HIV Prevention and Alcohol (R34 Clinical Trials Optional) | PAS 23 172

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAS 23 172

The National Institutes of Health, through the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), is offering the HIV Prevention and Alcohol (R34 Clinical Trials Optional) grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number PAS-23-172; CFDA 93.273). The core aim is to strengthen and diversify the HIV prevention toolkit for people and communities affected by alcohol use, including both episodic (for example, binge drinking) and longer-term patterns of alcohol involvement. The opportunity is built around the idea that alcohol can increase HIV acquisition risk through a mix of behavioral pathways (such as impaired judgment, higher likelihood of condomless sex, or reduced adherence to prevention strategies) and biological pathways (such as changes that may influence susceptibility or overall health). Projects supported under this announcement are expected to advance prevention by integrating effective prevention and treatment approaches and by generating cross-cutting, practical research insights that ultimately help reduce the number of new HIV infections.

This announcement uses the R34 mechanism, which is designed specifically for planning and preparatory research that directly enables a later clinical trial. The intent is not to run a full-scale efficacy or implementation trial under the R34 itself, but to fund the studies that are necessary and sufficient to design a strong, feasible, and well-justified trial that would fall under the companion HIV Prevention and Alcohol (R01 Clinical Trials Optional) announcement. In other words, applicants are expected to lay out the clinical trial they intend to conduct later and make a clear case that the R34 work is essential to finalizing that trial design. NIAAA is looking for projects where the R34 findings will be enough to move into the next-stage trial without needing additional preliminary studies.

The future trial that the R34 is preparing for must be a Phase II, III, or IV clinical trial, and its primary purpose must be to test an intervention related to HIV prevention. That could include testing efficacy, safety, clinical management approaches, or implementation strategies for prevention interventions. The R34-funded work can focus on answering scientific and operational questions that are often pragmatic in nature, such as how to recruit and retain alcohol-impacted populations, how to deliver an intervention in real-world settings, what adaptations are needed for a specific community or service environment, what outcome measures are most appropriate, or what procedures ensure fidelity and feasibility. The overall expectation is that the pilot or planning work will meaningfully de-risk the subsequent trial by resolving uncertainties that would otherwise undermine trial success.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of organizations and institutions. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city or township 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; Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education for those categories as specified); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other entities. The announcement also highlights additional eligible applicants such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations). This wide eligibility reflects the program’s interest in supporting research that is well-positioned in diverse communities and service systems, including those disproportionately affected by HIV and alcohol-related harms.

Administratively, this is a discretionary grant opportunity under the NIH, categorized under the Health funding activity area. The original closing date listed for the opportunity is 2026-05-07, and the FOA was created on 2023-05-12. An award ceiling is not specified in the provided source information, and the expected number of awards is not listed. The practical takeaway is that applicants should focus on building a compelling planning package: a clearly described future HIV prevention trial, a tight justification for why the R34 activities are required to finalize that trial, and a set of deliverables that will directly inform and enable the later Phase II-IV study in alcohol-impacted populations.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "HIV Prevention and Alcohol (R34 Clinical Trials Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.273.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-05-12.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-05-07. (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 PAS 23 172

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