Defense Health Program
Department of Defense Autism Research Program
Funding Opportunities for Fiscal Year 2016 (FY16)
The FY16 Defense Appropriations Act provides $7.5 million (M) to the Department of Defense
Autism Research Program (ARP) to support innovative, high-impact autism spectrum disorder
research. As directed by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, the
Defense Health Agency, Research, Development, and Acquisition (DHA RDA) Directorate manages
the Defense Health Program (DHP) Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E)
appropriation. The managing agent for the anticipated Program Announcements/Funding
Opportunities is the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP).
FY16 ARP Program Announcements and General Application Instructions for the following award
mechanisms are posted on the Grants.gov website.
http://cdmrp.army.mil/funding/bcrp.shtml
Clinical Trial Award – Preapplication due 6/22/16
Investigators at or above the level of Associate Professor (or equivalent)

Supports research with the potential to have a major impact on the treatment and/or
management of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Preliminary data relevant to the proposed project are required.

Pre-application is required; application submission is by invitation only.

Behavioral, cognitive, and other non-pharmacological therapies

Pharmacological treatments in autism or well-defined subgroups of autism

Dissemination/Implementation of efficacious behavioral interventions (including measures of
fidelity and outcomes)

Therapies to alleviate conditions co-occurring with ASD (e.g., sleep disturbances,
gastrointestinal issues, aggression, depression, anxiety, attention deficit)

Maximum funding for the entire period of performance is $1,000,000 in direct costs (plus
indirect costs)

Maximum period of performance is 4 years
Idea Development Award – Preapplication is due 6/22/16
Investigators at all academic levels (or equivalent)

Supports the development of innovative, high-impact ideas that advance the understanding
of ASD and ultimately lead to improved outcomes.

Preliminary data are required.

Multiple Principal Investigator (PI) Option: Up to three investigators may collaborate on a
single application, each of whom will be recognized as a PI and receive a separate award.

Pre-application is required; application submission is by invitation only.

Assessment of novel therapeutics using valid preclinical models

Environmental risk factors

Mechanisms of heterogeneous clinical expression of ASD

Mechanisms underlying conditions co-occurring with ASD (e.g., sleep disturbances,
gastrointestinal issues, aggression, depression, anxiety, attention deficit)

Factors promoting success in key transitions to independence for individuals living with ASD

Maximum funding for the entire period of performance is $377,000 in direct costs (plus
indirect costs)

For multiple PIs, the combined funding for all PIs for the entire period of performance may
not exceed $377,000 in direct costs (plus indirect costs)

Maximum period of performance is 3 years
A pre-application is required and must be submitted through the electronic Biomedical Research
Application Portal (eBRAP) at https://eBRAP.org prior to the pre-application deadline. All
applications must conform to the final Program Announcements and General Application Instructions
available for electronic downloading from the Grants.gov website. The application package
containing the required forms for each award mechanism can also be found on Grants.gov. A listing
of all CDMRP funding opportunities can be obtained on the Grants.gov website by performing a
basic search using CFDA Number 12.420.
Applications must be submitted through the federal government's single-entry portal, Grants.gov.
Submission deadlines are not available until the Program Announcements are release. For email
notification when Program Announcements are released, go to the CDMRP website
(http://cdmrp.army.mil) and select Subscribe to Funding Opportunities & Program Communications.
For more information about the ARP or other CDMRP-administered programs, please visit the
CDMRP website (http://cdmrp.army.mil).
Point of Contact: CDMRP Help Desk
301-682-5507
help@eBrap.org