Pilot and Feasibility Studies in Preparation for Drug Abuse Prevention Trials (R34) | Apply Online

FAQs: Pilot and Feasibility Studies in Preparation for Drug Abuse Prevention Trials (R34) - PA-09-146

What is PA-09-146?

PA-09-146 is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity announcement for the Pilot and Feasibility Studies in Preparation for Drug Abuse Prevention Trials (R34). It is designed to support early, practical studies that help determine whether a drug abuse prevention approach is ready to move into a larger, full-scale prevention trial.

What is the main purpose of this R34 opportunity?

The core purpose is to fund pilot and feasibility work that generates real, empirical evidence needed before launching a definitive prevention trial. The focus is on answering practical, trial-readiness questions such as whether an intervention can be delivered as intended in real settings, whether participants will engage, whether recruitment and retention are workable, whether study procedures are realistic, and whether early outcomes look promising enough to justify a larger study later.

What kinds of research questions is this FOA meant to address?

This FOA is meant to support early-stage studies that test whether a prevention strategy is workable and acceptable and whether it shows enough promise to justify a later, more definitive trial. Examples of the types of issues it targets include intervention delivery feasibility, participant engagement, recruitment and retention feasibility, and whether early outcome signals suggest the approach could meaningfully reduce risk.

What prevention outcomes does the FOA focus on?

The FOA emphasizes prevention interventions that address: (1) preventing initiation of drug use (stopping first use before it starts), (2) preventing progression from initial use to abuse or dependence (including work with elevated-risk people who may already be experimenting), and (3) HIV-related prevention when drug use behaviors, drug-related contexts, or overlapping risk factors contribute to HIV acquisition or transmission.

Does this FOA support interventions connected to HIV prevention?

Yes. The announcement explicitly includes prevention approaches related to HIV, particularly interventions intended to reduce acquisition or transmission of HIV infection when drug use, drug-related contexts, or overlapping risk factors contribute to HIV risk.

Are only brand-new interventions eligible, or can existing interventions be adapted?

The FOA includes new interventions, revised versions of existing interventions, and adaptations of interventions for different populations, cultures, delivery settings, or implementation conditions.

Does this FOA support prevention services and systems research?

Yes. It includes pre-trial feasibility testing for prevention services and systems research. This generally refers to testing whether prevention services can be delivered effectively through real-world systems (for example, schools, clinics, community programs, justice settings, or other service infrastructures) and whether organizational or system-level delivery strategies can be evaluated rigorously.

What is the R34 mechanism in this announcement?

This opportunity uses the NIH Planning Grant (R34) award mechanism. In this FOA, the R34 is positioned as a way to support pilot and feasibility studies that produce data needed to support a subsequent, larger prevention trial application.

How is this FOA related to NIH mechanisms like R01, R21, and R03?

The FOA is described as running in parallel with other NIH funding opportunities of the same scientific scope that use different mechanisms: R01 (Research Project Grant), R21 (Exploratory/Developmental Grant), and R03 (Small Research Grant). The idea is to provide options depending on the maturity and scale of the proposed work while keeping the scientific focus consistent.

What types of activities are not supported under this NIDA R34 announcement?

The announcement states that the NIDA R34 mechanism under PA-09-146 does not support simply developing intervention protocols, writing manuals, or standardizing protocols as a standalone activity. The expectation is that applicants are beyond purely conceptual or materials-development work and are ready to conduct a pilot or feasibility study that produces empirical data.

Is this grant meant for conceptual development of an intervention?

No. The FOA makes clear that the R34 is intended to fund data-producing pilot or feasibility studies. It is positioned as a bridge from a promising prevention concept to being ready for a full prevention trial, rather than as funding to do only conceptual development.

What kind of evidence is NIH looking for from an R34 pilot or feasibility study?

Based on the announcement, the R34 is intended to produce early, practical evidence about feasibility and promise, including whether delivery is realistic in real settings, whether the target population will engage, whether recruitment and retention are feasible, whether study procedures are practical, and whether early outcomes suggest meaningful risk reduction.

Is funding guaranteed under this opportunity?

No. Awards are contingent on the availability of funds and the submission of a sufficient number of meritorious applications. This means there is no guaranteed number of awards and funding depends on NIH budget conditions and application quality.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broad. Eligible applicants include a wide variety of public, private, nonprofit, community-based, and other entities, including governmental entities, educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, for-profit organizations, small businesses, housing authorities, eligible federal agencies, U.S. territories or possessions, regional organizations, and non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations).

Can state and local governments apply?

Yes. The FOA lists state and local governments as eligible, including counties, cities or townships, special districts, and independent school districts.

Are tribal governments and tribal organizations eligible?

Yes. Federally recognized Native American tribal governments are eligible, and tribal organizations that are not federally recognized are also listed as eligible.

Can colleges and universities apply?

Yes. Institutions of higher education are eligible, including public/state-controlled institutions and private institutions.

Are nonprofit organizations eligible, including community-based or faith-based organizations?

Yes. Nonprofits are eligible whether or not they have 501(c)(3) status (with the exception categories noted in the announcement), and faith-based or community-based organizations are explicitly included.

Are for-profit organizations and small businesses eligible?

Yes. For-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses are both listed as eligible applicant types.

Are public housing authorities eligible to apply?

Yes. Public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities are included among eligible applicants.

Are minority-serving institutions included in the eligible applicant types?

Yes. The FOA recognizes Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) as eligible categories.

Can non-U.S. (foreign) organizations apply?

Yes. The eligibility list includes non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations).

Does the FOA require cost sharing or matching funds?

No cost sharing or matching requirement is stated in the provided announcement summary.

What is the CFDA number and program area for this opportunity?

The opportunity is in the Health category under CFDA 93.279, Drug Abuse and Addiction Research Programs.

When was this funding opportunity posted, and what were the closing and archive dates?

The opportunity was posted April 6, 2009. The original and current closing date listed is May 7, 2012. It was archived June 7, 2012.

Is PA-09-146 currently active?

No. It was archived on June 7, 2012, meaning it is no longer active. It remains useful as a reference for understanding the scope and expectations of NIDA's R34 prevention planning and feasibility mechanism.

Where can the full archived announcement be found?

The archived announcement is available through NIH at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-09-146.html.

Who is listed as the contact for access or linking issues?

The NIH Office of Extramural Research webmaster contact is provided in the announcement for access or linking issues.

How should applicants think about the role of this R34 in a longer research plan?

The FOA frames PA-09-146 as a bridge between having a promising prevention concept and being ready for a full prevention trial. The R34 is meant to establish a strong empirical foundation for a later, larger application by producing real-world pilot and feasibility data.

What kinds of settings does the FOA imply for real-world feasibility testing?

The announcement references real-world systems and service infrastructures such as schools, clinics, community programs, justice settings, and other service systems where prevention services may be delivered and evaluated.