Opportunity Information: Apply for W81XWH 22 BMFRP IIRA
The DOD Bone Marrow Failure Investigator-Initiated Research Award (FY22 BMFRP IIRA; opportunity number W81XWH-22-BMFRP-IIRA) is a Department of Defense research funding opportunity administered through the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA). It supports science and technology research and development projects focused on bone marrow failure (BMF) diseases, with an emphasis on work that can meaningfully move the field forward in terms of prevention, detection, diagnosis, and treatment. The program is open to a wide range of applicant organizations (eligibility is listed as unrestricted, with any limits spelled out in the full announcement), and it uses grant and cooperative agreement funding instruments. The original posting date was May 4, 2022, with an original application deadline of September 23, 2022, and the program anticipated making a small number of awards (listed as two expected awards in the source summary).
A key aspect of this opportunity is that it offers two distinct funding levels, each with a different purpose and set of expectations. Funding Level 1 (FL1) is designed to support investigator-initiated studies that build on promising ideas or key discoveries and push them further toward meaningful advances. FL1 projects can span basic research, translational research, and clinically oriented research, and they may include animal studies, studies using human anatomical substances, and research involving human subjects. FL1 can also include correlative studies tied to an existing clinical trial, such as analyses that help explain why certain patients respond, what biomarkers track with outcomes, or what measures could become future trial endpoints. Even so, FL1 funds cannot be used to run a clinical trial itself; the intent is to advance knowledge and readiness for improved care rather than to directly sponsor a trial under this mechanism. Multidisciplinary teamwork is encouraged to help applicants assemble the range of expertise and resources needed to complete ambitious projects.
Funding Level 2 (FL2) is more narrowly targeted and is intended to support IND-enabling work, meaning the practical, preclinical steps required to assemble a package suitable for submitting an Investigational New Drug (IND) application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The program explicitly recognizes that moving a potential therapy from lab promise to first-in-human evaluation is scientifically demanding and expensive, so FL2 emphasizes empirical, product-driven studies that generate the types of data regulators expect before clinical testing can begin. Examples of the required data domains include lead candidate characterization, formulation and stability, absorption/distribution/metabolism/excretion (ADME), dose-response, and toxicology. To keep FL2 focused on real advancement toward the clinic, applicants must name at least one and no more than three specific lead therapeutic candidates at the time of submission. Projects centered on library screening or general drug optimization are not considered responsive to FL2 because they do not represent a defined lead candidate being advanced through IND-enabling milestones. Like FL1, FL2 does not pay for clinical trials, but it is explicitly meant to generate the final preclinical evidence base that would allow a clinical trial to begin afterward. FL2 applications also have an additional alignment requirement: they must address the FY22 BMFRP focus area described as "Find effective BMF treatments and cures."
Across both funding levels, the opportunity highlights several features that strongly shape how applications are expected to be written and evaluated. First is impact: proposals should tackle a central, critical question or barrier in BMF research or clinical care, with the expectation that success would substantially improve how BMF diseases are prevented, detected, diagnosed, or treated. Second is translational potential: applicants are expected to explain how the work could realistically translate into patient-facing benefit, such as prevention strategies, better clinical decision-making, or pathways to curative approaches. Third is the requirement for preliminary data: applications must include preliminary and/or published evidence supporting the project concept and feasibility, and any unpublished preliminary findings should come from the PI or members of the research team, reinforcing that proposals should be grounded in real, relevant observations rather than purely speculative aims. Fourth is an emphasis on multidisciplinary collaboration, which is not mandatory but is clearly encouraged; teams can combine complementary scientific expertise and practical resources such as specialized assays, unique reagents, access to patient samples, clinical populations, or enabling services.
