Opportunity Information: Apply for W81XWH 16 SCIRP IIRA
Apply for W81XWH 16 SCIRP IIRA
- The DOD-AMRAA in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "DoD Spinal Cord Injury Investigator-Initiated" 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 13, 2016 and posted on May 13, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 21, 2016. (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 6 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:
Opportunity Summary:
The DoD Spinal Cord Injury Investigator-Initiated Research Award (IIRA) under the Spinal Cord Injury Research Program (SCIRP) is a Department of Defense funding opportunity designed to back investigator-driven studies that could meaningfully advance spinal cord injury (SCI) research and translate into better patient care and quality of life. The program is built for researchers who have a strong scientific rationale and supporting early evidence, and who can clearly explain why their work matters now and how it could change outcomes over time for people living with SCI.
A central expectation of the award is demonstrated impact. Applications are expected to describe both near-term and long-term benefits of the proposed work, such as what the study could deliver within the grant period (new mechanistic insight, a validated target, proof-of-concept efficacy, improved assessment tools, or clearer guidance for clinical management) and what it could realistically enable later (new therapeutic strategies, better rehabilitation approaches, improved functional recovery, or measurable improvements in independence and daily living). Proposed projects are encouraged to align with one or more of the FY16 SCIRP Areas of Encouragement, but the mechanism is not limited to those topics as long as the work is clearly relevant to the SCIRP mission.
Military relevance is not optional and must be explicit. The DoD is emphasizing research that will benefit spinal cord injured Service members, Veterans, and also the family members and caregivers who support them. Applicants must directly connect their specific research question to military and Veteran needs, rather than relying on general statements that SCI affects everyone. Strong applications typically spell out the military-specific burden (for example, injury mechanisms, comorbidities, care settings, long-term support needs, or reintegration challenges) and explain how the outcomes of the project could be used in the military health system, the VA, or related care pathways. While not required, collaboration with military researchers and clinicians is encouraged, reflecting the program goal of keeping funded work closely tied to real-world military and Veteran care contexts.
The award also requires preliminary and/or published data. The program recognizes that promising ideas can originate from multiple sources, including laboratory discoveries, population-level analyses, clinical observations from direct patient care, or even well-documented anecdotal patterns. Even so, the application must include evidence that supports feasibility and relevance to the SCIRP mission and to the specific hypothesis or approach being proposed. In practice, this means reviewers will be looking for data that reduces scientific risk and shows the team can execute the plan, whether that is pilot animal data, early human observations, validated assays, retrospective clinical patterns, or other credible supporting results.
In terms of scientific scope, the IIRA is flexible across the research pipeline, supporting basic through translational research. Projects may include preclinical studies in animal models, studies involving human subjects that are not clinical trials, and correlative or ancillary studies linked to an existing clinical trial (for example, biomarker discovery, mechanistic analyses, or secondary outcome investigations). A key limitation is that clinical trials are not allowed under this specific opportunity, so proposals need to be structured as foundational, mechanistic, preclinical, observational, or correlative work rather than interventional trial designs.
Administratively, the opportunity is listed as W81XWH-16-SCIRP-IIRA and is administered by DOD-AMRAA. Funding instruments may include grants or cooperative agreements, and eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning a wide range of organizations can apply unless further limited by additional eligibility language in the full announcement. The CFDA number associated with the program is 12.420. The original and current closing date for this specific posting was September 21, 2016, and the posting indicated an expectation of approximately six awards; the award ceiling was not specified in the provided synopsis.
Overall, this mechanism is meant for well-justified SCI projects with credible preliminary support, a clear path to meaningful impact, and a concrete connection to the needs of injured Service members, Veterans, and their support networks, while staying outside the boundaries of running a clinical trial.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): DoD Spinal Cord Injury Investigator-Initiated Research Award (IIRA)
What is the DoD Spinal Cord Injury Investigator-Initiated Research Award (IIRA)?
The Investigator-Initiated Research Award (IIRA) is a Department of Defense funding opportunity under the Spinal Cord Injury Research Program (SCIRP) that supports investigator-driven spinal cord injury (SCI) research intended to meaningfully advance the field and translate into better patient care and quality of life.
