Opportunity Information: Apply for HT942526ERPVPTERCF
The FY26 DoD Epilepsy Research Program (ERP) Virtual Post-Traumatic Epilepsy Research Center (ViP-TERC) Faculty Award is a discretionary grant opportunity run through the Defense Health Agency Contracting Activity (DHACA) that is designed to grow the field of post-traumatic epilepsy (PTE) by supporting investigators who are new to PTE research. The core idea is not just to fund a project, but to actively develop researchers through a structured, collaborative environment that pairs research progress with career development. By bringing new PTE-focused faculty into a virtual center model, the program aims to increase both the quality and the overall number of scientists working on PTE, which is a major unmet need area given the long-term neurological consequences that can follow traumatic brain injury.
A defining feature of this mechanism is that it operates like an interactive virtual research center rather than a standalone grant. Awardees become part of ViP-TERC, which emphasizes intensive mentoring, national-level networking, collaboration opportunities, and a built-in peer group. In practical terms, this suggests the program is looking for applicants who will benefit from and actively participate in ongoing virtual engagement, cross-institutional interactions, and mentorship-driven planning, not just applicants with a single isolated research plan. The stated goal is to produce successful, highly productive PTE researchers who can continue to compete for funding and publish impactful work after the award period, strengthening the pipeline of PTE investigators over time.
The award places equal weight on the faculty member's research potential and career trajectory. A required component of the application is naming a Career Guide, reinforcing that mentoring is not optional or informal under this mechanism. The Career Guide is expected to have a strong record of funded research and peer-reviewed publications, along with demonstrated mentorship success, signaling that the program wants trainees to be guided by someone who can provide credible, hands-on direction in both scientific strategy and career navigation (for example, shaping a fundable research niche, building collaborations, improving grantsmanship, and maintaining a productive publication track).
A notable rule change for FY26 is a restriction on application involvement: an investigator may be listed on only one FY26 ERP ViP-TERC Faculty Award application as the Principal Investigator. This is meant to prevent the same person from leading multiple submissions under this particular mechanism and to broaden access to the opportunity across the community of eligible applicants.
From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is listed under Funding Opportunity Number HT942526ERPVPTERCF. It is categorized as a grant in the Science and Technology and other Research and Development activity area, with CFDA number 12.420. Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, meaning there is no applicant type limitation stated in the summary data provided. The original application closing date is August 17, 2026. The agency anticipates making about four awards. An award ceiling is not specified in the provided listing, so applicants would need to consult the full announcement for budget limits, period of performance, allowable costs, and any required meeting or participation costs tied to the virtual center activities.
Overall, this opportunity is best understood as a career-building, mentorship-intensive entry pathway into PTE research for faculty, using a virtual center structure to accelerate networking, collaboration, and investigator development while advancing the broader DoD ERP goal of expanding and strengthening the PTE research workforce.Apply for HT942526ERPVPTERCF
- The Defense Health Agency Contracting Activity - DHACA in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "DoW Epilepsy Virtual Post-Traumatic Epilepsy Research Center – Faculty 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 2026-05-21.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-08-17. (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 4 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted.
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FAQs: FY26 DoD Epilepsy Research Program (ERP) ViP-TERC Faculty Award
What is the FY26 DoD ERP ViP-TERC Faculty Award?
It is a discretionary grant opportunity under the Department of Defense (DoD) Epilepsy Research Program (ERP) that supports faculty who are new to post-traumatic epilepsy (PTE) research. The award is structured to build the PTE research workforce by combining research support with intentional career development inside a collaborative, virtual center environment called the Virtual Post-Traumatic Epilepsy Research Center (ViP-TERC).
What is the main goal of this opportunity?
The program is designed to grow the field of PTE by developing new PTE-focused investigators. The intent is not only to support a research plan, but to produce successful, highly productive PTE researchers who continue to publish impactful work and remain competitive for future funding after the award period.
How is this award different from a typical standalone research grant?
A defining feature is that awardees become part of an interactive virtual research center (ViP-TERC). The mechanism emphasizes intensive mentoring, national-level networking, collaboration opportunities, and a built-in peer group. The expectation is ongoing virtual engagement and cross-institutional interaction, not an isolated project conducted independently.
Who is this award intended for?
It is intended for investigators who are new to post-traumatic epilepsy (PTE) research and who would benefit from structured mentoring, collaboration, and career development while establishing themselves in the PTE field.
What does ViP-TERC participation likely involve?
Based on the description, participation involves active engagement in a virtual center model that supports mentoring, networking, collaboration, and peer interaction. The opportunity appears to be designed for applicants who will actively participate in ongoing virtual activities and mentorship-driven planning as part of their development as PTE researchers.
Is mentoring required under this mechanism?
Yes. The application must name a Career Guide, and mentoring is presented as a required and central element of the award. The award places equal weight on the faculty member's research potential and their career trajectory, reinforcing that career development is a core part of the program.
What is a Career Guide in the context of this award?
The Career Guide is the designated mentor for the applicant. The program expects the Career Guide to provide credible, hands-on direction in scientific strategy and career navigation, such as shaping a fundable research niche, supporting collaboration building, improving grantsmanship, and maintaining a productive publication trajectory.
What qualifications are expected for the Career Guide?
The Career Guide is expected to have a strong record of funded research and peer-reviewed publications, along with demonstrated success in mentoring. This indicates the program is prioritizing applicants who have access to experienced, proven mentorship.
What research area is this award focused on?
The focus is post-traumatic epilepsy (PTE), described as a major unmet need area due to the long-term neurological consequences that can follow traumatic brain injury.
Who runs or administers this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is run through the Defense Health Agency Contracting Activity (DHACA) under the DoD Epilepsy Research Program (ERP).
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this award?
The Funding Opportunity Number is HT942526ERPVPTERCF.
What is the CFDA number listed for this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed is 12.420.
How is this opportunity categorized?
It is categorized as a grant, in the Science and Technology and other Research and Development activity area.
What does "eligibility is unrestricted" mean here?
The summary data states eligibility is unrestricted, meaning no applicant type limitation is specified in the information provided. Applicants would need to consult the full announcement for any detailed eligibility rules not shown in the summary.
When is the application due?
The original application closing date is August 17, 2026.
How many awards does the agency expect to make?
The agency anticipates making about four awards.
Is there an award ceiling or maximum budget listed?
No award ceiling is specified in the provided listing. For budget limits, period of performance, allowable costs, and any required costs tied to virtual center participation, applicants would need to consult the full announcement.
What is the FY26 rule change related to application involvement?
For FY26, an investigator may be listed as the Principal Investigator (PI) on only one FY26 ERP ViP-TERC Faculty Award application. This restriction is intended to prevent the same person from leading multiple submissions under this mechanism and to broaden access across the eligible applicant community.
Does the program prioritize research outcomes, career outcomes, or both?
Both. The award places equal weight on the faculty member's research potential and career trajectory, with structured mentoring and development built into the mechanism through the Career Guide and the virtual center model.
What is the overall expected impact of the ViP-TERC Faculty Award?
The expected impact is to strengthen the pipeline of PTE investigators by bringing new PTE-focused faculty into a structured virtual center environment, increasing both the quality and the number of scientists working on PTE over time.
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