Avenir Award Program for Genetics or Epigenetics of Substance Use Disorders (DP1 Clinical Trial Optional) | PAR 20 225

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 20 225

The Avenir Award Program for Genetics or Epigenetics of Substance Use Disorders (DP1 Clinical Trial Optional) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity administered through the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) that is designed to push the field forward by backing unusually innovative, high-impact ideas from early stage investigators. "Avenir" means "future" in French, and the program is intentionally aimed at researchers who are still early in their careers and may not yet have the extensive preliminary data that is often expected for a traditional R01 application. The central goal is to identify and support investigators with bold, creative approaches and strong potential to become future leaders, specifically in the area of genetics or epigenetics related to substance use disorders. The funding mechanism is a DP1 grant, and clinical trials are listed as optional, meaning applicants may propose projects that do or do not include a clinical trial component, as long as the work aligns with the program's scientific scope and NIH requirements.

The scientific focus is on genetics and epigenetics as they relate to substance use disorders, which can include research aimed at understanding inherited risk, genomic variation, gene expression regulation, epigenetic modifications, and biological pathways that influence vulnerability, progression, treatment response, or recovery. This emphasis reflects NIDA's interest in research that can reshape understanding of addiction biology and potentially open doors to new prevention, diagnostic, or therapeutic strategies. NIDA notes that it operates two separate Avenir programs overall: one centered on HIV/AIDS research and another centered on genetics or epigenetics studies; this particular opportunity is the genetics/epigenetics track for substance use disorders.

Eligibility is broad across U.S.-based organizations and spans many common applicant types, including state, county, city/township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; nonprofits (including both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) entities, as long as they are not institutions of higher education in the nonprofit categories listed); public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; and Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized tribal governments. It also allows for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses, as well as certain other categories. The opportunity explicitly highlights additional eligible applicant groups, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI), 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, and U.S. territories or possessions. At the same time, there are clear restrictions related to foreign involvement: non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply, non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible, and foreign components (as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement) are not allowed.

Administratively, this is a discretionary grant opportunity under the NIH, with a health and education funding activity category and CFDA number 93.279. The funding opportunity number is PAR-20-225, and the record lists an award ceiling of $300,000. The original closing date shown in the source information is October 19, 2022, and the opportunity record was created on June 1, 2020. Overall, the program is best understood as a targeted NIH/NIDA pathway for early career researchers with ambitious genetics or epigenetics ideas in substance use disorders, particularly those pursuing novel directions that could meaningfully shift the field even if they are not yet supported by the kind of large preliminary datasets typically expected for more conventional grant mechanisms.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Avenir Award Program for Genetics or Epigenetics of Substance Use Disorders (DP1 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.279.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2020-06-01.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-10-19. (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 $300,000.00 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 PAR 20 225

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