The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has announced a funding opportunity through the R34 Clinical Trials Required mechanism for research aimed at addressing systemic and structural barriers to improving the HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) care continuum for individuals who use substances. This opportunity is supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the Office of AIDS Research (OAR), with potential co-funding from the Office of Research on Women's Health (ORWH). It emphasizes developing and pilot-testing system-level interventions to enhance PrEP uptake and persistence among marginalized populations disproportionately impacted by substance use and HIV.
Eligible projects should target systemic barriers such as poverty, stigma, racism, and healthcare access disparities. Populations of focus include women, transgender people, men who have sex with men, individuals with criminal legal involvement, and sex workers. Research areas of interest include strategies for enhancing healthcare provider competence, optimizing clinic workflows, integrating PrEP into harm reduction settings, and implementing long-acting injectable PrEP tailored to community needs. Applications must adopt an intersectional perspective, addressing equity, scalability, and sustainability, while fostering partnerships with affected communities.
The R34 mechanism supports planning grants and requires projects to limit direct costs to $450,000 over a maximum of three years, with no single year exceeding $225,000. NIDA anticipates funding up to eight awards across this and the companion R01 opportunity. Applicants are required to include a Plan for Enhancing Diverse Perspectives (PEDP) to promote inclusivity in research design, team composition, and community engagement. Applications lacking a PEDP will not be reviewed.
Eligible applicants include U.S. and foreign higher education institutions, nonprofits, for-profit organizations, and government entities. Required registrations include System for Award Management (SAM), Grants.gov, and eRA Commons. Key application dates include a Letter of Intent due by February 12, 2025, and the full application deadline on March 12, 2025. Awards are expected to begin in December 2025.
Applications must comply with NIH's rigorous instructions and include sections on socio-structural challenges, community partnerships, and data sharing plans. Peer review will assess scientific merit, feasibility, and community relevance. For additional information or assistance, applicants are encouraged to contact NIH program and grants management staff listed in the announcement.