What is the main purpose of this award?
The main purpose is to fund well-justified SCI studies that are backed by a strong scientific rationale and early supporting evidence, and that have a clear potential to create real impact for people living with SCI over both the near term and long term.
What does the program mean by "demonstrated impact"?
"Demonstrated impact" means the application is expected to explain what the project could realistically deliver during the period of performance (near-term) and what it could enable later (long-term). Reviewers expect a clear narrative connecting the research to outcomes that matter for SCI care and daily living.
What are examples of near-term outcomes the project might deliver within the grant period?
Examples described for near-term benefits include new mechanistic insight, a validated target, proof-of-concept efficacy, improved assessment tools, or clearer guidance for clinical management.
What are examples of long-term outcomes the project might enable later?
Examples described for long-term benefits include new therapeutic strategies, improved rehabilitation approaches, improved functional recovery, and measurable improvements in independence and daily living.
Is military relevance required?
Yes. Military relevance is explicitly required and is not optional. Applications must directly connect the proposed research question to the needs of spinal cord injured Service members, Veterans, and also the family members and caregivers who support them.
What counts as an acceptable explanation of military relevance?
The program expects applicants to go beyond general statements that SCI affects everyone. Strong applications typically describe the military-specific burden (for example, injury mechanisms, comorbidities, care settings, long-term support needs, or reintegration challenges) and explain how project outcomes could be used in military health system or VA-related care pathways.
Are collaborations with military researchers or clinicians required?
No. Collaboration with military researchers and clinicians is encouraged but not required. The opportunity highlights collaboration as a way to keep funded work closely tied to real-world military and Veteran care contexts.
Is preliminary data required?
Yes. The award requires preliminary and/or published data. The application must include evidence supporting feasibility and relevance to the SCIRP mission and to the specific hypothesis or approach being proposed.
What kinds of preliminary or supporting data are acceptable?
The synopsis indicates that supporting evidence may come from multiple sources, including laboratory discoveries, population-level analyses, clinical observations from patient care, or well-documented anecdotal patterns. Practical examples mentioned include pilot animal data, early human observations, validated assays, retrospective clinical patterns, or other credible supporting results.
What is the allowed scientific scope of projects under this award?
The IIRA is flexible across the research pipeline and supports basic through translational research, as long as the work is relevant to the SCIRP mission and meets the program constraints (including the prohibition on clinical trials).
Can a project include animal model research?
Yes. The opportunity explicitly allows preclinical studies in animal models.
Can a project include human subjects research?
Yes, as long as it is not a clinical trial. The opportunity supports studies involving human subjects that are not clinical trials.
Are clinical trials allowed under this funding opportunity?
No. Clinical trials are not allowed under this specific opportunity. Proposals must be structured as foundational, mechanistic, preclinical, observational, or correlative work rather than interventional clinical trial designs.
Can the project be connected to an existing clinical trial?
Yes. The synopsis allows correlative or ancillary studies linked to an existing clinical trial, such as biomarker discovery, mechanistic analyses, or secondary outcome investigations, as long as the proposed work itself is not a clinical trial.
Does the project need to align with the FY16 SCIRP Areas of Encouragement?
Projects are encouraged to align with one or more of the FY16 SCIRP Areas of Encouragement, but alignment is not mandatory. The mechanism is not limited to those topics as long as the work is clearly relevant to the SCIRP mission.
What is the funding opportunity identifier for this announcement?
The opportunity is listed as W81XWH-16-SCIRP-IIRA.
Who administers this funding opportunity?
The announcement is administered by DOD-AMRAA.
What funding instruments may be used?
The synopsis states that funding instruments may include grants or cooperative agreements.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning a wide range of organizations can apply unless further limited by additional eligibility language in the full announcement.
What is the CFDA number associated with this program?
The CFDA number associated with the program is 12.420.
What was the closing date for this specific posting?
The original and current closing date listed in the synopsis was September 21, 2016.
How many awards were expected to be made?
The posting indicated an expectation of approximately six awards.
Was an award ceiling specified in the synopsis?
No. The award ceiling was not specified in the provided synopsis.
What type of project is this mechanism best suited for?
