Opportunity Information: Apply for W81XWH 20 OCRP OCA
The CDMRP Ovarian Cancer Research Program (OCRP) Ovarian Cancer Academy (OCA) Early-Career Investigator Award is a Department of Defense funding opportunity run through the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA) that focuses on building the next generation of ovarian cancer research leaders. First established in FY2009, this mechanism is designed less like a standard standalone research or career development grant and more like a structured, cohort-based academy. Its central purpose is to accelerate the growth of junior faculty into independent, highly productive ovarian cancer investigators by surrounding them with intensive mentoring, a national network, and an ongoing collaborative training environment.
A defining feature of this award is the “virtual academy” model. Early-Career Investigators (ECIs) are placed into an organized program that includes designated mentors from different institutions, along with an Academy Dean and Assistant Dean who help guide the overall direction and professional development of the cohort. Rather than simply providing funding for an individual project with periodic reporting, the program expects active participation and engagement as a member of the Academy community. ECIs are expected to attend regular monthly webinars and take part in annual workshops, creating recurring touchpoints for scientific exchange, skill-building, and career guidance. The structure is meant to create both accountability and momentum, with ECIs learning from leadership, mentors, peers, and the broader ovarian cancer community over the course of the program.
Collaboration and professional visibility are core expectations. Awardees are expected to communicate and collaborate not only with their own mentors but also with other ECIs and Academy leadership, and to engage with the advocacy community as part of the program’s culture. The opportunity emphasizes that this is not a traditional career development award; success is tied to participation in the Academy ecosystem and to building a durable professional network that supports long-term impact in ovarian cancer research. Historically, the Academy model has helped ECIs take on prominent roles in the field, including presenting at and chairing sessions at ovarian cancer-focused symposia, serving on symposium review committees, and acting as peer reviewers for the DoD OCRP and other funding organizations. In practical terms, the program aims to cultivate investigators who are not only producing strong science, but also becoming visible contributors to the research community and its funding and dissemination pipelines.
From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number W81XWH 20 OCRP OCA) is categorized as discretionary and supports science and technology and other research and development activities under CFDA 12.420. The listed funding instruments include cooperative agreements and grants, indicating that award management may involve a higher degree of programmatic involvement than a typical investigator-initiated grant, depending on the specific award structure used. Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning it is broadly open to applicant organizations, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications that may appear in the full announcement. The posting date was February 27, 2020, with an original closing date of July 30, 2020, and the opportunity anticipated making about two awards. The award ceiling is shown as 0 in the source data, which usually signals that applicants must rely on the full announcement for the actual budget limits and cost parameters rather than interpreting that field as a true funding cap.
Overall, the Ovarian Cancer Academy Early-Career Investigator Award is best understood as a mentored, network-driven career acceleration program embedded within a funded research context, with clear expectations that awardees will regularly participate, collaborate, and grow into leadership roles in ovarian cancer research and related professional service.Apply for W81XWH 20 OCRP OCA
- 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 "CDMRP Ovarian Cancer Research Program Ovarian Cancer Academy – Early-Career Investigator 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 Feb 27, 2020.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 30, 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 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.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the CDMRP OCRP Ovarian Cancer Academy (OCA) Early-Career Investigator Award?
It is a Department of Defense funding opportunity under the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP), within the Ovarian Cancer Research Program (OCRP). The specific mechanism is the Ovarian Cancer Academy (OCA) Early-Career Investigator Award, which is designed to accelerate the development of junior faculty into independent, highly productive ovarian cancer research leaders through a structured, cohort-based academy model.
Who runs and administers this funding opportunity?
The opportunity is a Department of Defense program run through the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA).
What is the primary goal of this award?
The central purpose is to build the next generation of ovarian cancer research leaders by accelerating the growth of early-career investigators into independent investigators. The program does this through intensive mentoring, a national network, and an ongoing collaborative training environment rather than focusing only on a standalone research project.
How is this award different from a typical research grant?
This mechanism is designed less like a standard investigator-initiated research grant and more like a structured academy. Success is tied to active participation in the Academy ecosystem (mentoring, networking, training activities, and collaboration), not only to completing an individual research project with periodic reporting.
How is this award different from a traditional career development award?
The opportunity explicitly emphasizes that it is not a traditional career development award. Instead, it is a cohort-based academy experience where progress and outcomes are closely linked to engagement with mentors, Academy leadership, peers, and the broader ovarian cancer community, including advocacy engagement.
What does the “virtual academy” model mean for participants?
The “virtual academy” model means early-career investigators are placed into an organized program that operates through recurring, structured interactions. The Academy includes designated mentors from different institutions and Academy leadership (an Academy Dean and Assistant Dean), and it is built around ongoing engagement rather than one-time or infrequent check-ins.
What kinds of activities are early-career investigators expected to participate in?
Early-career investigators are expected to actively participate in the Academy community, including attending regular monthly webinars and participating in annual workshops. These touchpoints support scientific exchange, skill-building, professional development, and accountability across the cohort.
What mentoring and leadership structure is included in the Academy?
The Academy structure includes designated mentors from different institutions, plus an Academy Dean and Assistant Dean who guide the overall direction and professional development of the cohort. The model is designed to surround participants with intensive mentoring and coordinated leadership support.
Is collaboration required, or just encouraged?
Collaboration is described as a core expectation. Awardees are expected to communicate and collaborate with their mentors, other early-career investigators, and Academy leadership, and to participate as members of a broader Academy community.
What role does professional networking play in this award?
Professional networking is central to the program. The Academy is designed to help early-career investigators build a durable national network that supports long-term impact in ovarian cancer research, with ongoing collaborative training and recurring opportunities for engagement.
Does the program involve engagement with the advocacy community?
Yes. Engagement with the advocacy community is part of the program culture, and awardees are expected to engage as part of the Academy experience.
What kinds of longer-term professional outcomes does the Academy aim to support?
The program aims to cultivate investigators who not only produce strong ovarian cancer science, but also become visible contributors to the research community. Historically, the Academy model has supported early-career investigators in taking on prominent roles such as presenting at or chairing sessions at ovarian cancer-focused symposia, serving on symposium review committees, and acting as peer reviewers for DoD OCRP and other funding organizations.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this announcement?
The Funding Opportunity Number is W81XWH 20 OCRP OCA.
How is this opportunity categorized (grant type/category)?
It is categorized as discretionary and supports science and technology and other research and development activities.
What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 12.420.
What funding instruments are associated with this opportunity?
The listed funding instruments include cooperative agreements and grants. This suggests that, depending on the specific structure used, award management could involve more programmatic involvement than a typical investigator-initiated grant.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning it is broadly open to applicant organizations. Any additional eligibility clarifications would be expected in the full announcement.
When was the opportunity posted, and what was the original closing date?
The posting date was February 27, 2020. The original closing date was July 30, 2020.
How many awards were anticipated?
The opportunity anticipated making about two awards.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling is shown as 0 in the source data. This typically means applicants should not interpret that field as an actual funding cap and should instead rely on the full announcement for the real budget limits and cost parameters.
What should applicants rely on for final details like budget limits and specific requirements?
Because the source data lists an award ceiling of 0 and notes that eligibility may have additional clarifications, applicants should rely on the full announcement for definitive budget guidance, cost parameters, and any detailed eligibility or participation requirements.
What is the overall “best way” to understand this award based on the description?
It is best understood as a mentored, network-driven career acceleration program embedded within a funded research context, with clear expectations of regular participation, collaboration, and professional growth into leadership roles in ovarian cancer research and related service to the field.
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