Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA DA 18 001
The NIDA Avant-Garde Award Program for HIV/AIDS and Drug Use Research (DP1) is a National Institutes of Health funding opportunity designed to back exceptionally creative individual scientists whose ideas could reshape parts of the HIV/AIDS research landscape, specifically where HIV intersects with drug use and drug abuse. The emphasis is on "avant-garde" science, meaning proposals are expected to be genuinely high-risk and high-reward, with the potential to be transformative rather than incremental. In practical terms, the program is looking for research concepts that open up new directions in HIV/AIDS research relevant to substance use, or that create entirely new avenues for preventing and treating HIV/AIDS among people who use drugs.
A key feature of this opportunity is how strongly it prioritizes novelty and clear departure from the status quo. Applicants are expected to propose approaches and ideas that are substantially different from what the investigator has been doing previously and from what the broader field is already pursuing. The work should also align with the broader NIH HIV/AIDS Research Priorities (referenced in NOT-OD-15-137), which signals that even highly unconventional projects still need to connect to recognized national HIV/AIDS goals and gaps. The scope is described as innovative, basic research, but the intended payoff is translational in the sense that it should plausibly lead to meaningful improvements in prevention or treatment down the line.
In terms of research aims, the program is interested in creative breakthroughs that could lead to improved preventive interventions or therapies, new strategies to reduce or prevent HIV transmission, novel methods to improve clinical or population-level outcomes for people living with HIV, and ambitious approaches aimed at eradicating HIV or significantly improving quality of life for those affected. While the program centers HIV/AIDS, it is explicitly framed around relevance to drug abuse, meaning proposals should connect to substance use dynamics, drug-related risk environments, or drug abuse-related barriers and opportunities in prevention and treatment.
Administratively, this is a discretionary grant opportunity offered by NIH under Funding Opportunity Number RFA-DA-18-001, associated with CFDA number 93.279, and categorized under education and health. The original closing date listed for the opportunity was December 6, 2017, and the opportunity record shows an award ceiling of $500,000. The listing also notes "expected awards" but does not provide a number in the provided source text.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of organizations that can support high-impact research. Eligible applicants include state, county, and local governments; 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 (excluding institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other entities. The opportunity also explicitly highlights additional eligible applicants such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), eligible federal agencies, faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and even non-U.S. (foreign) organizations. This wide eligibility reflects an interest in pulling innovative ideas from many sectors and settings, including communities and institutions that may be closely connected to populations most affected by HIV and substance use.
Overall, the grant is structured as a mechanism to identify and empower individual investigators with unusually bold scientific visions in HIV/AIDS research linked to drug use. The ideal application is one that makes a convincing case that the science is both radically innovative and plausibly capable of changing what is possible in HIV prevention, treatment, outcomes, or long-term eradication strategies for people impacted by drug abuse.Apply for RFA DA 18 001
- The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NIDA Avant-Garde Award Program for HIV/AIDS and Drug Use Research (DP1)" 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 2017-03-07.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2017-12-06. (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 $500,000.00 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.
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FAQs: NIDA Avant-Garde Award Program for HIV/AIDS and Drug Use Research (DP1)
What is the NIDA Avant-Garde Award Program (DP1)?
The NIDA Avant-Garde Award Program for HIV/AIDS and Drug Use Research (DP1) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity designed to support exceptionally creative individual scientists whose ideas could reshape parts of the HIV/AIDS research landscape where HIV intersects with drug use and drug abuse.
What kind of research does this program want to fund?
The program emphasizes "avant-garde" science, meaning proposals are expected to be genuinely high-risk and high-reward, with the potential to be transformative rather than incremental. The focus is on research concepts that open new directions in HIV/AIDS research relevant to substance use, or that create entirely new avenues for preventing and treating HIV/AIDS among people who use drugs.
What does "avant-garde" mean in the context of this grant?
