Minority HIV/AIDS Research Initiative (MARI) to Build HIV Prevention, Treatment and Research Capacity in | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

The Minority HIV/AIDS Research Initiative (MARI) to Build HIV Prevention, Treatment and Research Capacity is a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) discretionary grant opportunity that was offered as a cooperative agreement under Funding Opportunity Number RFA PS 16 001. The program is designed as a teaching and mentored career development award with a clear workforce-building purpose: it aims to develop qualified individuals into researchers and public health professionals who can make meaningful, long-term contributions to the nation s HIV and AIDS research needs, with particular attention to communities that are both highly affected by HIV and disproportionately composed of racial and ethnic minorities. In practical terms, the opportunity is structured to strengthen the pipeline of investigators and practitioners who understand the realities of prevention and treatment in underserved settings and who can ultimately lead independent HIV research and related prevention activities.

At the core of the MARI program is intensive, sustained research training paired with guided career development. The CDC describes the intent as supporting awardees for a period long enough to build real competence, credibility, and independence, rather than short or one-off trainings. A central feature is mentorship: participants are expected to work under the direction of an experienced mentor with demonstrated expertise in HIV prevention research. The mentorship element is not presented as optional or informal; it is positioned as the mechanism by which trainees gain hands-on experience in study design, implementation, analysis, community engagement, and the broader professional skills needed to function as an independent investigator. The expected outcome is not only better trained individuals, but also the emergence of promising, locally relevant HIV prevention activities and research programs that can be carried forward in highly affected communities.

This funding opportunity was categorized under Health and tied to CFDA number 93.941, which covers HIV demonstration, research, and public and professional education projects. CDC anticipated making about 8 awards with an estimated total funding amount of 9,600,000. The award ceiling listed for individual awards was 300,000, and there was no stated award floor. The opportunity did not require cost sharing or matching, which reduces a common barrier for community organizations, safety-net institutions, and smaller entities that may have strong community access and mission alignment but limited discretionary funds.

Eligibility was broad and intentionally inclusive of the types of institutions that often serve or are embedded within communities most impacted by HIV. Eligible applicants included 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; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education when relevant to the category); public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; federally recognized tribal governments; other tribal organizations; for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The announcement also highlights that certain higher education institutions are always encouraged to apply for CDC support, including Hispanic Serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), and Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions. Faith-based and community-based organizations, regional organizations, and bona fide agents acting on behalf of a state or local government were also included, with the condition that bona fide agents provide a legal, binding agreement documenting that status. Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) were permitted as well, with context provided in the announcement about what qualifies as an FFRDC and why such centers may be used to meet specialized long-term research needs.

At the same time, the CDC placed firm restrictions on foreign involvement. Foreign organizations were not eligible to apply, foreign components of U.S. organizations were not eligible, and applicants were not allowed to include collaborators or consultants from foreign institutions under this announcement. These limitations are important for applicants because they affect how a project team can be assembled, how technical assistance can be sourced, and what kinds of partnerships are allowable during the project period.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity was posted and created on Aug 7, 2015, with an original and current closing date of Oct 14, 2015, and an archive date of Nov 13, 2015, meaning it is no longer open but remains useful as a reference for similar CDC capacity-building and mentored research programs. Because the mechanism is a cooperative agreement, applicants should understand that this type of award typically involves substantial involvement by the CDC in programmatic coordination or guidance compared to a more hands-off grant. While the summary information does not lay out the specific cooperative agreement terms, the instrument choice signals that CDC likely expected ongoing engagement to help ensure that the training, mentoring, and research development goals were met in a way consistent with national HIV prevention priorities.

For support, the opportunity listed CDC s Procurement and Grants Office as the contact point for access issues with the full announcement, including a phone number (770 488 2700) and an email address (pgotim@cdc.gov).

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