Strategies for Treatment of Young Adults with Alcohol Use Disorders (R21) | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is this funding opportunity about?

This National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity supports early-stage research to improve treatment for alcohol use disorders in young adults ages 18 to 25. The opportunity is motivated by the high rates of periodic heavy/high-risk drinking in this age group and the tendency for alcohol use disorders (including alcohol dependence) to peak during these years.

Who is the target population for the research?

The target population is young adults ages 18 to 25. The announcement highlights that this life stage involves major social, educational, occupational, and neurobiological transitions, which may require treatment approaches tailored to the realities of young adulthood.

Why is NIAAA focusing on ages 18 to 25?

NIAAA points to two main concerns: (1) young adults have the highest rates of periodic heavy or high-risk drinking compared with other age ranges, and (2) alcohol use disorders tend to peak during these years. Despite this disproportionate burden, interventions for young adults are described as relatively understudied, creating gaps in evidence and practice.

What kinds of research questions does NIAAA want to see addressed?

The opportunity emphasizes practical, treatment-relevant questions where the field still lacks clear answers, including how to better engage young adults in treatment, which treatment strategies work best for this population, and how to sustain improvements after treatment ends.

What does the announcement mean by “engage young adults more effectively in treatment”?

The opportunity gives examples of engagement barriers such as low perceived need for care, stigma, inconsistent schedules, and frequent life changes. Research responsive to the announcement may test approaches that overcome these barriers to help young adults enter treatment and remain involved.

Is the goal only to reduce drinking during the treatment period?

No. NIAAA signals interest not only in whether a treatment reduces drinking in the short run, but also in how to get young adults into care, keep them involved, and maintain positive outcomes after the active intervention period ends.

What grant mechanism is used for this opportunity?

This announcement uses the NIH Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant (R21) mechanism, intended for exploratory, innovative, or pilot work that can open new research directions or generate preliminary data for a larger study later.

Is this intended for large, definitive effectiveness trials?

The R21 format is described as supporting shorter, more exploratory projects rather than large, definitive effectiveness studies.

Were there companion opportunities with the same scientific focus?

Yes. The announcement ran alongside companion funding opportunities with the same scientific scope but different grant mechanisms: an R01 option (PAS-10-246) for more extensive, fully developed projects, and an R03 option (PAS-10-247) for smaller-scale pilot efforts.

How should an applicant choose between R21, R01, and R03 for this topic area?

Applicants were expected to choose the mechanism that best fit the maturity and size of the proposed work: R21 for exploratory/developmental research, R01 for more extensive fully developed projects, and R03 for smaller-scale pilot efforts.

How much funding is available under this opportunity?

NIAAA indicated a set-aside of about $1.5 million in total costs for fiscal year 2011 and anticipated making up to six awards across the R21 announcement and its companion FOAs combined, with final totals depending on application quality, project period, and budgets.

How many awards will be made?

A specific number of awards was not guaranteed. Awards were contingent on the submission of enough high-quality, meritorious applications. NIAAA anticipated up to six awards across this R21 and the companion FOAs combined, depending on quality and budgets.

What is the maximum award amount for this R21 opportunity?

The listed award ceiling for this R21 opportunity is $200,000.

Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. The opportunity states there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broad and includes public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofits (501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)); small businesses and other for-profit organizations; state governments; federally recognized and other tribal governments, tribal organizations, and tribally controlled institutions; U.S. territories or possessions; and mission-focused institutions such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, and tribally controlled colleges and universities. The list also includes faith-based and community-based organizations, regional organizations, certain federal agencies, and non-U.S. (foreign) entities.

Are for-profit organizations eligible?

Yes. The eligibility list includes small businesses and other for-profit organizations.

Are non-U.S. (foreign) organizations eligible?

Yes. The eligibility description explicitly includes non-U.S. (foreign) entities.

Are tribal governments and tribal organizations eligible?

Yes. The eligibility list includes federally recognized and other tribal governments, tribal organizations, and tribally controlled colleges and universities.

Are faith-based and community-based organizations eligible?

Yes. The opportunity’s eligibility list includes faith-based and community-based organizations.

What is the Funding Opportunity Number and CFDA number?

The Funding Opportunity Number is PAS-10-248. The CFDA number is 93.273 (Alcohol Research Programs).

When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?

It was posted/created on August 4, 2010. The original and final closing date was September 7, 2013. The opportunity was archived on October 8, 2013.

Where was the full announcement hosted?

The full announcement was hosted on the NIH grants site.

Who should be contacted for technical issues accessing the announcement?

NIH provided standard contact support through the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster for access and technical linking issues.