NIDA REI: Reaching Equity at the Intersection of HIV and Substance Use: Novel Approaches to Address HIV Related Health Disparities in Underserved Racial and/or Ethnic Populations (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) | RFA DA 23 061

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NIDA REI: Reaching Equity at the Intersection of HIV and Substance Use: Novel Approaches to Address HIV Related Health Disparities in Underserved Racial and/or Ethnic Populations (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-DA-23-061; CFDA 93.279) offered through the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). It sits within NIDAs broader Racial Equity Initiative (REI), described as a multi-year, multi-pronged effort to eliminate racial inequities across NIDAs internal workplace, the broader scientific workforce, and NIDAs funded research portfolio. In practical terms, this FOA is meant to generate new research that helps explain and reduce persistent HIV disparities that are compounded by substance use, with a clear emphasis on underserved racial and/or ethnic populations.

The core aim is to stimulate both observational and intervention research that focuses on upstream and midstream drivers of inequity rather than only individual-level behavior. The FOA highlights structural factors (for example, systems and conditions that shape access to care and exposure to risk), organizational practices (how clinics, service systems, or community organizations operate), and policies (local, state, tribal, or institutional rules that may create barriers or unequal outcomes). It also explicitly calls for work that considers social, cultural, and contextual influences shaping HIV and substance use outcomes, particularly where inequities persist over time. The intent is to support projects that can identify mechanisms producing disparities and test strategies that can realistically change conditions in real-world settings.

A key theme is intersectionality. NIDA is encouraging studies that address multiple dimensions of identity and social positioning at the same time, rather than treating race or ethnicity as a stand-alone variable. The announcement explicitly names intersecting identities such as race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity, and it encourages applicants to examine how these factors interact with one another and with broader social systems. This means competitive proposals are likely to be those that recognize layered experiences of stigma, discrimination, and unequal access to prevention and treatment, and that design research questions and methods capable of capturing these interacting forces.

The mechanism is an R01 research project grant, with clinical trials listed as optional. That signals applicants can propose non-trial research (such as cohort studies, mixed-methods observational work, implementation research without a trial design, policy analysis, or organizational studies) or they can propose interventions that do qualify as clinical trials, as long as the work fits the FOAs emphasis on inequities at the HIV and substance use intersection and focuses on underserved racial/ethnic communities affected by persistent HIV disparities.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of domestic U.S. organizations and governments. Eligible applicants include state, county, city or township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled colleges and universities; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; and other entities. The FOA also explicitly calls out additional eligible applicant types that align with the equity focus, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), along with faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, Indian/Native American tribal governments other than federally recognized, and U.S. territories or possessions.

There are important limits regarding foreign participation. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply as the main applicant organization, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply. However, foreign components are allowed as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement, which generally means a U.S. applicant may include certain foreign elements in the project when they are well-justified and compliant with NIH policy, even though a foreign institution cannot serve as the primary applicant.

The opportunity is categorized as a discretionary grant in the health and education activity area, administered by NIH. The listing provided shows an original closing date of 2024-11-14 and a creation date of 2022-10-03. The award ceiling and expected number of awards are not specified in the provided text, so applicants would typically confirm budget expectations, award counts, and any specific submission requirements in the full FOA and NIH application guide.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NIDA REI: Reaching Equity at the Intersection of HIV and Substance Use: Novel Approaches to Address HIV Related Health Disparities in Underserved Racial and/or Ethnic Populations (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)" 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 2022-10-03.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-11-14. (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.

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