Impact of Alcohol on the Onset and Progression of Alzheimers Disease and Its Related Dementias (R01 - Clinical Trial Optional) | RFA AA 20 006

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA AA 20 006

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity announcement (FOA) titled "Impact of Alcohol on the Onset and Progression of Alzheimers Disease and Its Related Dementias (R01 - Clinical Trial Optional)" invites research proposals focused on how alcohol exposure influences the risk, onset, and course of Alzheimers disease (AD) and Alzheimers disease related dementias (ADRD). The central purpose is to push beyond the growing epidemiologic evidence linking alcohol use, especially heavy and frequent drinking and alcohol use disorder, with higher dementia risk, and instead clarify the biological and clinical mechanisms that might explain these associations. The FOA supports both basic and clinical research, and it allows (but does not require) clinical trials.

A major motivation behind this opportunity is that multiple longitudinal studies suggest alcohol use disorder is tied to an elevated risk for many dementia types, and that frequent heavy drinking appears to increase risk for both Alzheimers disease and vascular dementia. The FOA also highlights that even moderate alcohol consumption may be associated with adverse brain outcomes and cognitive decline, indicating that the risk landscape is not limited to the most severe drinking patterns. Despite these signals, the mechanistic links remain insufficiently understood. This announcement is aimed at filling that gap by supporting projects that use innovative approaches to identify how alcohol interacts with brain aging processes and disease pathways that lead to dementia, including processes that may accelerate neurodegeneration or worsen clinical progression after disease onset.

The FOA specifically encourages research that combines diverse expertise, reflecting the idea that progress in this area will likely come from interdisciplinary teams rather than a single field working in isolation. In practical terms, NIH is signaling a preference for collaborations that bridge alcohol research and AD/ADRD research, such as teams that integrate neurobiology of addiction and alcohol-related brain injury with expertise in dementia biomarkers, neuropathology, neuroimaging, cognition, and longitudinal aging studies. Projects might examine how alcohol affects neuroinflammation, cerebrovascular integrity, blood-brain barrier function, synaptic health, protein aggregation pathways, metabolic and mitochondrial function, sleep and circadian biology, or other aging-related mechanisms that could plausibly alter dementia vulnerability or speed progression. While the FOA text does not list specific required topics, it is clear that mechanistic work connecting alcohol exposure to AD/ADRD-relevant brain changes is the core priority.

This opportunity uses the NIH R01 mechanism, which is a standard investigator-initiated research project grant, and it is labeled "Clinical Trial Optional," meaning applicants may propose either non-trial studies (for example, animal models, cellular systems, computational approaches, observational human studies, and biomarker work) or clinical trials if appropriate and well justified. The funding opportunity number is RFA-AA-20-006, and it is categorized as discretionary funding in the health area. The associated CFDA numbers are 93.273 and 93.866. The listing shows an award ceiling of $250,000, which typically refers to a cap on direct costs per year for certain NIH announcements, although applicants usually need to confirm budget rules in the full FOA and any NIH institute-specific guidance.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of domestic organizations and government entities. 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 or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and small businesses. The FOA also explicitly calls out additional eligible applicant categories such as 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), as well as faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions. At the same time, the announcement draws clear boundaries around foreign involvement: non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations and foreign institutions) are not eligible to apply, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible. However, foreign components as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement are allowed, which typically means a U.S. applicant can include certain limited, well-justified activities performed abroad if they meet NIH policy requirements.

From a timeline standpoint, the source data lists an original closing date of 2020-06-24 and a creation date of 2019-11-12. That makes it a time-bound solicitation rather than an open, continuously accepting program announcement, and applicants generally would have needed to align with that submission window and any related receipt dates or amendments. Even when a specific closing date has passed, the scientific priorities described here can still be useful as a guide for similar NIH opportunities or reissued initiatives, especially for teams building proposals around alcohol-related neurodegeneration and dementia risk.

In short, this FOA is designed to fund rigorous, mechanism-focused research that explains why and how alcohol exposure changes the trajectory of brain aging and dementia, with an emphasis on innovative approaches and cross-disciplinary collaboration between alcohol researchers and AD/ADRD experts. It invites proposals that can translate epidemiologic links into actionable biological understanding, potentially informing prevention strategies, risk reduction guidance, and clinical approaches for populations affected by alcohol use across the lifespan.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Impact of Alcohol on the Onset and Progression of Alzheimers Disease and Its Related Dementias (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): 93.273, 93.866.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2019-11-12.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-06-24. (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 $250,000.00 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 AA 20 006

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