Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA AI 14 018
Apply for RFA AI 14 018
- The National Institutes of Health in the health income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "U.S South Africa Program for Collaborative Biomedical Research (U01)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.394 Cancer Detection and Diagnosis Research 93.395 Cancer Treatment Research 93.396 Cancer Biology Research 93.855 Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research 93.856 Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Research 93.865 Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 4, 2014 and posted on Jan 24, 2014.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 22, 2014. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $600,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $225,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- Other Eligible Applicants include the following Non domestic (non U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations) NIH Intramural Program Non domestic (non U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) from South Africa are eligible to apply. Non domestic (non U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not eligible to apply. Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed.
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Opportunity Summary:
The funding opportunity RFA-AI-14-018, titled "U.S. South Africa Program for Collaborative Biomedical Research (U01)," is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) cooperative agreement designed to create and support a formal program of collaborative biomedical research between the United States and South Africa. The central aim is to strengthen research partnerships that pair eligible NIH intramural investigators (researchers working within NIH laboratories and clinics) with eligible investigators based at South African institutions. By structuring the program around direct collaboration, the FOA emphasizes joint scientific planning, shared expertise, and coordinated execution of research projects that address high-priority health challenges affecting both countries, with a particular focus on conditions that carry major burdens in South Africa.
Scientifically, the program targets research in tuberculosis (TB), HIV/AIDS (including both biomedical and behavioral science), and HIV-related comorbidities. The comorbidity emphasis explicitly includes malignancies, reflecting the reality that people living with HIV can face elevated risks for certain cancers and other complicating conditions. In practice, this scope allows applicants to propose projects that range from laboratory-based studies of pathogens and host responses, to clinical and translational research, to behavioral and implementation-oriented work aimed at improving prevention, diagnosis, treatment adherence, and health outcomes. The inclusion of multiple NIH CFDA areas (including cancer detection, treatment, and biology, as well as allergy, infectious diseases, microbiology, and child health and human development) signals that the NIH intended the program to accommodate interdisciplinary projects that cut across traditional disease silos when scientifically justified.
As a cooperative agreement (U01), the award mechanism indicates an expectation of substantial scientific or programmatic involvement from NIH compared to a standard research project grant. This generally means that, beyond providing funding, NIH may play an active role in helping coordinate the program, facilitating collaboration, and ensuring that the supported projects align with the program's objectives and milestones. This structure is often used when a funder wants to promote coordinated partnerships, shared infrastructure or resources, and consistent progress monitoring across awards.
From an eligibility standpoint, the FOA is unusual in that it is built specifically around two partner communities: the NIH Intramural Program on the U.S. side and non-U.S. entities in South Africa on the other. South African foreign institutions are eligible to apply, and foreign components (as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement) are allowed. At the same time, the announcement makes clear that non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply, which helps keep the program centered on the intended NIH intramural-to-South Africa institutional collaborations rather than U.S. institutions operating overseas. The listing of "Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification)" reflects that the FOA had specific eligibility rules tied to the program design rather than broad eligibility for all typical U.S. applicants.
In terms of funding, the NIH estimated total program funding at $600,000, with an award ceiling of $225,000. There was no cost sharing or matching requirement, which reduces the financial barrier for eligible applicants and can be especially important for international partnerships where funding structures and institutional resources may differ. The opportunity was posted on January 24, 2014, created on February 4, 2014, and had an application due date of April 22, 2014, with an archive date of May 23, 2014, indicating it was a time-limited solicitation rather than an ongoing open call.
Overall, this FOA can be understood as a targeted NIH effort to build durable, high-impact collaborations between NIH intramural scientists and South African investigators, centered on TB, HIV/AIDS, and HIV-associated comorbidities including cancers. The design aligns funding, eligibility, and the cooperative agreement structure to encourage genuinely joint projects that leverage NIH intramural capabilities while directly supporting research leadership and capacity in South Africa. For full official requirements and application details, the announcement pointed applicants to the NIH Grants Guide page at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-AI-14-018.html, with support available through the NIH Office of Extramural Research webmaster contact listed in the notice.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1) What is the funding opportunity RFA-AI-14-018?
RFA-AI-14-018 is an NIH funding opportunity titled "U.S. South Africa Program for Collaborative Biomedical Research (U01)." It supports a formal program of collaborative biomedical research between the United States and South Africa through the NIH cooperative agreement mechanism (U01).
