Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Melanoma Research Program (MRP) Focused Program Award – Rare Melanomas, supports a multidisciplinary research program of at least two, but not more than three, distinct but complementary research projects addressing an overarching question relevant to rare melanomas.  

Distinctive Features:

·      *Updated for FY26* Investigators must include at least one rare melanoma survivor or patient advocate as part of the project team who will provide advice and consultation throughout planning, implementation, and results dissemination to maximize research impact.

·        This is a partnering mechanism, requiring an Initiating Principal Investigator (PI) and at least one, but not more than two, Partnering PIs, see Figure 1.

○       Each named PI is expected to be a Project Leader for one of the proposed research projects. If recommended for funding, each PI will be named on separate awards to the recipient organization(s).

·        After submitting the required pre-application, investigators must receive an invitation to submit a full application.

○       Only the Initiating PI will submit a pre-application. All PIs must submit full applications. The Partnering PI(s)’s application is an abbreviated package specific to their proposed research project.

·        Clinical trials are allowed.

Funding Details: The Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs expects to allot roughly $5.6M to fund approximately 2 Focused Program Award – Rare Melanomas applications with total cost caps of $2.8M per award. The maximum period of performance is 4 years. It is anticipated that awards made from this FY26 funding opportunity will be funded with FY26 funds, which will expire for use on September 30, 2032. Awards supported with FY26 funds will be made no later than September 30, 2027.

Miscellaneous

• Unrestricted