Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA DA 23 002
The NIH funding opportunity "Increasing Immediate Engagement and Retention in HIV Treatment with Substance Users" (RFA-DA-23-002) is an R01 grant program focused on improving how quickly people living with HIV (PLWH) who also have substance use disorders (SUD) get connected to HIV treatment and how well they stay engaged in both HIV and SUD care over time. The core problem the announcement is trying to solve is that even when clinics offer same-day or otherwise rapid antiretroviral therapy (ART/ARV) starts, many patients still experience delays or drop off from care because of real-world barriers such as competing needs (housing, food, safety, mental health), administrative enrollment delays for support programs (ADAP, Ryan White, Medicaid), and service systems that are hard to navigate. The opportunity highlights that these challenges can be especially severe in resource-limited settings, where staffing, transportation options, and service capacity may be constrained.
A central point in the announcement is that standard engagement approaches, including Strengths-Based Case Management and Patient Navigation, often do not show strong effectiveness for people with SUD. The NIH is signaling that individuals with both HIV and substance use issues frequently face more complex clinical and social situations than many traditional linkage-to-care models were designed to handle. This population may need coordinated engagement with multiple services at once (HIV primary care, addiction treatment, behavioral health, case management, social supports), and the pathway from diagnosis to sustained viral suppression can break down at several points. The grant therefore emphasizes intervention strategies that do more than initiate ART quickly; it prioritizes approaches that also help people remain continuously in care and achieve durable viral suppression, aligning with national "Ending the HIV Epidemic" goals.
The research emphasis is on developing and testing evidence-based interventions that operate at the systemic, organizational, and/or provider levels. In practical terms, that means the NIH is looking for projects that change how care is delivered, how organizations coordinate services, how providers engage patients, or how systems remove structural bottlenecks that slow treatment initiation and undermine retention. The desired impact is twofold: reduce the time between HIV diagnosis and treatment start, and strengthen longer-term retention in both HIV care and SUD care. Because this is labeled "Clinical Trials Required," applicants are expected to include a clinical trial component to rigorously test the intervention, rather than only conducting observational work or formative assessments.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations and governments. Eligible applicants include state, county, city, township, and special district governments; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities; independent school districts; public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses; and other entities. The announcement also explicitly calls out additional eligible applicant types such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISISs, Hispanic-serving institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions. At the same time, it draws clear boundaries around foreign participation: non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and non-U.S. institutions are not eligible to apply, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply. However, "foreign components" are allowed as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement, meaning parts of the research may involve international elements under NIH rules even though the applicant organization itself must be domestic.
Administratively, the opportunity is a discretionary grant under the NIH, within the health and education activity category, and is associated with CFDA number 93.279. The funding instrument is an R01, which generally supports substantial research projects. The opportunity record lists an original closing date of 2022-08-11 and a creation date of 2022-04-06. The award ceiling and expected number of awards are not specified in the provided source data, suggesting applicants would need to consult the full funding announcement or NIH budget guidance for limits and expectations. Overall, the opportunity is aimed at generating strong, trial-based evidence for interventions that can speed up treatment starts and prevent care disengagement among PLWH who use substances, particularly by fixing system and service delivery problems that conventional navigation and case management models have not adequately addressed.Apply for RFA DA 23 002
- The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Increasing Immediate Engagement and Retention in HIV Treatment with Substance Users (R01- Clinical Trials 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 2022-04-06.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-08-11. (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.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the NIH funding opportunity "Increasing Immediate Engagement and Retention in HIV Treatment with Substance Users" (RFA-DA-23-002)?
This opportunity is an NIH R01 (research project) grant program focused on improving how quickly people living with HIV (PLWH) who also have substance use disorders (SUD) get connected to HIV treatment, and how well they stay engaged in both HIV care and SUD care over time.
What problem is this funding opportunity trying to address?
The opportunity targets persistent real-world gaps between HIV diagnosis and sustained care. Even when clinics offer same-day or rapid antiretroviral therapy (ART/ARV) starts, patients may still face delays or drop out due to barriers like competing survival needs (housing, food, safety), mental health challenges, administrative delays in enrolling in support programs (ADAP, Ryan White, Medicaid), and service systems that are difficult to navigate. These issues can be worse in resource-limited settings with constrained staffing, transportation, or service capacity.
Who is the main population of focus for this program?
The program focuses on people living with HIV who also have substance use disorders, particularly individuals who face complex clinical and social needs that make timely treatment initiation and long-term retention difficult.
What outcomes is NIH trying to improve through projects funded under this opportunity?
