Improving Choice, Use, and Equitable Implementation of Biomedical HIV Prevention for Women (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) | RFA MH 24 160

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA MH 24 160

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is offering an R01 grant opportunity titled "Improving Choice, Use, and Equitable Implementation of Biomedical HIV Prevention for Women (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)" under funding opportunity number RFA-MH-24-160. It is a discretionary grant mechanism in the health and social services domain, and it supports research projects that can include clinical trials, but clinical trials are not required. The overall purpose is to strengthen real-world impact of the HIV prevention vaginal ring for women by addressing practical, behavioral, and implementation challenges that affect whether people start using the ring, use it consistently, and continue using it over time.

A central focus of this opportunity is closing key knowledge gaps about what helps or prevents women from using the vaginal ring successfully in everyday settings, meaning settings outside of traditional clinical trials or open-label extension studies. NIH is explicitly looking for work that goes beyond efficacy questions and instead examines how uptake, adherence, and persistence play out when the product is offered through typical service delivery channels. The research scope includes understanding barriers and facilitators at multiple levels: individual factors (such as knowledge, risk perception, preferences, concerns about side effects, comfort with insertion and ongoing use, stigma, privacy, or confidence in using the product), interpersonal factors (such as partner dynamics, disclosure concerns, relationship power, family influence, social support, or provider-patient communication), and structural factors (such as cost, transportation, clinic accessibility, supply continuity, health system constraints, policy environments, cultural norms, discrimination, and broader inequities that shape access to prevention options).

In addition to descriptive or explanatory studies that identify these barriers and facilitators, the announcement encourages development and testing of interventions designed to improve real-world outcomes, particularly interventions that increase initial uptake, promote consistent use, and support longer-term persistence. These interventions are framed largely as behavioral or psychosocial strategies, which could include counseling approaches, peer or community support models, partner or couples-based components, adherence supports, messaging strategies, provider training, or service delivery enhancements that make ring use simpler and more acceptable in daily life. While the exact intervention types are not limited, the intent is clearly to move toward practical, testable approaches that can be integrated into real service settings and that respond to the realities women face when choosing and using biomedical HIV prevention.

A major pillar of the opportunity is implementation science. NIH is seeking studies that examine how the ring is delivered, what gets in the way of equitable and efficient delivery, and what helps programs successfully offer it at scale. This includes identifying implementation barriers and facilitators within clinics, community-based organizations, and health systems, as well as testing strategies to optimize delivery, access, and distribution. In practice, that can involve studying workflow integration, staff capacity, training needs, acceptability among providers, referral pathways, supply chain and stocking issues, data systems, reimbursement and financing, and models for reaching underserved populations. The emphasis on equitable implementation signals that NIH wants projects that pay attention to who is being reached, who is being missed, and what changes are required to ensure that women facing the greatest HIV-related disparities can realistically access and benefit from the ring.

Eligibility for this grant is broad, reflecting NIH's interest in supporting a wide range of institutions and community partners. Eligible applicants include state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and private institutions of higher education; Native American tribal governments (federally recognized) and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) as well as small businesses; and other organizations. The opportunity also explicitly highlights additional eligible entities 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 (AANAPISIs), faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations). This broad eligibility aligns with the stated goal of improving access and implementation in diverse real-world contexts, including communities disproportionately affected by HIV.

Key administrative details provided include the original closing date of 2023-09-27 and a CFDA listing that includes 93.242, 93.310, 93.313, and 93.865. The award ceiling and expected number of awards are not specified in the source text you provided, which often means applicants need to consult the full funding announcement and NIH budget guidance for expectations around project period, budget limits (if any), and review considerations. Overall, the opportunity is designed for research teams that can combine women-centered HIV prevention priorities with rigorous behavioral and implementation science, with the goal of improving choice, consistent use, and equitable real-world delivery of the vaginal ring.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Improving Choice, Use, and Equitable Implementation of Biomedical HIV Prevention for Women (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, 93.310, 93.313, 93.865.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-08-25.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-09-27. (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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