Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 13 161
Apply for PA 13 161
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Alcohol Use Disorders Treatment, Services, and Recovery Research (R21)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.273 Alcohol Research Programs.
- This funding opportunity was created on Mar 28, 2013 and posted on Mar 28, 2013.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 7, 2016. (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 $200,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Special district governments Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education For profit organizations other than small businesses State governments Public and State controlled institutions of higher education County governments Private institutions of higher education Small businesses Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Independent school districts City or township governments Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- Other Eligible Applicants include the following Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs) Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government Faith based or Community based Organizations Hispanic serving Institutions Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized) Non domestic (non U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations) Regional Organizations Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) U.S. Territory or Possession.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Alcohol Use Disorders Treatment, Services, and Recovery Research (R21) opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number PA-13-161) was a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary grant announcement aimed at supporting exploratory and developmental research on alcohol use disorders (AUD). The focus was not limited to testing whether treatments work, but also extended to understanding how treatment and recovery actually play out in real-world settings. In practical terms, NIH was looking for proposals that could generate early-stage evidence, new methods, or promising pilot data related to behavioral and pharmacological treatments for AUD, along with studies on the organizational, financial, and management conditions that either help or hinder the delivery of AUD services. A key part of the scope also included research on recovery itself, meaning the processes and factors that shape how people reduce or stop problematic alcohol use and maintain improvements over time.
As an R21 mechanism, this announcement was designed for shorter, early-phase projects that are often used to test innovative ideas, develop new approaches, or gather preliminary findings that could support a later, larger study. The listed award ceiling was $200,000, which aligns with the R21 purpose of funding concept development and pilot-scale research rather than large clinical trials or long multi-site programs. The activity category was Health, and the CFDA number tied to it was 93.273 (Alcohol Research Programs). The announcement did not require cost sharing or matching, reducing the financial burden on applicants and making it easier for a wide range of organizations to participate.
The types of research encouraged under this FOA spanned several interconnected areas. One area was behavioral treatment research, which can include studies of counseling, psychosocial interventions, contingency management, digital or telehealth-based supports, mutual-help facilitation, or other behaviorally oriented approaches to reducing alcohol-related harm. Another area was pharmacological treatment research, which could involve examining medications used to treat AUD, medication adherence strategies, combinations of medication and behavioral support, or patient-treatment matching. Beyond treatments themselves, the FOA highlighted the importance of service delivery research, including how programs are organized and managed, how financing and reimbursement structures affect what care is available, and what operational barriers or facilitators influence access, quality, and continuity of care. The explicit mention of organizational, financial, and management factors signals a clear interest in implementation and systems-level questions, such as why evidence-based practices do or do not get adopted, how staffing and workflow affect outcomes, and how policy or payment models shape service capacity. The recovery emphasis points to research on longer-term outcomes and lived pathways, including how people sustain recovery, what supports matter most, and how recovery is measured and defined across different populations and settings.
Eligibility was broad and intentionally inclusive, covering many types of applicants that might be positioned to study AUD treatment and services in community, clinical, academic, and public systems. Eligible applicants included federal, state, county, and city or township governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; independent school districts; special district governments; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits both with and without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. Additional eligible entities included federally recognized Native American tribal governments and tribal organizations, as well as a variety of designated institutions such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander-serving institutions (AANAPISIs), and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs). The opportunity also allowed participation by faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, eligible federal agencies, and non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations). This breadth suggests NIH intended to encourage applications from organizations that directly operate or study treatment systems, including those serving underserved or disproportionately affected communities.
In terms of timing and status, the FOA was posted and created on March 28, 2013. The original and final closing date listed was May 7, 2016, and the archive date was June 7, 2016, meaning it is no longer an active funding opportunity and is preserved for recordkeeping and reference. The administering agency was NIH, and the public-facing information and full announcement were hosted through the NIH grants guide (link provided in the source data). For technical access issues, the point of contact was the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster via FBOWebmaster@od.nih.gov, which is typically used for troubleshooting announcement access rather than scientific program questions.
Overall, PA-13-161 supported early-stage, high-impact research intended to improve how alcohol use disorders are treated and how recovery is supported, while also confronting the real operational and financial realities that determine whether effective care reaches people who need it. The announcement’s combination of treatment science, service delivery systems research, and recovery-focused work reflects a full-spectrum approach: developing and refining interventions, understanding how systems implement them, and learning what sustained recovery looks like across different settings and populations.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Alcohol Use Disorders Treatment, Services, and Recovery Research (R21) opportunity?
This opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number PA-13-161) was a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary grant announcement supporting exploratory and developmental research focused on alcohol use disorders (AUD). It emphasized early-stage studies that could generate new methods, pilot data, or initial evidence related to AUD treatment, service delivery, and recovery in real-world settings.
Which agency administered this funding opportunity?
The administering agency was the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
What does the R21 mechanism mean for project scope?
R21 awards are designed for shorter, early-phase projects. In this FOA, the R21 mechanism aligned with testing innovative ideas, developing new approaches, and gathering preliminary findings that could support a future, larger study rather than supporting large clinical trials or long multi-site programs.
What was the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The listed award ceiling was $200,000.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The announcement did not require cost sharing or matching.
What was the primary research focus of PA-13-161?
The FOA focused on alcohol use disorders (AUD) treatment, services, and recovery research. It was not limited to determining whether treatments work; it also supported research examining how treatment delivery and recovery actually unfold in real-world settings, including organizational, financial, and management conditions affecting AUD services.
What kinds of treatment research were encouraged?
The FOA encouraged research on both behavioral and pharmacological treatments for AUD, including early-stage evidence generation, new methods, and pilot studies.
What is included under behavioral treatment research in this FOA?
Behavioral treatment research could include counseling, psychosocial interventions, contingency management, digital or telehealth-based supports, mutual-help facilitation, and other behaviorally oriented approaches to reducing alcohol-related harm.
What is included under pharmacological treatment research in this FOA?
Pharmacological treatment research could involve examining medications used to treat AUD, strategies to support medication adherence, combinations of medication and behavioral support, and patient-treatment matching approaches.
Did the FOA support service delivery or systems-level research?
Yes. A major part of the scope included service delivery research, such as how AUD programs are organized and managed, how financing and reimbursement structures affect available care, and what operational barriers or facilitators influence access, quality, and continuity of care.
Why does the FOA mention organizational, financial, and management factors?
The explicit emphasis on organizational, financial, and management factors signaled interest in implementation and systems-level questions, including why evidence-based practices are or are not adopted, how staffing and workflow affect outcomes, and how policy or payment models shape service capacity.
What does the FOA mean by "recovery" research?
Recovery research in this FOA referred to studying the processes and factors that shape how people reduce or stop problematic alcohol use and maintain improvements over time, including longer-term outcomes and lived recovery pathways, the supports that matter most, and how recovery is measured and defined across populations and settings.
What was the activity category and CFDA number?
The activity category was Health. The CFDA number associated with the opportunity was 93.273 (Alcohol Research Programs).
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was broad. Eligible applicants included various levels of government (federal, state, county, city/township), public and private institutions of higher education, independent school districts, special district governments, public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities, nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories), for-profit organizations other than small businesses, and small businesses. The FOA also included federally recognized Native American tribal governments and tribal organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, eligible federal agencies, faith-based and community-based organizations, regional organizations, and non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations).
Were minority-serving and designated institutions included in eligibility?
Yes. The FOA explicitly included eligibility for institutions such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander-serving institutions (AANAPISIs), and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs).
Were foreign (non-U.S.) organizations allowed to participate?
Yes. The opportunity allowed participation by non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations).
When was the FOA posted and when did it close?
The FOA was posted/created on March 28, 2013. The original and final closing date listed was May 7, 2016.
Is PA-13-161 still an active funding opportunity?
No. The archive date was June 7, 2016, indicating the opportunity is no longer active and is preserved for recordkeeping and reference.
Where was the full announcement hosted?
The public-facing information and full announcement were hosted through the NIH grants guide (as referenced in the source information).
Who should be contacted for technical access issues with the announcement?
For technical access issues, the point of contact listed was the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster at FBOWebmaster@od.nih.gov. This contact was described as being for troubleshooting announcement access rather than for scientific or programmatic questions.
Does the FOA focus only on whether treatments work?
No. The FOA explicitly extended beyond treatment efficacy to include how treatment and recovery play out in real-world settings and how systems-level factors help or hinder service delivery.
What types of organizations might this FOA have been trying to reach?
Based on the broad eligibility described, NIH appeared to encourage applications from organizations that operate, evaluate, or study AUD treatment and recovery systems across community, clinical, academic, and public settings, including those serving underserved or disproportionately affected communities.
What is the overall intent of the FOA?
PA-13-161 supported early-stage, high-impact research intended to improve how alcohol use disorders are treated and how recovery is supported, while addressing operational and financial realities that influence whether effective care reaches people who need it.
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