Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA DA 23 008
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity titled "Stimulants and HIV: Addressing Contemporary and Recurring Epidemics" (RFA-DA-23-008) supports clinical trial research aimed at reducing harms and improving health outcomes at the intersection of stimulant use, opioid use, and HIV risk. The core idea behind the announcement is that stimulant use has been rising among people who use opioids since around 2016, which complicates the ongoing overdose crisis because stimulant use is now frequently layered on top of opioid exposure in a drug supply increasingly contaminated with fentanyl and related compounds. This polysubstance pattern can create clinical situations that many providers find unfamiliar, and even experienced clinicians sometimes report difficulty engaging patients who are less motivated to change stimulant use than opioid use. NIH is looking for projects that can move beyond describing the problem and instead test practical, scalable interventions that make a measurable difference.
A central emphasis is the continuing role of stimulants in HIV transmission, especially among gay men and other men who have sex with men (MSM). The opportunity recognizes that much stimulant use linked to HIV risk is not always categorized as a severe stimulant use disorder. Instead, it can be episodic or situational use of substances such as methamphetamine, cocaine, or ketamine that still leads to high-risk practices like syringe sharing, condomless sex, or other behaviors that raise HIV acquisition and transmission risk. Because these individuals may not meet diagnostic thresholds for a substance use disorder (or may have only mild SUD), they are often poorly served by traditional addiction treatment models. The announcement highlights that the field has limited treatment options for stimulant use overall and even fewer tools that are well-suited to people with non-SUD or mild SUD patterns, which is exactly where HIV prevention and harm reduction efforts often need to operate.
The funding mechanism is an R61/R33 phased innovation award, which is designed to support a staged approach: an initial phase focused on establishing feasibility and early milestones (R61), followed by an expansion phase (R33) to further evaluate the intervention once predefined criteria are met. Because the notice specifies "Clinical Trial Required," applicants are expected to propose and conduct a clinical trial rather than purely observational or secondary-data research. NIH also signals that initiatives should be ready to incorporate new stimulant treatment approaches as they become available, reflecting a rapidly evolving treatment landscape and the need for interventions that can adapt as evidence-based pharmacologic or behavioral tools emerge.
Another priority is improving intervention effectiveness in the real-world context of opioid-involved polysubstance use. The opportunity calls for careful attention to the motivations and contexts that drive concurrent stimulant and opioid use, since these factors can determine what types of interventions will be acceptable and effective. In practical terms, NIH is encouraging research that not only tests a treatment or prevention strategy, but also investigates how and why it works in specific settings and populations, with an eye toward implementation in clinical care, community programs, or public health systems. The overarching goal is to develop approaches that help clinicians and systems respond more effectively to the combined challenges of stimulant-related harms, opioid overdose risk, and HIV transmission.
From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary NIH grant in the health and education activity area (CFDA 93.279). The listed award ceiling is $400,000. The original closing date shown is 2024-11-12. Eligible applicants are broad and include state, county, city/township, and special district governments; public and private institutions of higher education; independent school districts; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and small businesses. The announcement also explicitly highlights additional eligible applicant types such as HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, tribally controlled colleges and universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian serving institutions, AANAPISI institutions, faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions. Foreign institutions (non-U.S. entities) are not eligible to apply, and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible; however, foreign components as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement are allowed, which typically means certain project activities may occur abroad if appropriately justified and compliant.
In short, this opportunity is aimed at turning a well-documented and worsening overlap of stimulant use, opioid use, and HIV risk into actionable clinical trial evidence. NIH is looking for interventions that can address stimulant use in both traditional SUD and nontraditional, episodic, or mild-use patterns, particularly where HIV risk is high, and for strategies that work in the messy reality of polysubstance use rather than in idealized single-substance treatment scenarios.Apply for RFA DA 23 008
- The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Stimulants and HIV: Addressing Contemporary and Recurring Epidemics (R61/R33 - Clinical Trial Required)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.279.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2022-05-16.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-11-12. (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 $400,000.00 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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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name and number of this NIH funding opportunity?
The funding opportunity is titled "Stimulants and HIV: Addressing Contemporary and Recurring Epidemics" and is identified as RFA-DA-23-008.
What is the main goal of this opportunity?
The opportunity supports clinical trial research that aims to reduce harms and improve health outcomes where stimulant use, opioid use, and HIV risk overlap. The focus is on moving beyond describing the problem and testing practical, scalable interventions that produce measurable benefits.
Why is NIH emphasizing stimulants in addition to opioids?
