Grants to Tackle HIV Related Issues in the US

Deadline: 7-May-24

The Department of Health and Human Services and National Institutes of Health is seeking applications for the Development and Testing of Novel Interventions to improve HIV Prevention, Treatment, and Program Implementation for People Who Use Drugs, it may include behavioral, social, or structural approaches, as well as combination biomedical and behavioral approaches that prevent the acquisition and transmission of HIV infection, or improve clinical outcomes for persons living with HIV.

Primary scientific areas of focus include the feasibility, tolerability, acceptability and safety of novel or adapted interventions that target HIV prevention, treatment or services research for people who use drugs.

Exploratory or pilot research studies for purposes other than collecting pilot or feasibility data for use in later, larger-scale intervention studies should not be submitted under this FOA.

• Award Budget: Direct costs are limited to $450,000 over a three-year period, with no more than $225,000 in direct costs allowed in any single year.
• Award Project Period: The maximum period is 3 years.

Examples of research questions that may help move the HIV intervention field forward, under this FOA, include (but are not limited to) the following:

Studies to advance HIV prevention:

• Studies to develop and test approaches to enhance the long-term maintenance of risk reduction, including new PrEP formulations and delivery mechanisms (e.g., injectable PrEP).
• Studies that test ways to combine prevention interventions of known efficacy, including adaptive designs that test different sequences of intervention implementation to improve outcomes.
• Interventions that incorporate a syndemic approach to HIV prevention with consideration of substance use and comorbidities such as psychiatric disorder or infectious disease, along with contributory conditions such as intimate partner violence, childhood sexual abuse, stigma, or discrimination based on race/ethnicity, sexual minority membership or drug use.
• Studies using novel eHealth or mHealth approaches to recruit, enroll, and retain members of key populations (e.g., MSM, women at risk) who are difficult to reach by other means, particularly where technology also directly enables access to prevention and/or screening services.
• Studies to identify and test interventions that integrate HIV prevention into settings where these interventions often are not offered (e.g., primary care, criminal justice, drug treatment, youth-serving organizations).
• Pilot feasibility evaluations of new PrEP formulations or combination biological/behavioral prevention modalities among substance using populations.
• Prevention intervention research that addresses drug use among MSM, particularly stimulant use among young ethnic/racial minority MSM in the US and applicable MSM populations in international locations.
• Development and testing of HIV/AIDS prevention interventions that incorporate reduction in stigma toward persons at elevated risk for HIV/AIDS acquisition.
• Develop and test interventions that meet prevention needs of persons whose risk persists despite previous engagement in typical prevention interventions (e.g., testing, behavioral risk reduction, PrEP). The use of innovative approaches such as adaptive designs is encouraged.
• Studies that take advantage of opportunities to evaluate the implementation and short-term effects of new policies, settings, or health care financing systems that are designed to prevent HIV and related consequences of substance use.
• Pilot or feasibility studies that take initial steps toward implementation of structural or community-level prevention interventions.

• Studies to optimize the provision of brief, evidence-based interventions to treat or reduce substance use among HIV at-risk populations, while increasing uptake and utilization of HIV prevention services (e.g., testing, PrEP).
• Studies which increase the likelihood of achieving and/or maintaining viral suppression of HIV infection.
• Studies to develop novel approaches for augmenting the impact of interventions of known efficacy to promote HIV treatment adherence and persistence among people who use drugs.
• Feasibility and acceptability studies that incorporate technological tool(s) to promote patient engagement in HIV care (including early and efficient linkage to care; treatment adherence behaviors; and long-term retention in care) among drug using populations living with HIV.
• Early stage trials of integrated substance use disorder treatment (behavioral or pharmacological) and HIV prevention interventions that address HIV risk practices (sexual and drug use behavior) and promote uptake of prevention services (e.g., testing, PrEP) in key populations.
• Development and testing of novel telehealth strategies for research in individuals with HIV and substance use disorders, including tailored delivery to affected populations (e.g., multilingual approaches, outreach to racial/ethnic minorities) and settings (e.g., non-clinical settings, rural communities with constrained broadband).
• Development of non-pharmacological therapies (cognitive behavioral approaches, integrative approaches such as mindfulness) for use in conjunction with medication-based drug treatment to improve HIV clinical outcomes in the context of substance use disorder.

• Improving access and quality of HIV prevention or treatment services for people who use drugs and also are living with HIV from vulnerable populations including women, adolescents, racial/ethnic minorities, sexual minorities, and those with co-occurring disorders (e.g., psychiatric disorder, viral hepatitis).
• Pilot testing of interventions to improve the delivery of substance use treatment services for HIV at-risk populations in non-traditional settings such as schools, criminal justice settings, primary care practices, and AIDS service organizations.
• Develop and pilot test interventions that provide integrated, holistic approaches to service delivery to PLWH who also have comorbid substance abuse and/or mental health disorders (e.g., depression, PTSD, schizophrenia, and other disorders).
• Developing and evaluating innovative implementation strategies and novel service delivery strategies for the treatment and care for vulnerable PLWH.
• Interventions that target and address structural, organizational or policy interventions to barriers and facilitators of science-based HIV/AIDS treatment and/or prevention.
• Implementation research that helps overcome barriers to achieving adherence or viral suppression with navigation or case management approaches among people who use drugs.
• Developing interventions that influence organizational structure, climate, and culture in order to promote organizational readiness and capacity for dissemination and adoption of evidence-based practices.
• Evaluations of the adaptation process, and subsequent effectiveness of evidence-based interventions when implemented in real-world community and clinical settings.
• Pilot or feasibility studies that take initial steps toward implementation of structural approaches (e.g. structural determinants of health, structural racism)  to improving the quality and appropriateness of services and/or access and utilization of services.
• Investigators are encouraged, when appropriate, to utilize the NIDA Clinical Trials Network (CTN) infrastructure as a platform for their studies.

• Higher Education Institutions
  • Public/State Controlled Institutions of Higher Education
  • Private Institutions of Higher Education
  • The following types of Higher Education Institutions are always encouraged to apply for NIH support as Public or Private Institutions of Higher Education:
    • Hispanic-serving Institutions
    • Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
    • Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs)
    • Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions
    • Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs)
• Nonprofits Other Than Institutions of Higher Education
  • Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institutions of Higher Education)
  • Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institutions of Higher Education)
• For-Profit Organizations
  • Small Businesses
  • For-Profit Organizations (Other than Small Businesses)
• Local Governments
  • State Governments
  • County Governments
  • City or Township Governments
  • Special District Governments
  • Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Federally Recognized)
  • Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized)
• Federal Governments
  • Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government
  • U.S. Territory or Possession
• Other
  • Independent School Districts
  • Public Housing Authorities/Indian Housing Authorities
  • Native American Tribal Organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
  • Faith-based or Community-based Organizations
  • Regional Organizations
  • Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions)
• Foreign Institutions
  • Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are eligible to apply.
  • Non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are eligible to apply.

For more information, visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=333432