Strengthening HIV Prevention Efforts for Women in the Southern U.S. (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) | RFA MH 21 151

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA MH 21 151

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity titled "Strengthening HIV Prevention Efforts for Women in the Southern U.S. (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-MH-21-151) supports research aimed at improving HIV prevention for women living in the Southern United States. Using the R01 grant mechanism, the program is designed to stimulate research that goes beyond single-level solutions and instead uses multi-level approaches that reflect the real-world mix of individual, interpersonal, community, clinical, and structural factors influencing HIV prevention. The "clinical trial optional" designation means applicants may propose studies that include a clinical trial, but a trial is not required if the research aims can be met through other rigorous designs.

The central purpose of the initiative is twofold. First, it seeks to clarify what is getting in the way of women in the Southern U.S. using available HIV prevention strategies, as well as what helps them access and use those strategies consistently. This includes identifying barriers and facilitators related to awareness, stigma, risk perception, healthcare access, provider practices, social and relationship dynamics, economic constraints, transportation, insurance coverage, housing instability, local policies, and broader inequities that shape health outcomes in the region. Second, it prioritizes the development and testing of new or improved interventions that can increase both uptake and adherence to HIV prevention options among Southern U.S.-based women. In practice, this points toward research that not only introduces prevention tools but also addresses the conditions that determine whether women can start them, stay on them, and benefit from them over time.

Because the opportunity emphasizes "multiple levels of influence," competitive applications would generally be expected to consider intervention strategies that do more than educate individuals. Examples of multi-level work could include combining patient-facing support (such as counseling, navigation, reminders, or peer support) with clinic-level changes (like provider training, streamlined prescribing workflows, or integration into routine care), and community or structural components (such as partnerships with trusted community organizations, stigma-reduction strategies, or approaches to reduce logistical barriers like transportation and childcare). The focus is specifically on women in the Southern U.S., a region that has faced persistent HIV disparities and where social determinants and healthcare access gaps can strongly affect prevention outcomes.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations and government entities. Eligible applicants listed include state, county, city or township governments, special district governments, independent school districts, and public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities. Higher education institutions are eligible, including public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education. Tribal entities are eligible as well, including federally recognized Native American tribal governments and Native American tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments. The opportunity is also open to nonprofit organizations both with and without 501(c)(3) status (excluding those that are institutions of higher education under the nonprofit category), for-profit organizations other than small businesses, and small businesses. The announcement also explicitly highlights additional eligible applicant types such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, tribal governments other than federally recognized, and U.S. territories or possessions.

At the same time, the funding notice clearly restricts foreign involvement. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply. Non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible, and foreign components, as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are not allowed. In other words, projects must be fully domestic in terms of applicant organization and supported components.

In the source data provided, the opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding, with the funding instrument listed as a grant and activity categories in education and health. The CFDA numbers associated with the opportunity are 93.242, 93.279, 93.307, and 93.313. The opportunity was created on 2020-11-17, with an original closing date of 2021-01-11. An award ceiling and expected number of awards are not specified in the provided fields, which often means applicants need to refer to the full NIH announcement for budget guidance and anticipated award volume.

Overall, this grant opportunity is aimed at strengthening HIV prevention among women in the Southern U.S. by supporting research that (1) produces a clearer, evidence-based understanding of why prevention tools are underused or difficult to sustain in this region and (2) designs and rigorously evaluates interventions that can realistically increase initiation and ongoing use of HIV prevention strategies in the contexts where women live and receive care.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Strengthening HIV Prevention Efforts for Women in the Southern U.S. (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.242, 93.279, 93.307, 93.313.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2020-11-17.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-01-11. (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.

Apply for RFA MH 21 151

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