2) What is the main purpose of this program?
The central aim is to create and strengthen research partnerships that pair eligible NIH intramural investigators (NIH researchers working within NIH laboratories and clinics) with eligible investigators at South African institutions. The program is structured around direct collaboration, joint scientific planning, and coordinated execution of research projects addressing high-priority health challenges affecting both countries, with particular attention to major burdens in South Africa.
3) What research topics are supported under this opportunity?
The program targets research in tuberculosis (TB), HIV/AIDS (including both biomedical and behavioral science), and HIV-related comorbidities. The comorbidity emphasis explicitly includes malignancies (cancers), recognizing the added health risks that can occur for people living with HIV.
4) Does the FOA allow both biomedical and behavioral research?
Yes. HIV/AIDS research can include biomedical and behavioral science. The described scope also supports projects that may be behavioral or implementation-oriented when they are aimed at improving prevention, diagnosis, treatment adherence, and health outcomes.
5) What types of studies could fit within the scientific scope described?
Based on the description, proposed projects could range from laboratory-based studies of pathogens and host responses, to clinical and translational research, to behavioral and implementation-focused work addressing real-world prevention and care challenges for TB, HIV/AIDS, and HIV-associated comorbidities including cancers.
6) What does the U01 cooperative agreement mechanism mean in practice?
A U01 is a cooperative agreement, which indicates an expectation of substantial scientific or programmatic involvement from NIH compared to a standard research project grant. In general terms, this can mean NIH may take an active role beyond funding, such as helping coordinate the program, facilitating collaboration, and monitoring progress to ensure projects align with program objectives and milestones.
7) Who is this program designed to connect and support?
The program is built specifically around two partner communities: (1) the NIH Intramural Program on the U.S. side, and (2) investigators based at South African institutions. The intent is to promote genuinely joint projects that leverage NIH intramural capabilities while supporting research leadership and capacity in South Africa.
8) Are South African institutions eligible to apply?
Yes. South African foreign institutions are eligible to apply under this funding opportunity.
9) Are foreign components allowed?
Yes. Foreign components (as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement) are allowed.
10) Are non-domestic components of U.S. organizations eligible to apply?
No. The announcement states that non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply. This is intended to keep the program centered on NIH intramural-to-South Africa institutional collaborations rather than U.S. institutions operating overseas.
11) Why does the eligibility section mention "Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification)"?
The opportunity is described as having specific eligibility rules tied to the program design, rather than broad eligibility for typical U.S. applicants. The "Others" category signals that applicants needed to rely on the FOA's detailed eligibility clarifications to confirm whether they fit the required partnership structure.
12) How much total funding did NIH estimate for the program?
NIH estimated total program funding at $600,000.
13) What was the award ceiling for an individual award?
The award ceiling was $225,000.
14) Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity stated there was no cost sharing or matching requirement.
15) When was this opportunity posted and when were applications due?
The opportunity was posted on January 24, 2014. The application due date was April 22, 2014.
16) Was this an ongoing opportunity or a time-limited solicitation?
It was time-limited. The opportunity had an archive date of May 23, 2014, indicating it was not an ongoing open call.
17) What are the key dates mentioned in the opportunity summary?
Key dates listed are: posted January 24, 2014; created February 4, 2014; application due April 22, 2014; archive date May 23, 2014.
18) Does the scope encourage interdisciplinary research?
Yes. The description notes that multiple NIH CFDA areas are included (such as cancer detection, treatment, and biology, as well as allergy, infectious diseases, microbiology, and child health and human development). This signals that interdisciplinary projects cutting across traditional disease areas were intended to be accommodated when scientifically justified.
19) What health conditions are emphasized as high priority?
Tuberculosis (TB), HIV/AIDS, and HIV-related comorbidities (including malignancies/cancers) are emphasized, with special focus on conditions that carry major burdens in South Africa.
20) Where did the announcement direct applicants for the official requirements and application details?
The announcement pointed applicants to the NIH Grants Guide page at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-AI-14-018.html
21) Was there any support contact referenced for questions or technical help?
Yes. The notice referenced support through the NIH Office of Extramural Research webmaster contact listed in the announcement.
22) What makes this FOA "unusual" compared to many NIH opportunities?
It is unusual because it is explicitly built around a specific partnership model: eligible NIH intramural investigators paired with eligible investigators at South African institutions, along with tailored eligibility rules that reinforce that program design.
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