HEAL Initiative: Integrative Management of chronic Pain and OUD for Whole Recovery (IMPOWR): Research Centers (RM1 Clinical Trial Required) | RFA DA 21 030

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA DA 21 030

The HEAL Initiative: Integrative Management of Chronic Pain and OUD for Whole Recovery (IMPOWR): Research Centers (RM1 Clinical Trial Required) funding opportunity (RFA-DA-21-030) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant designed to tackle a well-known but still poorly addressed clinical reality: chronic non-cancer pain and opioid use disorder often occur together, and when they do, patients face higher complexity, more stigma, and worse outcomes than when either condition appears alone. The opportunity is rooted in the idea that the health care system frequently treats pain and addiction in separate lanes, even though the conditions can reinforce each other. Chronic pain can undermine engagement in OUD treatment and threaten recovery, while a history of opioid dependence can lead to pain being dismissed or undertreated. NIH is aiming to close this gap by supporting research centers that test practical, scalable, and durable approaches to treating both conditions in an integrated way, with the expectation that this work can translate into real-world clinical settings.

A central feature of the announcement is NIHs plan to build a national collaborative research network focused on co-managing chronic pain and opioid use disorder, referred to as C3PO (Collaborative research on Co-managing Chronic Pain and Opioid Use Disorder). The network is intended to bring together multidisciplinary teams and harmonize efforts across sites so findings are more actionable and comparable than what often comes from isolated studies. This network structure is supported by a companion coordination and dissemination effort described as a Resource on Related DSM-5 Diagnoses (R2D2) Coordination and Dissemination Center. In practice, that signals an emphasis on alignment across studies (common methods, shared learning, and coordinated communication) and on ensuring that what is learned about co-occurring pain, OUD, and related psychiatric or behavioral health diagnoses can be disseminated in ways that influence care delivery.

The award mechanism is an RM1 research center grant and explicitly requires a clinical trial, meaning applicants are expected to move beyond observational work and actually test interventions. The purpose is not just to generate knowledge, but to develop and evaluate integrated treatment strategies that can be implemented in typical health systems and sustained over time. The broader umbrella is the NIH Helping to End Addiction Long-term (HEAL) Initiative, which prioritizes speeding scientific solutions to the opioid public health crisis. Within HEAL, this opportunity aligns with two major goals: improving treatment and prevention of opioid misuse and opioid use disorder, and advancing more effective pain management. In other words, the program is aimed at whole-recovery outcomes, not only reducing substance use, but also improving pain control, functioning, engagement in care, and the overall trajectory of recovery.

Eligibility is broad across U.S.-based organizations and reflects NIHs interest in engaging diverse types of institutions and communities affected by the opioid crisis. Eligible applicants include state, county, city, township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The announcement also calls out additional eligible applicant categories often emphasized in federal health equity efforts, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISIs, Hispanic-serving institutions, historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), tribally controlled colleges and universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions. At the same time, the opportunity is limited to domestic applicants: non-U.S. (foreign) institutions cannot apply, non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible, and foreign components (as NIH defines them in its Grants Policy Statement) are not allowed.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is categorized as a discretionary grant within education and health-related activity areas, with CFDA numbers listed as 93.213, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, and 93.846. The original closing date for the competition was March 26, 2021, and the award ceiling was listed at $1,750,000. Overall, the announcement reflects NIHs push to move the field toward integrated, stigma-aware, evidence-based care models that acknowledge the real-world overlap between chronic pain and opioid use disorder, and to do so through coordinated, center-based clinical trial research that can produce results health systems can actually use.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "HEAL Initiative: Integrative Management of chronic Pain and OUD for Whole Recovery (IMPOWR): Research Centers (RM1 Clinical Trial Required)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.213, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.846.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2021-01-11.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-03-26. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,750,000.00 in funding.
• 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 21 030

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