HIV Prevention and Alcohol (R01 Clinical Trials Optional) | PAS 23 173

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAS 23 173

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity titled "HIV Prevention and Alcohol (R01 Clinical Trials Optional)" (PAS 23-173) is a discretionary grant program designed to strengthen and broaden HIV/AIDS prevention options for people and communities affected by alcohol use. The core premise is that alcohol use, whether episodic (for example, binge drinking) or long-term and chronic, can increase HIV acquisition risk through a mix of behavioral pathways (such as impaired judgment, increased likelihood of condomless sex, or reduced adherence to prevention medications) and biological pathways (such as alcohol-related impacts on immune function and inflammation). NIH is looking for research that does more than study these links in isolation; the emphasis is on building and integrating practical prevention and treatment strategies that can reduce the number of new HIV infections in real-world settings.

This opportunity supports a broad range of research activities under the R01 mechanism, including the development of new interventions, adaptation or expansion of existing evidence-based interventions, and testing and implementation of integrated prevention approaches across diverse populations and settings. "Clinical Trials Optional" means applicants may propose studies that include clinical trials, but a clinical trial is not required; both trial and non-trial research designs can fit, as long as they align with the goals of improving HIV prevention outcomes among alcohol-impacted populations. The overall orientation is toward an "HIV prevention toolkit" that is responsive to how alcohol use and related comorbidities shape prevention needs, engagement, and effectiveness.

NIH highlights six primary research areas of interest. First is PrEP utilization, which can include research on starting, taking, and staying on HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis among people who drink alcohol, including adherence challenges, service delivery models, and strategies to improve uptake and persistence. Second is Treatment as Prevention (TasP), focusing on HIV treatment engagement and viral suppression as a prevention strategy, particularly where alcohol use interferes with care retention or adherence, and where integrating alcohol-related services could improve outcomes. Third is the integration of preventive intervention strategies, which points to combining multiple approaches (for example, PrEP plus behavioral risk reduction plus alcohol use interventions, or HIV testing plus linkage services plus mental health supports) in ways that reflect how people actually access care. Fourth is prevention-related cross-cutting research, which can involve shared mechanisms, measurement, and frameworks that inform multiple prevention approaches, such as identifying key mediators, improving risk assessment, developing scalable monitoring methods, or clarifying how alcohol-related factors interact with prevention effectiveness. Fifth is syndemic approaches, reflecting NIH interest in the overlapping and mutually reinforcing burdens of alcohol use, other substance use, mental health conditions, violence, stigma, and structural barriers that together elevate HIV risk; projects can address these co-occurring conditions as part of a combined prevention strategy rather than treating them as separate problems. Sixth is implementation and operations research, aimed at understanding how to deliver and sustain effective interventions in clinics, community organizations, justice-involved settings, or other service environments, including questions of feasibility, acceptability, fidelity, cost, staffing, workflow, and long-term scalability.

The applicant eligibility is intentionally broad, reflecting a desire to support research across many types of institutions and communities. Eligible applicants include state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; Native American tribal organizations (including those other than federally recognized tribal governments); public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in those categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The FOA also explicitly lists additional eligible applicant groups such as 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, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations). This wide eligibility signals NIH interest in reaching populations and settings where alcohol-related HIV risk and prevention gaps are most pronounced, including underserved and disproportionately affected communities.

From an administrative perspective, this is an NIH grant in the health activity category associated with CFDA number 93.273. The opportunity was created on May 12, 2023, and the listed original closing date is May 7, 2026. The notice does not specify an award ceiling, nor does it provide an expected number of awards in the provided excerpt, which typically means budgets and award counts depend on NIH institute priorities, availability of funds, and the scientific merit and scope of submitted applications.

Overall, PAS 23-173 is aimed at generating actionable, integrated HIV prevention knowledge and interventions tailored to alcohol-impacted populations, with particular attention to comorbid mental health and substance use issues and the practical realities of implementing prevention in diverse real-world contexts.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "HIV Prevention and Alcohol (R01 Clinical Trials Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.273.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-05-12.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-05-07. (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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