2025-2026 Request for Proposals

The Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA) is pleased to announce a Request for Proposals (RFP) for pre-clinical, translational, and early clinical research with the potential to produce unusually high impact, near-term advancements in melanoma prevention, detection, diagnosis, and treatment.

This cycle, proposals will be accepted for Team Science Awards, Academic-Industry Partnership Award (for Team Science Awards), Young Investigator Awards, and Pilot Awards.

MRA plans to support at least $11.5 million in new funding in the 2025-2026 cycle.

Special Opportunities Included in RFP:

• Acral Melanoma Team Science, Young Investigator, and Pilot Awards focused on Advancing Translational Research for Acral Melanoma 
• Uveal Melanoma Team Science, Young Investigator, and Pilot Awards focused on Advancing Translational Research for Uveal Melanoma
• Team Science, Young Investigator, and Pilot Awards from applicants based in the United Kingdom (UK)
• Team Science, Young Investigator, and Pilot Awards from applicants based in Israel
• Rising Tide Foundation for Clinical Cancer Research (RTFCCR)–MRA Team Science Award on Melanoma Early Detection, Diagnosis, and Risk Stratification

Please Note the Following Key Deadlines:

• September 25, 2025: Letters of Intent (LOI) due for Team Science Awards and Team Science Academic-Industry Partnership Award
• September 30, 2025: Eligibility Checklist and Biosketch due for Young Investigator Award applicants
• November 6, 2025: Proposals due for Young Investigator and Pilot Awards
• January 8, 2026: Invited Team Science Award full proposals due
• April 2026: Awardees notified of funding decisions
• June 1, 2026: Project Start Date 

Key Deadlines for RTFCCR-MRA Special Opportunity Team Science Award ONLY:

• October 27, 2025: Letters of Intent (LOI) due
• February 2, 2026: Invited full applications due
• May 2026: Awardees notified of funding decisions
• June 1, 2026: Projects start

All proposals are due by 11:59 pm Eastern Time. Proposals should be submitted via the proposalCENTRAL online application tool: https://proposalcentral.com/

‍MRA accepts proposals from researchers worldwide and encourages applications from a diverse pool of investigators with respect to race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, national origin, country of residence, and disability. MRA recognizes that diversity in the biomedical research workforce is critical for ensuring that the most creative minds have the opportunity to contribute to realizing our research goals and to ensuring more equitable health outcomes for all.

Questions?

Please contact the MRA Science team at science@curemelanoma.org.