DoD Breast Cancer, Breakthrough Award Level 3 | W81XWH 22 BCRP BTA3 2

Opportunity Information: Apply for W81XWH 22 BCRP BTA3 2

The DoD Breast Cancer Research Program (BCRP) Breakthrough Award Level 3 is a competitive Department of Defense funding opportunity designed to push breast cancer research beyond incremental progress and toward genuinely transformative advances. The core idea is impact: proposed projects should have clear potential to accelerate progress toward ending breast cancer by enabling a new approach that is meaningfully better than what is already approved or currently in clinical development. Applicants are expected to be explicit about who benefits from the work by identifying the breast cancer patient populations, or at-risk individuals, that would ultimately be served if the research succeeds. While the impact can be near-term or long-term, the program is not looking for small refinements; it is focused on research that plausibly changes the trajectory of prevention, detection, treatment, or patient outcomes.

This announcement specifically covers Breakthrough Award Level 3, one of four distinct funding levels under the BCRP Breakthrough Award mechanism. Importantly, investigators are supposed to choose a level based on the scope and maturity of the science rather than selecting a level simply to match a preferred budget size. The program emphasizes that a misaligned application (for example, a project that fits another level better) will not be recommended for funding even if the science is strong. Levels 1, 2, and 4 are offered under separate program announcements, and applicants are encouraged to compare the scopes across levels before submitting.

Level 3 is aimed at advanced translational studies that are highly ready to move toward clinical application. The expectation is that the project is past early discovery and positioned to translate into a clinical investigation path. When relevant, the application needs to document practical readiness elements such as access to the necessary data, human samples, patient cohorts, and critical reagents. For projects that would ultimately require engagement with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the application must also show that the team has access to clinical-grade reagents (for example, therapeutic molecules or other investigational products) and to appropriate patient populations for the next steps. Applicants must lay out a realistic, near-term timeline for clinical investigation, and the scope can include small-scale clinical trials such as first-in-human or phase 1/1b studies when appropriate. In other words, Level 3 is for teams that can credibly demonstrate they are close to, or already entering, the clinic rather than simply proposing preclinical exploration.

A notable feature of this opportunity is the Partnering PI Option, which is intended to support genuine, high-value collaborations rather than superficial arrangements. Under this structure, two principal investigators can apply together: an Initiating PI who handles most submission and administrative responsibilities, and a Partnering PI who shares scientific leadership. The program expects both PIs to have substantial and distinct intellectual contributions to the project design and execution, reflected across core components like the project narrative and statement of work. Effort levels should be similar and appropriate, and funding is generally expected to be balanced between the two PIs unless there is a clear justification otherwise. The announcement also signals what does not qualify as a true partnership: situations where one PI merely supplies samples, models, or an agent while the other performs nearly all experiments and analyses are viewed as missing the intent. Likewise, serving as a Partnering PI on multiple Level 3 applications is discouraged unless the proposals clearly address different research questions. If funded, each PI is named on an individual award within the recipient organization, underscoring that this is meant to be a shared leadership model.

The program also places strong emphasis on assembling the right team for a complex translational effort. Applications are expected to include a robust research team with the combined expertise needed to carry out the work successfully, particularly with breast cancer-relevant scientific and clinical capabilities. Beyond technical expertise, the award requires meaningful consumer advocate involvement as a built-in component of the research process. Each application must include at least two breast cancer consumer advocates who are integrated throughout planning and implementation, not brought in only for occasional meetings or superficial consultation. These advocates are expected to contribute to shaping the research question, study design, oversight, recruitment considerations, and evaluation, with ongoing interaction alongside the scientific team.

The consumer advocate requirements are specific: they must be individuals who have been diagnosed with breast cancer and who are active in a breast cancer advocacy organization. Their participation must be independent of employment, and they cannot be employees of any organization involved in the application. The intent is for advocates to provide objective, patient-centered input on the relevance, feasibility, and real-world impact of the work for people living with breast cancer or those at elevated risk. The announcement also expects advocates to have strong familiarity with current breast cancer issues and sufficient background or training in research to contribute effectively.

Administratively, the opportunity is listed as a discretionary federal funding opportunity with the Department of Defense (Department of the Army, USAMRAA) and supports science and technology or other research and development activities (CFDA 12.420). The funding instrument can be a grant or cooperative agreement, eligibility is broadly described as unrestricted (open to many entity types, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications), and the posted record notes an expected single award. The original posting indicates a 2022 timeline (created June 9, 2022, with an original closing date of November 2, 2022), which is useful context if you are comparing it to current-year BCRP offerings or trying to track how Level 3 requirements are framed across cycles.

• 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 Breast Cancer, Breakthrough Award Level 3" 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 Jun 09, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Nov 02, 2022. (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 1 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 22 BCRP BTA3 2

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