This mechanism is best suited for SCI projects that are well-justified, supported by credible preliminary and/or published data, have a clear path to meaningful near-term and long-term impact, and explicitly address the needs of injured Service members, Veterans, and their support networks, while staying outside the boundaries of running a clinical trial.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development
Next opportunity: Notice of Intent to Issue Funding Opportunity Announcement Clean Energy Manufacturing Innovation Institute for Reducing EMbodied-energy And Decreasing Emissions (REMADE) in Materials Manufacturing
Previous opportunity: OMAHA DISTRCT SIKES ACT FY 16 COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT(S)
USGrants.org 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 16 SCIRP IIRA
[Watch] how do funding administrators access proposals?
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (W81XWH 16 SCIRP IIRA) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| DoD Spinal Cord Injury Translational Award Apply for W81XWH 16 SCIRP TRA Funding Number: W81XWH 16 SCIRP TRA Agency: DOD-AMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| DoD Gulf War Illness Investigator-Initiated Focused Research Award Apply for W81XWH 16 GWIRP IIRFA Funding Number: W81XWH 16 GWIRP IIRFA Agency: DOD-AMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| DoD Psychological Health/Traumatic Brain Injury Cognitive Resilience and Readiness Research Award Apply for W81XWH 16 PHTBIRP CR3A Funding Number: W81XWH 16 PHTBIRP CR3A Agency: DOD-AMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) Research Initiation Initiative Apply for 16 565 Funding Number: 16 565 Agency: NSF Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $175,000 |
| ROSES 2016: Modeling, Analysis, and Prediction Apply for NNH16ZDA001N MAP Funding Number: NNH16ZDA001N MAP Agency: NASA-HQ Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| DoD Spinal Cord Injury Qualitative Award Apply for W81XWH 16 SCIRP QRA Funding Number: W81XWH 16 SCIRP QRA Agency: DOD-AMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Division of Physics: Investigator-Initiated Research Projects Apply for 16 566 Funding Number: 16 566 Agency: NSF Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Colorado Plateau CESU Apply for G16AS00067 Funding Number: G16AS00067 Agency: DOI-USGS1 Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $152,358 |
| Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Rocky Mountain CESU Apply for G16AS00065 Funding Number: G16AS00065 Agency: DOI-USGS1 Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $10,300 |
| Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Great Plains CESU Apply for G16AS00068 Funding Number: G16AS00068 Agency: DOI-USGS1 Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $109,300 |
| Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Gulf Coast CESU Apply for G16AS00069 Funding Number: G16AS00069 Agency: DOI-USGS1 Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $59,383 |
| Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Chesapeake Watershed CESU Apply for G16AS00066 Funding Number: G16AS00066 Agency: DOI-USGS1 Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $7,000 |
| Request for Information - Enabling Technologies for Ultra-Safe and Secure Modular Nuclear Energy Systems Apply for DE FOA 0001598 Funding Number: DE FOA 0001598 Agency: DOE-ARPAE Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| ROSES 2016: Concepts for Ocean worlds Life Detection Technology Apply for NNH16ZDA001N CLDTCH Funding Number: NNH16ZDA001N CLDTCH Agency: NASA-HQ Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES IN FUNDAMENTAL PHYSICS - NASA/NSF PARTNERSHIP ON SCIENCE OF DUSTY PLASMAS: UTILIZING THE PK-4 FACILITY ON BOARD THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION Apply for NNH16ZTT002N Funding Number: NNH16ZTT002N Agency: NASA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act Apply for F16AS00237 Funding Number: F16AS00237 Agency: DOI-FWS Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $600,000 |
| The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act Apply for F16AS00236 Funding Number: F16AS00236 Agency: DOI-FWS Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $600,000 |
| National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act Apply for F16AS00235 Funding Number: F16AS00235 Agency: DOI-FWS Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $600,000 |
| ROSES 2016: Space Geodesy Research Program Apply for NNH16ZDA001N SGR Funding Number: NNH16ZDA001N SGR Agency: NASA-HQ Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Career Development Award Apply for W81XWH 16 DMDRP CDA Funding Number: W81XWH 16 DMDRP CDA Agency: DOD-AMRAA 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
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.
Subscribe to Leads
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "W81XWH 16 SCIRP 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.