Targeted basic behavioral and social science and intervention development for HIV prevention and care (R21 Clinical Trial Optional) | PA 18 272

Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 18 272

The NIH funding opportunity PA-18-272, titled "Targeted basic behavioral and social science and intervention development for HIV prevention and care (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)," supports innovative research aimed at two closely linked public health goals: reducing new HIV infections and improving health outcomes for people living with HIV. It is designed for projects that focus on behavioral and social drivers of HIV risk, prevention uptake, and engagement in HIV care, with a clear emphasis on turning those insights into practical interventions that can be tested and eventually used in real-world settings.

The FOA is organized around a pipeline that moves from foundational behavioral and social science to intervention development and early testing. First, it encourages basic behavioral and social science research that fills knowledge gaps needed to build stronger HIV prevention and care interventions. This can include studies that clarify why people do or do not use prevention tools (such as PrEP or condoms), what influences HIV testing behavior, and what social, structural, or relationship factors shape adherence to antiretroviral therapy or retention in care. Second, it supports translating and operationalizing findings from those basic studies into interventions, including the development of intervention components, delivery strategies, and implementation approaches, along with early assessments of acceptability and feasibility among intended users and settings. Third, it allows for efficacy testing of HIV prevention and care interventions, meaning applicants can propose studies that examine whether a developed intervention produces the intended changes in outcomes, with the note that clinical trials are optional under this mechanism.

This announcement uses the R21 grant mechanism, which is typically intended for exploratory, developmental, and potentially high-impact work. In practice, that means NIH is signaling openness to high risk/high payoff projects, including those that may not yet have extensive preliminary data. Projects that rely on existing datasets, pilot work, novel concepts, or emerging methods may fit well within the R21 structure. The FOA also explicitly contrasts this opportunity with the related R01 pathway described in PA-17-106: applicants who already have stronger preliminary evidence, or who plan more extensive longitudinal analyses, may be better positioned for an R01, while the R21 is meant to help move promising ideas into testable interventions more quickly.

Funding is provided as a discretionary grant in the health category under CFDA 93.242, with an award ceiling listed at $200,000. The sponsor is the National Institutes of Health. The original closing date shown in the source information is January 7, 2020, and the opportunity record indicates it was created on November 29, 2017.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of domestic applicants, such as state, county, and local governments; special districts; independent school districts; public and private institutions of higher education; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; federally recognized tribal governments; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and small businesses. The FOA also highlights additional eligible applicant categories that NIH is specifically welcoming, including 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), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, U.S. territories or possessions, and non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations) as well as regional organizations. Overall, the opportunity is structured to support a wide range of research institutions and community-connected organizations that can study HIV-related behavioral and social mechanisms and turn that knowledge into interventions that are acceptable, feasible, and effective.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Targeted basic behavioral and social science and intervention development for HIV prevention and care (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.242.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-11-29.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-01-07. (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 $200,000.00 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 PA 18 272

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