Epidemiology and Prevention in Alcohol Research (R03 - Clinical Trial - Optional) | PA 18 413

Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 18 413

The Epidemiology and Prevention in Alcohol Research (R03 - Clinical Trial - Optional) opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number PA 18 413) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary grant program designed to support small, investigator-initiated research projects focused on alcohol use and its consequences. The main goal is to build knowledge about the epidemiology of alcohol use, alcohol-related harms, and alcohol use disorders, while also advancing prevention research aimed at underage drinking, alcohol-related harms, and alcohol use disorders. In practical terms, the FOA is looking for projects that can improve understanding of who is affected by alcohol-related problems, how patterns of use and harm are distributed across populations and settings, what risk and protective factors matter most, and what prevention approaches can reduce harm before it escalates into more serious outcomes.

This is an R03 mechanism, which typically supports smaller, short-duration studies that can generate pilot data, test feasibility, refine measures or methods, or explore promising ideas that may later be scaled into larger research efforts. The FOA explicitly notes that clinical trials are optional, meaning applicants may propose either non-trial studies (such as observational epidemiology, surveillance, secondary data analysis, or methodological work) or studies that include a clinical trial component if it is appropriate for the prevention question being asked. The funding activity sits in the health category and is associated with CFDA number 93.273.

The scope of research encouraged under this announcement centers on two closely related areas: epidemiology and prevention. On the epidemiology side, projects may examine patterns and trends in alcohol consumption, binge drinking, underage use, and alcohol use disorder prevalence, along with associated harms such as injury, violence, poisoning, chronic disease impacts, and social or economic consequences. These studies often look at differences by age, sex, race and ethnicity, geography, socioeconomic status, and other contextual factors, and they may investigate how policy environments, availability, marketing exposure, and community characteristics shape risk. On the prevention side, projects may focus on strategies that reduce initiation of underage drinking, prevent escalation to heavy use, or decrease alcohol-related harms and alcohol use disorder onset. Prevention research can include interventions or programs in schools, families, communities, healthcare settings, or digital environments, as well as policy-relevant prevention approaches, provided the proposed study design matches the R03 scale.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S. organizations and governments. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city or township 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; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized tribal governments; nonprofit organizations 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 highlights additional eligible applicants such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions; Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs); Hispanic-serving Institutions; Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs); faith-based or community-based organizations; eligible federal government agencies; Indian/Native American tribal governments other than federally recognized entities; regional organizations; non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations); and U.S. territories or possessions. This wide eligibility reflects an interest in reaching diverse research environments and supporting work that can speak to different populations and real-world settings.

Key administrative details included in the source data are that the sponsoring agency is NIH, the funding instrument type is a grant, and the listed award ceiling is $50,000. The original closing date shown is 2020-05-07, and the record creation date is 2017-11-27. Applicants interested in pursuing similar NIH opportunities should note that FOAs can have time-limited cycles or may be reissued or updated over time, so it is important to verify the current status of PA 18 413 and any successor announcements when planning a submission.

Overall, this FOA is best understood as support for focused, smaller-scale studies that can sharpen the evidence base on alcohol epidemiology and prevention, particularly around underage drinking and alcohol-related harms, and that can position investigators to develop stronger, larger projects in the future.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Epidemiology and Prevention in Alcohol Research (R03 - Clinical Trial - Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.273.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-11-27.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-05-07. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $50,000.00 in funding.
• 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 PA 18 413

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