The desired impact is twofold: (1) reduce the time between HIV diagnosis and starting HIV treatment (ART/ARV), and (2) strengthen longer-term retention and continuous engagement in both HIV care and substance use disorder care, with an emphasis on achieving durable viral suppression.
Does the opportunity only care about starting ART quickly?
No. While rapid initiation is important, the opportunity emphasizes strategies that also prevent disengagement from care and support sustained engagement over time. The announcement highlights that the pathway from diagnosis to durable viral suppression can break down at multiple points, especially for people with SUD.
What kinds of interventions is NIH prioritizing?
The research emphasis is on developing and testing evidence-based interventions that operate at the systemic, organizational, and/or provider levels. In practical terms, that means projects that change how care is delivered, improve coordination between organizations and services, strengthen provider approaches to engagement, or remove structural bottlenecks that slow treatment initiation and undermine retention.
Are traditional linkage-to-care models like patient navigation or strengths-based case management considered sufficient for this program?
The announcement notes that standard engagement approaches, including Strengths-Based Case Management and Patient Navigation, often do not show strong effectiveness for people with substance use disorders. The opportunity signals a need for approaches designed to handle more complex, multi-service engagement needs.
What types of service connections does the opportunity suggest may be necessary for this population?
The opportunity describes a need for coordinated engagement across multiple services at once, which may include HIV primary care, addiction treatment, behavioral health services, case management, and social supports, because barriers can arise at several points in the care continuum.
What level(s) of the system should projects target?
Projects are expected to intervene at the systemic, organizational, and/or provider levels, rather than focusing only on individual-level education or purely observational research. The goal is to change delivery systems and processes that contribute to delays and drop-off.
Are clinical trials required under this funding opportunity?
Yes. The opportunity is labeled "Clinical Trials Required," meaning applicants are expected to include a clinical trial component to rigorously test the intervention, not just conduct observational studies or formative research alone.
What grant mechanism is used for this opportunity?
The funding instrument is an R01, which generally supports substantial research projects. The opportunity is described as a discretionary grant under NIH.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA number 93.279.
What activity category is this opportunity associated with?
The opportunity is listed within the health and education activity category.
Who can apply for this funding (in general terms)?
Eligibility is broad and includes many U.S.-based organizations and governments, including state, county, city, township, and special district governments; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities; independent school districts; public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses; and other entities.
Are tribal governments and tribal organizations eligible to apply?
Yes. Federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations are listed as eligible applicants.
Are colleges, universities, and minority-serving institutions eligible?
Yes. Public and private institutions of higher education are eligible, and the opportunity explicitly calls out eligible applicant types such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISISs, and Hispanic-serving institutions.
Are community-based or faith-based organizations eligible to apply?
Yes. Faith-based and community-based organizations are explicitly listed among eligible applicant types.
Can for-profit organizations apply?
Yes. For-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses are included among eligible applicants.
Are U.S. territories or possessions eligible to apply?
Yes. U.S. territories or possessions are explicitly listed among eligible applicant types.
Can non-U.S. (foreign) organizations apply as the applicant?
No. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and non-U.S. institutions are not eligible to apply for this opportunity.
Can a U.S. organization apply if the work is primarily conducted outside the U.S. (a non-domestic component)?
No. The opportunity states that non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply.
Are any international elements allowed at all?
Yes. While the applicant organization must be domestic, "foreign components" are allowed as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement. This means international elements may be permissible under NIH rules even though non-U.S. entities cannot serve as the applicant.
Does the opportunity specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards?
No. In the provided information, the award ceiling and the expected number of awards are not specified, suggesting applicants may need to consult the full funding announcement or NIH budget guidance for details.
What dates are provided for this opportunity record?
The record lists a creation date of 2022-04-06 and an original closing date of 2022-08-11.
How does this opportunity relate to national HIV goals?
The opportunity emphasizes durable viral suppression and improved retention in care in alignment with national "Ending the HIV Epidemic" goals, particularly for populations facing compounded barriers such as co-occurring substance use disorders.
Why does the announcement emphasize systems and organizational changes?
Because delays and drop-off are often driven by structural and process barriers (administrative enrollment delays, difficult-to-navigate service systems, constrained staffing or transportation, and competing patient needs). The opportunity prioritizes interventions that fix bottlenecks and improve coordination in real-world care delivery rather than relying only on traditional engagement models.
What settings are especially highlighted as needing solutions?
The announcement highlights that challenges may be especially severe in resource-limited settings where staffing, transportation options, and service capacity are constrained.
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