The program also offers a Partnering PI option to support genuine, team-based leadership. Under this structure, an application can name an Initiating PI and a Partnering PI, both of whom are expected to contribute substantially to the intellectual development and execution planning of the project, including core narrative elements and the statement of work. The Initiating PI typically handles most submission-related administrative responsibilities, but if funded, each PI is associated with an individual award within the recipient organization. Importantly, choosing the partnering PI option does not increase the direct cost limits; it is meant to strengthen collaborative science rather than expand the budget simply due to multiple PIs.
In practical terms, this opportunity is best viewed as supporting two lanes of progress in bone marrow failure research: FL1 backs well-supported research ideas that can deliver significant advances without running a clinical trial, while FL2 is specifically for teams ready to push one to three clearly identified therapeutic candidates through the IND-enabling data generation needed for FDA submission, again stopping short of funding the clinical trial itself. Both lanes prioritize high-impact questions, a clear line of sight to translation, credible preliminary data, and collaboration when it strengthens the project’s ability to deliver meaningful outcomes for people affected by bone marrow failure diseases.Apply for W81XWH 22 BMFRP IIRA
- 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 Bone Marrow Failure 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 04, 2022.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 23, 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 2 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.
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
FAQs: DOD Bone Marrow Failure Investigator-Initiated Research Award (FY22 BMFRP IIRA)
What is the FY22 BMFRP Investigator-Initiated Research Award (IIRA)?
The FY22 Bone Marrow Failure Investigator-Initiated Research Award (BMFRP IIRA; opportunity number W81XWH-22-BMFRP-IIRA) is a Department of Defense research funding opportunity administered through the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA). It supports science and technology research and development projects focused on bone marrow failure (BMF) diseases, with the goal of meaningfully advancing prevention, detection, diagnosis, and treatment.
Who administers this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is administered through the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA) on behalf of the Department of Defense.
What is the primary research area this program funds?
The program funds research and development focused on bone marrow failure (BMF) diseases, particularly work that can move the field forward in prevention, detection, diagnosis, and treatment.
Is eligibility restricted to certain types of organizations?
Eligibility is described as unrestricted, with any limits or conditions spelled out in the full announcement.
What funding instruments are used under this opportunity?
This opportunity uses grant and cooperative agreement funding instruments.
When was the opportunity posted, and what was the application deadline?
The original posting date was May 4, 2022, and the original application deadline was September 23, 2022.
How many awards were expected to be made?
The source summary anticipated a small number of awards, listing two expected awards.
Are there different funding levels, and how do they differ?
Yes. The opportunity offers two distinct funding levels with different purposes and expectations:
- Funding Level 1 (FL1): Supports investigator-initiated studies that build on promising ideas or key discoveries and push them toward meaningful advances (basic, translational, or clinically oriented research). Clinical trials themselves are not funded.
- Funding Level 2 (FL2): Supports IND-enabling, product-driven preclinical work to generate a data package suitable for an FDA Investigational New Drug (IND) submission. Clinical trials are not funded.
What kinds of research activities are allowed under Funding Level 1 (FL1)?
FL1 can support basic research, translational research, and clinically oriented research. It may include animal studies, studies using human anatomical substances, and research involving human subjects. FL1 may also include correlative studies connected to an existing clinical trial (for example, analyses of response, biomarkers, outcomes associations, or potential future trial endpoints).
Can FL1 funds be used to run a clinical trial?
No. FL1 can include correlative studies tied to an existing clinical trial, but FL1 funding cannot be used to conduct a clinical trial itself.
What is meant by "correlative studies" under FL1?
Correlative studies are analyses associated with an existing clinical trial that help interpret or explain clinical outcomes, such as identifying why certain patients respond, which biomarkers track with outcomes, or what measures might serve as future trial endpoints. Under this mechanism, these studies can be supported, but the clinical trial itself is not funded.
What is the purpose of Funding Level 2 (FL2)?
FL2 is intended to support IND-enabling work, meaning practical, preclinical activities required to generate the evidence base suitable for submitting an Investigational New Drug (IND) application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It is designed to move a potential therapy toward first-in-human evaluation by producing regulator-relevant data.
