Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA DA 09 008
Apply for RFA DA 09 008
- The National Institutes of Health in the education health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Brain Imaging Studies of Negative Reinforcement in Humans (R01)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.279 Drug Abuse and Addiction Research Programs.
- This funding opportunity was created on Nov 5, 2008 and posted on Nov 5, 2008.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 19, 2009. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $3,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $250,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) For profit organizations other than small businesses Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Public and State controlled institutions of higher education City or township governments County governments Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Independent school districts Small businesses Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Special district governments Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Private institutions of higher education State governments Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities.
- Other Eligible Applicants include the following Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions 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 Brain Imaging Studies of Negative Reinforcement in Humans (R01) funding opportunity (RFA-DA-09-008) is a research grant announcement from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It calls for hypothesis-driven R01 projects that use human brain imaging and related neuroscience approaches to explain how aversive events shape behavior through negative reinforcement, also described here as avoidance learning. The central idea is that, while the neuroscience of reward and positive reinforcement has been studied extensively, the brain mechanisms that support avoiding or escaping unpleasant outcomes are less understood, even though preclinical research suggests these processes can play a major role in substance use and addiction.
The announcement defines negative reinforcement and avoidance learning as essentially the same concept for the purposes of this program: behaviors and cognitive strategies that are learned and sustained because they reduce, prevent, or remove aversive events. Importantly, the FOA treats aversive events broadly. They can be external, such as threatening or stressful environmental cues, or internal, such as uncomfortable emotional or physiological states. In a substance use context, these internal aversive states might include anxiety, dysphoria, stress responses, or withdrawal-related discomfort that can motivate drug taking as a form of escape or relief. Applicants are expected to propose studies that directly test mechanistic hypotheses about the brain regions, circuits, and processes that support avoidance learning in humans, rather than purely descriptive imaging work.
Projects may involve healthy participants, people currently using substances, individuals in abstinence or recovery, or people at elevated risk for substance abuse. Regardless of the sample, every application must clearly explain how the work will advance understanding of substance abuse, consistent with NIDA's mission. In practice, that means proposals should connect avoidance-related neural mechanisms to clinically meaningful addiction questions such as vulnerability, escalation and maintenance of use, relapse risk, craving driven by stress or negative affect, or why some individuals rely on substances to manage aversive internal states.
Administratively, this is a discretionary grant opportunity using the NIH Research Project Grant (R01) mechanism. The program falls under CFDA 93.279 (Drug Abuse and Addiction Research Programs). The estimated total funding level listed is $3,000,000, with an award ceiling of $250,000 (as provided in the announcement summary). Cost sharing or matching is not required. The opportunity was posted on November 5, 2008, with an original and current closing date of February 19, 2009, and it was archived March 22, 2009.
Eligibility is broad and includes public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (including those with and without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses are explicitly listed, and small businesses are also included), and multiple levels of government entities (state, county, city/township, special district, and eligible tribal governments and organizations). The FOA also notes additional eligible applicants such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, faith-based or community-based organizations, Hispanic-serving institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), tribally controlled colleges and universities (TCCUs), U.S. territories or possessions, regional organizations, and non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations), among others.
Overall, the opportunity is aimed at building a stronger clinical neuroscience foundation for negative reinforcement processes in humans, with the explicit expectation that this knowledge will clarify key mechanisms that contribute to substance abuse and addiction and, by extension, inform prevention and treatment strategies that address avoidance-driven behavior.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is the name of this funding opportunity?
The opportunity is titled Brain Imaging Studies of Negative Reinforcement in Humans (R01) and is identified as RFA-DA-09-008.
2) Which agency is offering this grant?
This is a research grant announcement from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), which is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
3) What grant mechanism does this opportunity use?
The funding opportunity uses the NIH Research Project Grant (R01) mechanism and is described as a discretionary grant opportunity.
4) What is the main scientific focus of this FOA?
It calls for hypothesis-driven R01 projects that use human brain imaging and related neuroscience approaches to explain how aversive events shape behavior through negative reinforcement, also described in this program as avoidance learning.
5) How does the FOA define "negative reinforcement" for the purposes of this program?
For this program, negative reinforcement and avoidance learning are treated as essentially the same concept: behaviors and cognitive strategies learned and sustained because they reduce, prevent, or remove aversive events.
6) What counts as an "aversive event" in this announcement?
