Alcohol Use Disorders: Behavioral Treatment, Services and Recovery Research (R03 Clinical Trial Optional) | PA 18 201

Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 18 201

Alcohol Use Disorders: Behavioral Treatment, Services and Recovery Research (R03 Clinical Trial Optional) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number PA-18-201; CFDA 93.273) designed to support small, focused research projects on alcohol use disorders (AUD). The FOA is centered on improving what is known about how people are treated for AUD in real-world settings and how recovery happens over time, with an emphasis on behavioral approaches. The mechanism is the NIH R03 (small grant) format, which generally fits early-stage, pilot, feasibility, or narrowly scoped studies that can generate evidence and preliminary data to inform larger projects later. The FOA is labeled "Clinical Trial Optional," meaning applicants may propose studies that include a clinical trial, but they are not required to do so if the research questions can be addressed through non-trial designs.

The research focus spans three closely related areas. First, it encourages studies on behavioral treatment for alcohol use disorders, which can include evaluation or refinement of psychosocial interventions and service models used to prevent relapse, reduce harmful drinking, improve functioning, and support sustained change. Second, it calls for research on organizational, financial, and management factors that either help or hinder the delivery of AUD services. That theme points to practical questions about how treatment programs are implemented and maintained, what staffing and workflow structures work best, how reimbursement and funding streams affect access and quality, and what administrative or policy constraints influence outcomes. Third, the FOA invites research on the phenomenon of recovery from alcohol use disorders, which can include how recovery is defined and measured, how people initiate and sustain recovery, what supports or barriers matter most at different stages, and how recovery intersects with health, employment, housing, family systems, and community resources.

The award ceiling listed is $50,000, reflecting the small-grant nature of the R03 and signaling that proposed projects should be tightly designed and achievable with modest resources. While the record provided does not specify the expected number of awards, the intent is clearly to seed targeted projects that can quickly advance knowledge or test promising ideas. The original closing date shown is September 7, 2018, and the record creation date is November 6, 2017, which indicates this specific posting is historical; anyone considering applying today would need to locate the current or reissued version of the announcement (if available) or a similar active FOA.

Eligibility is broad and includes a wide range of public and private entities. Eligible applicants include state, county, city/township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; and Native American tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments. It also includes public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education when applying under those categories), for-profit organizations other than small businesses, and small businesses. The FOA also explicitly highlights additional eligible applicant types such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions; Asian American, Native American, and Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs); Hispanic-serving Institutions; Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs); Indian/Native American Tribal Governments that are not federally recognized; U.S. territories or possessions; regional organizations; eligible federal agencies; faith-based or community-based organizations; and non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations). In practice, that breadth is meant to encourage applications from diverse institutions and communities, including those that serve populations disproportionately affected by alcohol-related harms or those positioned to study service delivery in under-resourced settings.

Overall, the opportunity is aimed at generating practical, actionable research that strengthens behavioral treatment and recovery support for alcohol use disorders, while also confronting the real-world systems issues that determine whether evidence-based services are actually delivered effectively. It supports projects that can clarify what works, for whom, and under what organizational and financial conditions, so that treatment and recovery systems can be improved in ways that are both scientifically grounded and implementable.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Alcohol Use Disorders: Behavioral Treatment, Services and Recovery Research (R03 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.273.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-11-06.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2018-09-07. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $50,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

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