What kinds of data are emphasized for FL2 IND-enabling studies?
Examples of required or expected IND-enabling data domains include lead candidate characterization, formulation and stability, absorption/distribution/metabolism/excretion (ADME), dose-response, and toxicology.
How many therapeutic candidates must be identified for an FL2 application?
Applicants must name at least one and no more than three specific lead therapeutic candidates at the time of submission.
Are library screening or general drug optimization projects responsive under FL2?
No. Projects centered on library screening or general drug optimization are not considered responsive to FL2 because FL2 requires advancement of a defined lead candidate through IND-enabling milestones.
Can FL2 funds be used to conduct a clinical trial?
No. Like FL1, FL2 does not fund clinical trials. FL2 is meant to generate the final preclinical evidence base needed to support an IND submission and enable a clinical trial to begin afterward.
Does FL2 have any additional topic alignment requirements?
Yes. FL2 applications must address the FY22 BMFRP focus area: "Find effective BMF treatments and cures."
What are the most important features the program emphasizes across both funding levels?
Across FL1 and FL2, the opportunity emphasizes:
- Impact: Addressing a central, critical question or barrier in BMF research or clinical care, with potential to substantially improve prevention, detection, diagnosis, or treatment.
- Translational potential: A realistic path to patient-facing benefit (for example, prevention strategies, improved clinical decision-making, or pathways to curative approaches).
- Preliminary data: Preliminary and/or published evidence supporting the project concept and feasibility, with unpublished preliminary findings coming from the PI or research team.
- Multidisciplinary collaboration: Team-based approaches are encouraged when they strengthen the project via complementary expertise or resources.
Is preliminary data required?
Yes. Applications must include preliminary and/or published evidence supporting the concept and feasibility. Any unpublished preliminary findings should come from the PI or members of the research team.
What does the opportunity mean by "translational potential"?
Applicants are expected to explain how the work could realistically translate into patient-facing benefit, such as improved prevention approaches, better clinical decision-making, improved diagnostics, or pathways toward effective treatments or cures.
Is multidisciplinary collaboration required?
Multidisciplinary collaboration is not described as mandatory, but it is clearly encouraged, especially when it enables ambitious projects by bringing together complementary expertise, specialized assays, unique reagents, access to patient samples or clinical populations, or enabling services.
What is the Partnering PI option?
The Partnering PI option allows an application to name an Initiating PI and a Partnering PI to support genuine, team-based leadership. Both PIs are expected to contribute substantially to the intellectual development and execution planning of the project, including core narrative elements and the statement of work.
What is the difference between the Initiating PI and the Partnering PI?
The Initiating PI typically handles most submission-related administrative responsibilities. Both the Initiating PI and Partnering PI are expected to substantially shape the project and planning. If funded, each PI is associated with an individual award within the recipient organization.
Does adding a Partnering PI increase the budget or direct cost limits?
No. Choosing the Partnering PI option does not increase the direct cost limits. The option is intended to strengthen collaborative science rather than expand the budget due to multiple PIs.
How should an applicant decide whether to apply under FL1 or FL2?
Based on the program description:
- Choose FL1 if the project is an investigator-initiated research study (basic, translational, or clinically oriented) that builds on promising ideas or discoveries and can deliver meaningful advances without conducting a clinical trial.