NIH highlights that stimulant use has been rising among people who use opioids since around 2016. This trend complicates the overdose crisis because stimulant use is frequently layered on top of opioid exposure in a drug supply that is increasingly contaminated with fentanyl and related compounds.
What substances are considered "stimulants" in the context of this announcement?
The announcement references stimulant use linked to HIV risk including methamphetamine and cocaine, and also notes substances such as ketamine in the context of episodic or situational use associated with risk behaviors.
Is this funding opportunity focused only on people with a severe stimulant use disorder (SUD)?
No. A central theme is that much stimulant use associated with HIV risk can be episodic or situational and may not meet diagnostic thresholds for severe SUD (or may involve mild SUD). NIH is interested in interventions that can still be effective for these patterns, especially where traditional addiction treatment models may not fit well.
How does HIV risk fit into the purpose of the grant?
The opportunity emphasizes the continuing role of stimulants in HIV transmission, particularly among gay men and other men who have sex with men (MSM). It points to risk behaviors that can occur with stimulant use, such as syringe sharing and condomless sex, which can raise HIV acquisition and transmission risk.
What population is specifically highlighted as a priority?
The announcement specifically emphasizes gay men and other men who have sex with men (MSM) due to the role stimulants can play in HIV transmission risk in these communities.
What kinds of behaviors or outcomes is NIH concerned about at this intersection?
NIH is concerned about outcomes and behaviors tied to increased harm, including opioid overdose risk in polysubstance contexts and HIV risk behaviors such as syringe sharing, condomless sex, and other practices that increase acquisition and transmission risk.
What does "Clinical Trial Required" mean for applicants?
It means applicants are expected to propose and conduct a clinical trial. Projects that are purely observational or based only on secondary data would not match the stated expectation, because the notice requires a clinical trial component.
What funding mechanism is being used?
This opportunity uses the NIH R61/R33 phased innovation award mechanism.
How does the R61/R33 phased approach work in this program?
The R61 phase focuses on establishing feasibility and meeting early milestones. If predefined criteria are met, the project can transition into the R33 phase, which expands evaluation of the intervention.
Is NIH looking for descriptive studies of trends, or intervention testing?
The announcement emphasizes intervention testing. NIH indicates it wants projects that move beyond describing the overlap of stimulant use, opioid use, and HIV risk and instead test interventions that make a measurable difference.
What types of interventions does NIH want to see?
Based on the information provided, NIH is looking for practical, scalable interventions that can reduce harms and improve outcomes in real-world settings where polysubstance use is common. The opportunity also notes that projects should be ready to incorporate new stimulant treatment approaches as they become available, reflecting a rapidly evolving treatment landscape.
Why does the announcement stress real-world polysubstance use settings?
Because stimulant use is increasingly layered on top of opioid exposure, creating clinical situations that many providers find unfamiliar. NIH is encouraging strategies that work in the "messy reality" of polysubstance use, not just idealized single-substance treatment scenarios.
What does NIH say about clinical challenges providers face in this area?
The announcement notes that polysubstance patterns can create unfamiliar clinical situations, and that even experienced clinicians sometimes report difficulty engaging patients who may be less motivated to change stimulant use than opioid use.
Does NIH expect applicants to study how and why an intervention works?
Yes. NIH encourages research that not only tests a treatment or prevention strategy, but also investigates how and why it works in specific settings and populations, with an eye toward implementation in clinical care, community programs, or public health systems.
Where does NIH want successful interventions to be implementable?
The opportunity points to implementation potential in clinical care, community programs, or public health systems.
What is the CFDA number and activity area associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 93.279 and is in the health and education activity area.
What is the award ceiling for this grant opportunity?
The listed award ceiling is $400,000.
What is the closing date shown for this opportunity?
The original closing date shown is 2024-11-12.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes state, county, city/township, and special district governments; public and private institutions of higher education; independent school districts; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and small businesses.
Are any additional organization types specifically highlighted as eligible?
Yes. The announcement explicitly highlights eligibility for HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, tribally controlled colleges and universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian serving institutions, AANAPISI institutions, faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions.
Are foreign (non-U.S.) institutions eligible to apply?
No. Foreign institutions (non-U.S. entities) are not eligible to apply.
Are non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations eligible?
No. Non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible.
Are foreign components allowed in any form?
Yes. The announcement indicates that foreign components, as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed. This generally means certain project activities may occur abroad if they are appropriately justified and compliant.
What is NIH ultimately trying to produce through this program?
The stated intent is to turn a well-documented and worsening overlap of stimulant use, opioid use, and HIV risk into actionable clinical trial evidence, especially evidence that supports interventions for both traditional SUD and nontraditional, episodic, or mild-use patterns where HIV risk is high.
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