The FOA treats aversive events broadly. They may be:
- External, such as threatening or stressful environmental cues, or
- Internal, such as uncomfortable emotional or physiological states.
7) How does this topic connect to substance use and addiction?
In a substance use context, internal aversive states can include anxiety, dysphoria, stress responses, or withdrawal-related discomfort. These states can motivate drug taking as a form of escape or relief. The FOA emphasizes that avoidance-related processes may play a major role in substance use and addiction.
8) What kind of studies is NIDA looking for?
NIDA is looking for studies that directly test mechanistic hypotheses about the brain regions, circuits, and processes supporting avoidance learning in humans. The announcement explicitly distinguishes this from purely descriptive imaging projects.
9) Are purely descriptive imaging studies responsive to this FOA?
Based on the announcement description, applications are expected to go beyond description and directly test mechanistic hypotheses. Projects that are only descriptive are not aligned with that expectation.
10) Who can be studied as participants in proposed projects?
Projects may involve:
- Healthy participants
- People currently using substances
- Individuals in abstinence or recovery
- People at elevated risk for substance abuse
11) Do projects using healthy participants need to address substance abuse relevance?
Yes. Regardless of the sample, every application must clearly explain how the work will advance understanding of substance abuse, consistent with NIDA's mission.
12) What kinds of addiction-related questions should the application connect to?
The FOA indicates proposals should connect avoidance-related neural mechanisms to clinically meaningful addiction questions such as:
- Vulnerability to substance abuse
- Escalation and maintenance of use
- Relapse risk
- Craving driven by stress or negative affect
- Why some individuals rely on substances to manage aversive internal states
13) Why is NIDA emphasizing negative reinforcement in this program?
The announcement notes that while the neuroscience of reward and positive reinforcement has been studied extensively, the brain mechanisms that support avoiding or escaping unpleasant outcomes are less understood, even though preclinical research suggests they can be important in substance use and addiction.
14) What is the CFDA number for this program?
The program is listed under CFDA 93.279 (Drug Abuse and Addiction Research Programs).
15) What is the estimated total funding level?
The estimated total funding level listed in the announcement is $3,000,000.
16) What is the award ceiling?
The award ceiling is listed as $250,000 (as provided in the announcement summary).
17) Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity states that cost sharing or matching is not required.
18) When was this opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on November 5, 2008.
19) What was the closing date for applications?
The original and current closing date listed is February 19, 2009.
20) What does it mean that the opportunity is archived?
The listing indicates it was archived on March 22, 2009, meaning it is presented as a past/closed opportunity in the information provided.
21) What types of organizations are eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes:
- Public and private institutions of higher education
- Nonprofit organizations (including those with and without 501(c)(3) status)
- For-profit organizations (including small businesses, which are also included)
- Government entities (state, county, city/township, special district)
- Eligible tribal governments and organizations
22) Are specialized institution types explicitly noted as eligible?
Yes. The FOA notes additional eligible applicants such as:
- Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions
- Faith-based or community-based organizations
- Hispanic-serving institutions
- Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
- Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs)
- U.S. territories or possessions
- Regional organizations
- Non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations)
23) Are non-U.S. (foreign) organizations eligible to apply?
Yes. The eligibility list includes non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations).
24) What is the overall goal of the program?
The opportunity aims to build a stronger clinical neuroscience foundation for negative reinforcement processes in humans, with the expectation that this knowledge will clarify mechanisms contributing to substance abuse and addiction and help inform prevention and treatment strategies that address avoidance-driven behavior.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Education Health
Next opportunity: Brain Imaging Studies of Negative Reinforcement in Humans (R21)
Previous opportunity: Fiscal Year 2009 Buffer Zone Protection Program (BZPP)
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| Brain Imaging Studies of Negative Reinforcement in Humans (R21) Apply for RFA DA 09 009 Funding Number: RFA DA 09 009 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Instrument Development for Biomedical Applications (R21) Apply for RFA RR 09 001 Funding Number: RFA RR 09 001 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $125,000 |
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| Shared Instrumentation Grant Program (S10) Apply for PAR 09 028 Funding Number: PAR 09 028 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $500,000 |
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| Diversity promoting Institutions Drug Abuse Research Program (DIDARP) (R24) Apply for PAR 09 011 Funding Number: PAR 09 011 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Cancer Care Outcomes Research and Surveillance (CanCORS) Consortium (Limited Competition) U01 Apply for RFA CA 09 503 Funding Number: RFA CA 09 503 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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