- Choose FL2 if the team is ready to advance one to three clearly identified therapeutic candidates through IND-enabling, regulator-relevant preclinical studies needed for an FDA IND submission, while not conducting the clinical trial itself.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development
Next opportunity: BJA FY 22 Project Safe Neighborhoods
Previous opportunity: DoD Prostate Cancer, Exploration-Hypothesis Development Award
Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for W81XWH 22 BMFRP IIRA
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (W81XWH 22 BMFRP IIRA) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| DOD Bone Marrow Failure Idea Development Award Apply for W81XWH 22 BMFRP IDA Funding Number: W81XWH 22 BMFRP IDA Agency: Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| FY22 DEFENSE ESTABLISHED PROGRAM TO STIMULATE COMPETITIVE RESEARCH (DEPSCoR) – CAPACITY BUILDING (CB) Apply for FOA AFRL AFOSR 2022 0007 Funding Number: FOA AFRL AFOSR 2022 0007 Agency: Department of Defense, Air Force Office of Scientific Research Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
| DoD Combat Readiness Medical, Rapid Development and Translational Research Award Apply for W81XWH 22 S CRRP Funding Number: W81XWH 22 S CRRP Agency: Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BJA FY 22 Justice Information Sharing Training and Technical Assistance (JIS TTA) Program Apply for O BJA 2022 171332 Funding Number: O BJA 2022 171332 Agency: Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $400,000 |
| DoD Vision, Translational Research Award Apply for W81XWH 22 VRP TRA Funding Number: W81XWH 22 VRP TRA Agency: Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| DoD Vision, Clinical Trial Award Apply for W81XWH 22 VRP CTA Funding Number: W81XWH 22 VRP CTA Agency: Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| DoD Vision, Focused Translational Team Science Award Apply for W81XWH 22 VRP FTTSA Funding Number: W81XWH 22 VRP FTTSA Agency: Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| DoD Vision, Investigator- Initiated Research Award Apply for W81XWH 22 VRP IIRA Funding Number: W81XWH 22 VRP IIRA Agency: Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Seasonal Natural and Cultural Resources Management Program Suppport on Air Force Installations Apply for W9126G 22 2 SOI 2923 Funding Number: W9126G 22 2 SOI 2923 Agency: Department of Defense, Fort Worth District Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $1,309,000 |
| FY 22 DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction (CEBR) Program (Formula) Apply for O BJA 2022 171344 Funding Number: O BJA 2022 171344 Agency: Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $3,000,000 |
| Sedimentary Geology and Paleobiology Apply for 22 597 Funding Number: 22 597 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| DoD Hearing Restoration Focused Research Award Apply for W81XWH 22 HRRP FRA Funding Number: W81XWH 22 HRRP FRA Agency: Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| DoD Lupus, Impact Award Apply for W81XWH 22 LRP IPA Funding Number: W81XWH 22 LRP IPA Agency: Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| DoD Lupus, Idea Award Apply for W81XWH 22 LRP IA Funding Number: W81XWH 22 LRP IA Agency: Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| DoD Lupus, Transformative Vision Award Apply for W81XWH 22 LRP TVA Funding Number: W81XWH 22 LRP TVA Agency: Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 DoD Research and Education Program for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority-Serving Institutions (HBCU/MI) Apply for W911NF 22 S 0010 Funding Number: W911NF 22 S 0010 Agency: Department of Defense, Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $800,000 |
| Global Innovation through Science and Technology (GIST) Initiative for the South Caucasus Apply for SFOP0008972 Funding Number: SFOP0008972 Agency: Department of State, Bureau of Oceans - Int. Environmental - Scientific Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $395,000 |
| Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) Research Initiation Initiative Apply for 22 598 Funding Number: 22 598 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $175,000 |
| Geometric Analysis Apply for PD 22 1265 Funding Number: PD 22 1265 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| DoD Military Burn, Clinical Translational Research Award Apply for W81XWH 22 MBRP CTRA Funding Number: W81XWH 22 MBRP CTRA Agency: Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Inside Our Applicants Portal
Access Applicants Portal
- Grants Repository - Access current and historic funding opportunities with ease. Thousands of funding opportunities are published every week. We can help you sort through the database and find the eligible ones to apply for.
- Applicant Video Guides - The grant application process can be challenging to follow. We can help you with intuitive video guides to speed up the process and eliminate errors in submissions.
- Grant Proposal Wizard - We have developed a network of private funding organizations and investors across the United States. We can reach out and submit your proposal to these contacts to maximize your chances of getting the funding you need.
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Learn More
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "W81XWH 22 BMFRP IIRA", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.