Opportunity Information: Apply for HT942526ALSRPTIA
The FY26 Department of Defense Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Research Program (ALSRP) Therapeutic Idea Award (TIA) is a discretionary research grant opportunity run through the Department of the Army, U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA). It is designed to move bold, early-stage therapeutic concepts forward in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), specifically ideas that could lead to drug or therapy discovery. The program emphasis is on new and innovative approaches that may be considered high-risk but also high-reward, with the expectation that successful projects will open up credible new directions for later-stage therapeutic development.
This award mechanism is positioned for hypothesis-driven studies that can produce interpretable results and generate preliminary data. In practical terms, the TIA is meant to fund the kind of early testing, proof-of-concept experimentation, or feasibility work that helps determine whether a therapeutic concept is worth pursuing in a larger, more definitive future project. The focus is not on incremental progress or routine extension of established lines of work, but on ideas that could meaningfully shift the therapeutic landscape for ALS if they pan out.
A defining feature of the TIA is that it does not require preliminary data to be competitive, as long as the application makes a strong case through the quality of the scientific rationale and, especially, the soundness of the approach. Applicants are allowed to include preliminary data if they have it, but the solicitation makes it clear that reviewers are expected to weigh innovation and potential impact heavily and not treat the lack of preliminary data as disqualifying. Because of that, a strong submission typically leans on a clear hypothesis, a well-justified therapeutic concept, rigorous experimental design, and a plan that can yield interpretable outcomes even if the central hypothesis turns out to be wrong. In other words, the project should be structured so that the results still teach something useful about the target, mechanism, modality, or therapeutic strategy.
Administratively, this is a grant (funding instrument type: Grant) in the Science and Technology and other Research and Development category, with CFDA/Assistance Listing number 12.420. Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, which generally signals that a wide range of applicant organizations may apply (for example, universities, nonprofits, small businesses, and other research entities), subject to the full requirements in the official funding announcement. The funding opportunity number is HT942526ALSRPTIA, and the posted closing date is September 30, 2026. The announcement anticipates making about 12 awards. The listing provides an “award ceiling” field but does not include a value in the provided text, meaning interested applicants would need to consult the full announcement package for the maximum budget, period of performance, cost constraints, and any limits on indirect costs or specific cost categories.
Overall, the core message of this opportunity is that the ALSRP TIA is meant to catalyze fresh therapeutic ideas for ALS by supporting early, hypothesis-based work that can quickly produce credible, decision-quality evidence. It is aimed at proposals where the payoff could be substantial, even if the path involves uncertainty, and where the application’s strength comes from a thoughtful, rigorous plan rather than an extensive body of prior supporting data.Apply for HT942526ALSRPTIA
- The Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "DoW Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Research Program, Therapeutic Idea 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 2026-05-04.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-09-30. (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 12 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted.
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
FAQs: FY26 DoD ALSRP Therapeutic Idea Award (TIA)
What is the FY26 DoD ALSRP Therapeutic Idea Award (TIA)?
The Therapeutic Idea Award (TIA) is a discretionary research grant under the Department of Defense Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Research Program (ALSRP), managed through the Department of the Army, U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA). It supports early-stage, hypothesis-driven therapeutic ideas in ALS that could lead to drug or therapy discovery.
What is the main goal of this award?
The goal is to move bold, early-stage therapeutic concepts forward by funding proof-of-concept, feasibility testing, or early experimental work that can generate interpretable results and preliminary evidence to inform whether a concept should be pursued in larger, later-stage development efforts.
What type of research does the TIA prioritize?
The TIA prioritizes new and innovative therapeutic approaches for ALS that may be considered high-risk but high-reward. It is intended for hypothesis-driven studies with rigorous experimental design and decision-quality outcomes.
Is this award intended for early-stage or late-stage research?
This award is positioned for early-stage research. It is meant to support early testing and feasibility work that helps determine whether a therapeutic concept is worth advancing to more definitive, later-stage studies.
Does the TIA require preliminary data?
No. Preliminary data is not required to be competitive, as long as the application makes a strong case through scientific rationale and a sound, rigorous approach. Applicants may include preliminary data if available, but lack of preliminary data is not expected to be treated as disqualifying.
If preliminary data is not required, what makes an application competitive?
Based on the description provided, competitive applications typically emphasize a clear hypothesis, a well-justified therapeutic concept, strong innovation, rigorous experimental design, and a plan that can yield interpretable outcomes even if the central hypothesis is not supported.
What does “high-risk, high-reward” mean in the context of this award?
It means the program is intentionally willing to support ideas with uncertainty or technical risk, as long as the potential payoff is substantial and the project is designed to produce meaningful, interpretable results that could open credible new directions for ALS therapeutic development.
What kinds of outcomes is the program expecting from funded projects?
The program is looking for interpretable, decision-quality evidence from hypothesis-driven studies. Even if a hypothesis is wrong, the project should still be structured so the results provide useful learning about the target, mechanism, modality, or overall therapeutic strategy.
Is the program interested in incremental or routine extensions of existing work?
No. The emphasis is not on incremental progress or routine extensions of established lines of work. The focus is on ideas that could meaningfully shift the therapeutic landscape for ALS if successful.
