Advancing HIV service delivery through pharmacies and pharmacists (R21 Clinical Trial Optional) | RFA MH 25 186

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA MH 25 186

The NIH funding opportunity RFA-MH-25-186, titled "Advancing HIV service delivery through pharmacies and pharmacists (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)," supports research aimed at strengthening and expanding the role of pharmacists and pharmacies in delivering HIV-related services. The central idea is to build capacity and modernize how HIV testing, prevention, and care are provided by leveraging pharmacies as accessible, community-based health care touchpoints. The NOFO encourages projects that help pharmacies and pharmacy professionals deliver HIV services more smoothly and effectively, with an emphasis on equity so that services reach people and communities that have historically faced barriers to HIV prevention and care.

A major focus is on developing and improving training and education approaches for the pharmacy workforce. This includes creating or advancing curricula and practical training models that prepare pharmacy students, practicing pharmacists, pharmacy staff, and larger pharmacy systems to provide the full range of HIV services. In practice, that can encompass HIV testing and linkage to care, HIV prevention services such as PrEP access and support, ongoing HIV care support services, and pharmacy-based workflows that make these services easier to implement in real-world settings. The NOFO is oriented toward research that not only tests ideas but also helps transform service delivery models and scale what works across different pharmacy settings, whether in the United States and/or in global contexts.

This opportunity uses the NIH R21 mechanism, which is typically suited for early-stage, exploratory, or developmental research. The announcement explicitly notes that R21 applications are a good fit for projects that do not yet have extensive preliminary data, or that are piloting a new or untested intervention, service model, or training approach. Clinical trials are allowed but not required ("Clinical Trial Optional"), meaning applicants can propose either clinical trial research or other forms of research, depending on what best matches the study aims. The NOFO also points applicants to a related but different funding opportunity that uses the R01 mechanism (RFA-MH-25-185). The distinction is practical: projects that already have strong preliminary data, or that are ready for large-scale clinical trials or longer-term longitudinal analyses, are generally better aligned with the R01 pathway rather than the smaller, more exploratory R21.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of organizations that could plausibly partner with pharmacy systems or conduct implementation-oriented health services research. Eligible applicants include state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled universities; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations (with and without 501(c)(3) status); for-profit entities (other than small businesses) as well as small businesses; and other categories specified by NIH. The NOFO also highlights additional eligible applicant types such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs). Faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and non-U.S. (foreign) entities are also included, reinforcing that projects may be domestic or global and may involve a wide variety of community and institutional partners.

Key administrative details from the listing include that the sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health, the funding instrument is a grant, and the opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding. The original closing date shown is August 13, 2024, and the opportunity is associated with multiple CFDA program numbers (93.242, 93.273, 93.307, 93.310, 93.847, 93.855, 93.865). The award ceiling and expected number of awards are not specified in the provided source text. Overall, the NOFO is designed to stimulate practical, scalable research that helps pharmacies become stronger, more consistent points of access for HIV prevention and care, while also building the training and system-level supports needed for pharmacists and pharmacy settings to deliver these services effectively and equitably.

• The National Institutes of Health in the food and nutrition, health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Advancing HIV service delivery through pharmacies and pharmacists (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.242, 93.273, 93.307, 93.310, 93.847, 93.855, 93.865.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-04-29.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-08-13. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• 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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