In this program, "avant-garde" means the proposed science should clearly depart from the status quo. The application should present novel, unconventional ideas and approaches that are substantially different from what the investigator has done previously and from what the broader field is already pursuing.
Is this opportunity intended for incremental improvements to existing HIV research?
No. The opportunity is framed around novelty and a clear departure from existing approaches. The expectation is that funded projects could be transformative, not simply extensions of ongoing work or modest improvements to current methods.
How should a project connect HIV/AIDS research and drug use or drug abuse?
Proposals should be explicitly relevant to drug abuse. This means the project should connect to substance use dynamics, drug-related risk environments, or drug abuse-related barriers and opportunities in HIV prevention and treatment.
Does the program prioritize novelty over other factors?
The description strongly prioritizes novelty and a clear departure from the status quo. Applicants are expected to show that the work is substantially different from both their own prior work and what the field is already doing, while still being meaningfully tied to HIV/AIDS needs and goals.
Does the research need to align with NIH HIV/AIDS Research Priorities?
Yes. Even highly unconventional projects are expected to align with broader NIH HIV/AIDS Research Priorities (referenced as NOT-OD-15-137), indicating the work should connect to recognized national HIV/AIDS goals and gaps.
Is the scope basic research, translational research, or both?
The scope is described as innovative, basic research. At the same time, the intended payoff is translational in the sense that the work should plausibly lead to meaningful improvements in prevention or treatment down the line.
What types of outcomes or impacts is the program looking for?
The program is interested in creative breakthroughs that could lead to improved preventive interventions or therapies, new strategies to reduce or prevent HIV transmission, novel methods to improve clinical or population-level outcomes for people living with HIV, and ambitious approaches aimed at eradicating HIV or significantly improving quality of life for those affected.
Is HIV eradication within the program's interests?
Yes. The opportunity description explicitly includes ambitious approaches aimed at eradicating HIV as part of the kinds of transformative goals the program is interested in, particularly where relevant to drug use and drug abuse.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this grant?
The Funding Opportunity Number is RFA-DA-18-001.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA number 93.279.
Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?
This is an NIH (National Institutes of Health) opportunity, tied to NIDA (the National Institute on Drug Abuse).
How is this opportunity categorized?
The listing categorizes the opportunity under education and health.
What is the award ceiling listed for this opportunity?
The opportunity record lists an award ceiling of $500,000.
Does the source text state how many awards are expected?
The listing notes "expected awards" but does not provide a number in the provided information.
What was the original closing date for this opportunity?
The original closing date listed is December 6, 2017.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes many organization types, including state, county, and local governments; 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 (excluding institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other entities.
Are minority-serving institutions and similar organizations eligible?
Yes. The opportunity explicitly highlights additional eligible applicants such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs).
Are faith-based or community-based organizations eligible to apply?
Yes. Faith-based or community-based organizations are explicitly listed among eligible applicants.
Are U.S. territories eligible to apply?
Yes. U.S. territories or possessions are explicitly included in the eligibility list.
Are non-U.S. (foreign) organizations eligible to apply?
Yes. The eligibility list explicitly includes non-U.S. (foreign) organizations.
Are federal agencies eligible to apply?
Yes. The opportunity explicitly includes eligible federal agencies among additional eligible applicants.
Is the program focused on supporting organizations or individual investigators?
The opportunity is described as structured to identify and empower individual investigators with unusually bold scientific visions, while eligibility is expressed in terms of organizations that can serve as applicants and support the proposed research.
What would a strong application need to demonstrate based on the description provided?
Based on the description, a strong application would make a convincing case that the science is radically innovative, substantially different from the investigator's prior work and the broader field's direction, clearly relevant to HIV/AIDS in the context of drug abuse, aligned with NIH HIV/AIDS Research Priorities, and plausibly capable of changing what is possible in HIV prevention, treatment, outcomes, quality of life, or eradication strategies for people impacted by drug abuse.
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