenues for future, more definitive research and larger follow-on studies.
What types of research projects are a good fit?
Projects that are innovative, high-risk, and potentially high-impact if the underlying concept proves correct. The mechanism is intended to support work that may be too preliminary or unconventional for other programs, as long as it is still scientifically rigorous and hypothesis-driven.
Does the project need to be based on a hypothesis?
Yes. A central expectation is that the proposed work is grounded in a well-formulated, testable hypothesis supported by strong scientific rationale and an appropriate study design.
Is this a "blue-sky" or purely speculative funding opportunity?
No. While bold and potentially groundbreaking concepts are welcome, the award is not intended for purely speculative ideas. Applicants are expected to explain why the hypothesis makes biological or clinical sense and to propose a plan that can credibly test it and yield interpretable results.
Is preliminary data required?
No. Preliminary data is encouraged but explicitly not required. This is intended to lower the barrier to pursuing novel ideas that have not yet accumulated extensive supporting datasets.
If preliminary data is not required, what is expected instead?
A strong proposal should clearly articulate the hypothesis, provide sound scientific rationale, identify the specific questions to be addressed, and describe a study design and approach that can generate interpretable results and meaningful early evidence.
Can preliminary or published findings still be included?
Yes. Applicants can strengthen their case with preliminary results or published findings if available. The key point is that the absence of preliminary data does not automatically disqualify a proposal when the hypothesis and approach are strong.
Who is offering this funding opportunity?
The opportunity is offered by the Department of Defense, Department of the Army, through the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA).
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is W81XWH 20 NFRP EHDA.
What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?
It falls under CFDA 12.420, within the broader category of Science and Technology and other Research and Development.
What type of award instrument will be used (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?
Awards may be made as either a grant or a cooperative agreement. This means the government may choose an instrument ranging from standard grant support to a model that involves more substantial federal involvement or coordination, depending on the project and program needs.
What does it mean that it can be a cooperative agreement?
It means the funding instrument could involve more federal involvement or coordination than a standard grant, depending on the nature of the project and the program's needs.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, meaning the competition is broadly open to applicants of any entity type, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications in the full announcement.
When was this opportunity created?
The opportunity record was created on March 30, 2020.
What was the original closing date?
The original closing date listed is July 9, 2020.
How many awards were anticipated?
The announcement projected approximately five awards.
Is there a maximum (ceiling) award amount listed?
The listed award ceiling is shown as 0. This typically indicates the maximum award amount is not specified in the summary record and would need to be confirmed in the full funding announcement or associated program guidance.
What kind of outcomes is this award trying to produce?
The emphasis is on producing credible early evidence, feasibility insights, or conceptual validation that can justify next-stage investigation and support the development of future, more definitive NF research efforts.
How should applicants frame the "exploratory" nature of the work?
Applicants should position the project as an initial exploration that can meaningfully inform the next stage of investigation, while still presenting a clear scientific plan capable of testing the stated hypothesis and generating interpretable results.
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