Advancing Exceptional Research on HIV/AIDS and Substance Abuse (R01) | RFA DA 18 002

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA DA 18 002

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity titled "Advancing Exceptional Research on HIV/AIDS and Substance Abuse (R01)" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-DA-18-002; CFDA 93.279) supports highly innovative, hypothesis-driven research projects that sit at the intersection of HIV/AIDS and drug abuse. It uses the NIH R01 grant mechanism and is meant for applicants who can present a well-developed, detailed research plan backed by preliminary data. In practical terms, this program is designed for ideas that are both creative and realistically executable, where there is already enough early evidence to justify a full-scale research project and a clear path to generating impactful results.

A key purpose of the FOA is to push the field beyond incremental advances by funding studies with the potential to open entirely new directions in HIV research and/or create new prevention and treatment opportunities specifically relevant to people who use drugs. The announcement emphasizes that the connection to drug abuse cannot be vague or incidental. Applicants are expected to clearly explain the "nexus" with substance use, meaning the proposal should show why drug use meaningfully shapes HIV risk, transmission, prevention uptake, treatment engagement, comorbidities, or health outcomes, and how the proposed science will address that substance use-related dimension directly.

This FOA is positioned as a complement to two related NIH programs: the Avant-Garde Award Program for HIV/AIDS and Drug Use Research and the Avenir Award Program for Research on Substance Abuse and HIV/AIDS. Those companion programs are described as high-risk, high-reward pathways that differ in structure and expectations. The Avant-Garde award is geared toward individual investigators pursuing bold ideas and does not require a detailed research plan, while the Avenir award is similar in spirit but targets early stage investigators. By contrast, the R01 opportunity described here is the more traditional route for innovative work that still requires the standard components of a rigorous R01 application, including a detailed plan and preliminary data, making it a better fit for teams or investigators who are ready to lay out clear aims, methods, and feasibility.

In terms of scientific scope, the FOA does not restrict applicants to a single subfield or method. Both individual researchers and research teams may apply, and projects can span basic, clinical, behavioral, social, implementation, or translational research, as long as the focus remains on HIV/AIDS in the context of substance use. At the same time, it requires alignment with NIH HIV/AIDS Research Priorities (referenced in NOT-OD-15-137). That requirement effectively anchors proposed work to NIH-identified priority areas in HIV research, while still leaving room for unconventional approaches and novel concepts, provided they are clearly relevant to HIV and substance use and can be justified within the NIH priority framework.

Eligibility is broad and includes many organizational types across the public, private, nonprofit, and educational sectors. Eligible applicants listed include state, county, city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The FOA also highlights additional eligible applicant categories such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian serving institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Indian/Native American tribal governments (other than federally recognized), regional organizations, faith-based or community-based organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, eligible federal agencies, and non-U.S. (foreign) organizations. This breadth signals NIH interest in attracting strong ideas from a wide range of settings, including community-linked organizations and institutions serving populations heavily impacted by HIV and substance use.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding, uses the grant funding instrument, and falls under education and health activity areas. The source information lists NIH as the sponsoring agency, with an original closing date of January 23, 2018, and a creation date of March 3, 2017. While the summary data provided does not specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards, the central message of the FOA is clear: NIH is seeking ambitious, innovative R01 projects that can credibly advance HIV/AIDS science and improve prevention and treatment outcomes for people affected by substance use, backed by solid early evidence and a rigorous, detailed research strategy.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Advancing Exceptional Research on HIV/AIDS and Substance Abuse (R01)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.279.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-03-03.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2018-01-23. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

Apply for RFA DA 18 002

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