What is the funding instrument type for this opportunity?
The funding instrument type is a Grant.
Which agency is running this grant opportunity?
It is run through the Department of the Army, U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA), under the Department of Defense ALSRP.
What is the Assistance Listing (CFDA) number?
The CFDA/Assistance Listing number is 12.420.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is HT942526ALSRPTIA.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, which generally indicates that a wide range of applicant organizations may apply (such as universities, nonprofits, small businesses, and other research entities), subject to the full requirements in the official funding announcement.
How many awards does the announcement expect to make?
The announcement anticipates making about 12 awards.
When is the closing date?
The posted closing date is September 30, 2026.
What is the maximum budget (award ceiling) for an application?
The listing includes an “award ceiling” field, but no value is provided in the text available here. To find the maximum budget, period of performance, and any cost constraints (including indirect cost limits or restricted cost categories), applicants would need to consult the full official announcement package.
What research area does this opportunity fall under?
The opportunity is in the Science and Technology and other Research and Development category, focused on ALS therapeutic discovery and early-stage therapeutic concept evaluation.
What is the overall “core message” of the TIA based on this description?
The core message is that the ALSRP TIA is meant to catalyze fresh therapeutic ideas for ALS by supporting early, hypothesis-based work that can quickly produce credible, interpretable evidence, with application strength driven by innovation and rigor rather than an extensive set of preliminary data.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development
Previous opportunity: NIJ FY25 Research and Evaluation on Corrections
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 HT942526ALSRPTIA
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (HT942526ALSRPTIA) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| DoW Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Research Program, Therapeutic Development Award Apply for HT942526ALSRPTDA Funding Number: HT942526ALSRPTDA Agency: Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| NIJ FY25 Research and Evaluation on Human Trafficking Apply for O NIJ 2025 172606 Funding Number: O NIJ 2025 172606 Agency: National Institute of Justice Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $3,000,000 |
| DoW Pancreatic Cancer Research Program, Focused Pilot Award Apply for HT942526PCARPFPTA Funding Number: HT942526PCARPFPTA Agency: Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| DoW Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Research Program, Pilot Clinical Trial Award Apply for HT942526ALSRPPCTA Funding Number: HT942526ALSRPPCTA Agency: Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| DoW Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Research Program, Clinical Outcomes and Biomarkers Award Apply for HT942526ALSRPCOBA Funding Number: HT942526ALSRPCOBA Agency: Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| DoW Breast Cancer, Breakthrough Award Level 4 Apply for HT942526BCRPBTA4 Funding Number: HT942526BCRPBTA4 Agency: Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| DoW, Ovarian Cancer, Ovarian Cancer Academy – Early-Career Investigator Award Apply for HT942526OCRPOCAECI Funding Number: HT942526OCRPOCAECI Agency: Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| DoW, Ovarian Cancer, Ovarian Cancer Clinical Trial Academy – Early-Career Investigator Award Apply for HT942526OCRPOCCTAECI Funding Number: HT942526OCRPOCCTAECI Agency: Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| DoW Breast Cancer, Clinical Research Extension Award Apply for HT942526BCRPCREA Funding Number: HT942526BCRPCREA Agency: Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| DoW Breast Cancer, Breakthrough Award Levels 1 and 2 Apply for HT942526BCRPBTA12 Funding Number: HT942526BCRPBTA12 Agency: Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| DoW Ovarian Cancer, Clinical Trial Award Apply for HT942526OCRPCTA Funding Number: HT942526OCRPCTA Agency: Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| DoW Breast Cancer, Breakthrough Award Level 3 Apply for HT942526BCRPBTA3 Funding Number: HT942526BCRPBTA3 Agency: Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| DoW, Ovarian Cancer, Investigator-Initiated Research Award Apply for HT942526OCRPIIRA Funding Number: HT942526OCRPIIRA Agency: Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| NIJ FY25 Research and Evaluation on Drugs and Crime: Nexus with Firearms and Violence Apply for O NIJ 2025 172605 Funding Number: O NIJ 2025 172605 Agency: National Institute of Justice Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $2,000,000 |
| DoW, Ovarian Cancer, Pilot Award Apply for HT942526OCRPPA Funding Number: HT942526OCRPPA Agency: Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| DoW Breast Cancer, Era of Hope Scholar Award Apply for HT942526BCRPEOHS Funding Number: HT942526BCRPEOHS Agency: Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| DoW Breast Cancer, Transformative Breast Cancer Consortium Development Award Apply for HT942526BCRPTBCCDA Funding Number: HT942526BCRPTBCCDA Agency: Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| DoW Breast Cancer, Transformative Breast Cancer Consortium Award Apply for HT942526BCRPTBCCA Funding Number: HT942526BCRPTBCCA Agency: Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| DoW Spinal Cord Injury, Translational Research Award Apply for HT942526SCIRPTRA Funding Number: HT942526SCIRPTRA Agency: Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| DoW Hearing Restoration Focused Research Award Apply for HT942526HRRPFRA Funding Number: HT942526HRRPFRA Agency: 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 "HT942526ALSRPTIA", 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.