Interventions to Address HIV-Related Comorbidities among Highly Affected Populations Experiencing Health Disparities (R01 - Clinical Trial Required)

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), particularly the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), is offering funding under the notice RFA-MD-24-003 titled "Interventions to Address HIV-Related Comorbidities among Highly Affected Populations Experiencing Health Disparities (R01 - Clinical Trial Required)." Additional participants include the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). The Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH) may co-fund relevant applications. This initiative seeks to support innovative, multidisciplinary interventions to improve quality of life and promote successful aging among people with HIV (PWH) who are from racial and ethnic minority populations and low socioeconomic backgrounds. The objective of this funding opportunity is to develop and evaluate interventions targeting multiple comorbidities in PWH, particularly those from underserved populations. Proposals should focus on multilevel strategies that include biological, behavioral, and socio-cultural domains, addressing clinical, social, and structural determinants of health. Interventions should be designed to enhance resilience and successful aging and must incorporate community engagement throughout the research process. Strong emphasis is placed on projects that promote integration and coordination of healthcare services and address stigma, social isolation, and access barriers. Applications must propose clinical trials and include detailed conceptual models and multidisciplinary team compositions. Encouraged research topics include systems-level coordination of care, mHealth tools for stigma reduction, peer-based community interventions, behavioral lifestyle changes, family-centered care models, and place-based strategies addressing social determinants like housing and food insecurity. Special attention is given to the unique needs of aging women with HIV, with ORWH supporting intersectional research relevant to this group. Eligible applicants include a wide range of organizations, such as higher education institutions, nonprofits, small and large businesses, tribal organizations, local and state governments, and public housing authorities. Foreign institutions are not eligible. Applications must comply with NIH submission standards and be submitted through NIH’s electronic systems such as ASSIST, Grants.gov, or eRA Commons. Letters of intent are encouraged but not required and should be submitted 30 days prior to application deadlines. Applications are due annually on December 11 for each cycle until the expiration date of May 24, 2025. Reviews occur in March, with advisory council reviews in May, and awards starting as early as July. Applications must follow strict NIH formatting and submission requirements. Review criteria include significance, innovation, investigator capability, approach, and environment, along with human subjects protection and data sharing plans. For additional guidance or inquiries, applicants can contact scientific or administrative staff listed in the funding notice, including Dr. Deborah Linares (NIMHD) and Dr. Elizabeth Barr (ORWH), among others. Award details include a five-year project period with an annual direct cost limit of $750,000, and a total of 5–6 awards expected with $5–6 million in committed funds for FY2024. No cost-sharing is required.