Outlook: Newsletter of the Society of Behavorial Medicine

Summer 2025

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Research Funding Opportunities within the Department of Veterans Affairs

Letitia Travaglini, PhD, Civilian Co-Chair - Military & Veterans’ Health SIG

Special Thank You to Scientific Review Officers Drs. Carol Fowler, Samantha Hack, and Peter Hunt for their input into this article.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Research & Development (ORD) has a longstanding program of research integrated into the VA health care system. The exclusive focus of VA research is to improve the overall health and well-being of Veterans and translate research findings into innovative and effective care for Veterans. VA ORD is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year! Given this, we thought this article could serve as an opportunity to share some general information about VA research funding.

Funding Structure and Priorities

The VA funding structure focuses on four broad portfolios and six actively managed portfolios (AMPs) and programs. The four broad portfolios include: Brain, Behavioral, and Mental Health; Rehabilitation Research, Development & Translation; Health Systems Research; and Medical Health. Each Broad portfolio includes Scientific Review Groups (SRGs) that focus on specific topic areas within these broad categories. AMPs and programs focus on VA, Congressional and Presidential priority research areas, focusing on projects that collaborate with clinical partners to more quickly translate research into clinical practice. Current AMPs and programs include Gulf War Illness, Military Exposures, Pain/Opioid Use, Precision Oncology, Suicide Prevention, and Traumatic Brain Injury.

VA ORD supports investigator-initiated research aligned with VA funding priorities. The three overarching strategic priorities are to 1) increase Veteran access to high-quality clinical trials; 2) increase the real-world impact of VA research; and 3) put VA data to work for Veterans. Given that the VA is the largest integrated health care system in the country, researchers have access to rich health datasets, including VA medical record data and the dataset associated with the Million Veteran Program (MVP), a research database of over one million Veterans aimed at understanding how genes, lifestyle, military experiences and exposures after Veteran health and well-being.

Type of Awards

VA funds several types of awards, including pilot studies; Merit Awards (similar to NIH R01) including clinical and non-clinical trial options; Career Development Awards (CDA; similar to NIH K-awards); Translational Research awards (similar to NIH U01 awards); Research Career Scientist Awards; combined proof of concept (pilot study) + clinical trial awards; and Consortia of Research (CORE) awards to enhance collaboration across researchers and accelerate the research-to-practice pipeline. While general information about the VA funding structure is available publicly, specific information about Request for Funding applications (RFAs), notice of special interest (NOSIs), and SRGs are only accessible on the VA network.

Application Submission and Review Process

There are four submission cycles annually (winter, spring, summer, fall), with each SRG meeting twice per year (winter/summer or spring/fall). For all new, renewal and resubmissions, a pre-application is required to approve their fit with the identified Portfolio/SRG, NOSI, and alignment with funding priorities. If requesting access to MVP Data, a separate MVP data use request is required prior to pre-application. Once approved, applicants can submit their full application for review. An application goes through a two-step review process, first scientific peer review and then, if scored well, an administrative review to determine whether the award will be funded. Applicants are allowed up to three submissions for Merit and CDA submissions and two submissions for pilot studies.

Eligibility for Funding

To be a PI on a VA-funded award (non-CDA), an individual must hold a 5/8th VA appointment at the time of funding receipt. Many VA researchers also hold a dual appointment with their VA’s academic affiliate, allowing for strong collaborations and sharing of resources. Additionally, many VA researchers split their time between research and clinical roles, providing a greater understanding of the clinical context and health care needs of Veterans that can be improved by their research. Non-VA researchers can serve in other non-PI roles (e.g., Co-Investigator, Statistician). RFAs include specific eligibility requirements.

Opportunities for Trainees and Early Career Researchers

The VA has a strong training program that includes research opportunities. ORD and the Office of Academic Affiliation sponsor Advanced Fellowships in Health Services Research and Development, Mental Illness Research and Treatment (MIRECC), Spinal Cord Injury Research, and Medical Informatics among others. These fellowships help prepare individuals for successful VA research careers.  

Career Development Awards (CDAs) allow for additional training and mentored research support to develop a strong program of research and move toward independence. CDA-1 awards are considered “entry level,” are funded for two years, and typically involve integrating one’s research idea within a mentor’s ongoing funded research. CDA-2 awards are funded for 3-5 years and typically involve the awardee completing their own, independent research project. CDAs can fund up to 100% of a recipient’s salary. Many early career investigators opt pursue a CDA to help them become more competitive for Merit or other VA Awards; however, they are not required to pursue other types of VA researching funding.

Useful Links for Current VA Funding Structure, Priorities, and Processes:

Additional Resources: