Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA DA 25 018
Engaging Survivors of Sexual Violence and Trafficking in HIV and Substance Use Disorder Services (R34 Clinical Trial Optional) is a National Institutes of Health discretionary grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-DA-25-018; CFDA 93.279) designed to fund early-stage, exploratory work focused on survivors of sexual trafficking. The central aim is to support preliminary research and intervention development that addresses how multiple, overlapping realities in survivors lives (including trauma exposure, ongoing safety concerns, unstable housing, coercion, stigma, and limited access to care) can combine to increase both substance use risk and HIV risk. In practice, the opportunity is looking for projects that generate actionable evidence and workable prototypes, rather than large, definitive effectiveness trials, while still allowing for a clinical trial component if it fits the research plan (hence "Clinical Trial Optional").
The program is specifically oriented toward building and refining new interventions and models of care that actually engage sexual trafficking survivors in services, not just refer them. That includes strategies that improve uptake, continuity, and retention in substance use disorder (SUD) treatment, HIV prevention and care, trauma-informed services, and broader mental health support. A key emphasis is on the fact that these needs rarely occur in isolation for survivors: substance use, HIV vulnerability, post-traumatic stress and other mental health conditions, and immediate safety risks frequently interact, and the grant concept is aimed at integrated approaches that reflect this reality. Projects are expected to grapple with the contextual factors that shape risk and recovery, and to test or refine approaches that are feasible in the real-world settings where survivors receive support, such as community-based programs, clinics, shelters, outreach programs, or multidisciplinary service networks.
Another major priority is addressing structural and social determinants of health that contribute both to vulnerability to trafficking and to barriers in accessing and staying in care. That can include things like housing instability, poverty, legal and documentation issues, criminalization, limited transportation, discrimination, lack of culturally responsive services, and fear of retaliation or re-exploitation. The opportunity also highlights the importance of understanding and reducing barriers to escaping continued exploitation, while identifying facilitators that support safety and longer-term stability. In other words, projects are encouraged to consider survivor engagement in HIV and SUD services alongside the broader conditions that make engagement difficult, and to design models of care that are realistic under those conditions.
The eligible applicant pool is broad and includes many types of governments and organizations, reflecting the expectation that meaningful work in this area often requires close collaboration between researchers, service providers, and community partners. Eligible applicants include state, county, city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations (both with and without 501(c)(3) status); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; and Native American tribal governments (federally recognized) as well as other tribal organizations. The announcement also explicitly notes additional eligible applicants such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and even non-U.S. (foreign) entities.
Administratively, this is a grant mechanism under the NIH, with the opportunity posted on 2023-08-21 and an original closing date of 2024-08-05. While the source data provided does not list an award ceiling or expected number of awards, the R34 mechanism generally signals a developmental, pilot-focused scope where the deliverables often include intervention refinement, feasibility and acceptability testing, pilot outcome signals, implementation considerations, and stronger preliminary data to support a later, larger study. Overall, the opportunity is centered on practical, trauma-informed, survivor-responsive research that improves how systems identify, engage, and support sexual trafficking survivors in HIV and substance use-related services while addressing the broader conditions that shape risk and recovery.Apply for RFA DA 25 018
- The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Engaging Survivors of Sexual Violence and Trafficking in HIV and Substance Use Disorder Services (R34 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.279.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2023-08-21.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-08-05. (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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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title of this funding opportunity?
The opportunity is titled Engaging Survivors of Sexual Violence and Trafficking in HIV and Substance Use Disorder Services (R34 Clinical Trial Optional).
Which agency is offering this grant?
This is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary grant opportunity.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is RFA-DA-25-018.
What is the CFDA number listed for this opportunity?
The CFDA number provided is 93.279.
What is the main purpose of this R34 opportunity?
The main purpose is to fund early-stage, exploratory work focused on survivors of sexual trafficking, supporting preliminary research and intervention/model development that can improve engagement in HIV and substance use disorder (SUD) services.
Who is the population of interest for this funding?
The opportunity is centered on survivors of sexual trafficking, with a focus on how overlapping real-life conditions in survivors' lives can elevate HIV risk and substance use risk.
What kinds of realities or contextual factors does the grant expect projects to address?
The funding description highlights interacting factors such as trauma exposure, ongoing safety concerns, unstable housing, coercion, stigma, and limited access to care, and how these can combine to increase vulnerability to both HIV and substance use.
Is this opportunity looking for large-scale effectiveness trials?
No. The emphasis is on generating actionable evidence and workable prototypes rather than running large, definitive effectiveness trials.
Are clinical trials required under this opportunity?
No. The opportunity is labeled Clinical Trial Optional, meaning a clinical trial component is allowed if it fits the research plan, but it is not required.
What does "R34" imply about the scope of work?
Based on the information provided, the R34 mechanism signals a developmental, pilot-focused scope, typically oriented toward activities like intervention refinement, feasibility and acceptability testing, early outcome signals, and building stronger preliminary data to support a later, larger study.
What types of projects are encouraged?
Projects are encouraged to build and refine new interventions and models of care that actively engage sexual trafficking survivors in services, not just refer them.
What does "engage survivors" mean in the context of this opportunity?
Engagement is described as strategies that improve uptake, continuity, and retention in services such as SUD treatment, HIV prevention and care, trauma-informed services, and broader mental health support.
What service areas does the funding prioritize?
The opportunity emphasizes engagement in substance use disorder (SUD) treatment, HIV prevention and care, trauma-informed services, and mental health support, especially when these needs co-occur and interact.
Does the opportunity encourage integrated approaches?
Yes. A key emphasis is that survivors' needs often do not occur in isolation, and the opportunity is aimed at integrated approaches that reflect interactions among substance use, HIV vulnerability, mental health impacts (including post-traumatic stress), and immediate safety risks.
What types of settings are considered appropriate for the proposed work?
The opportunity calls for approaches that are feasible in real-world settings where survivors receive support, including community-based programs, clinics, shelters, outreach programs, and multidisciplinary service networks.
What role do structural and social determinants of health play in this opportunity?
Addressing structural and social determinants of health is a major priority. Projects are encouraged to examine and respond to conditions that increase vulnerability to trafficking and create barriers to care access and retention.
Which structural barriers are specifically mentioned?
Examples provided include housing instability, poverty, legal and documentation issues, criminalization, limited transportation, discrimination, lack of culturally responsive services, and fear of retaliation or re-exploitation.
Does the opportunity address safety and exiting exploitation?
Yes. The description highlights the importance of understanding and reducing barriers to escaping continued exploitation and identifying facilitators that support safety and longer-term stability.
How does the opportunity connect HIV risk and substance use risk?
The central concept is that overlapping realities (trauma, safety concerns, housing instability, coercion, stigma, and limited access to care) can interact to increase both substance use risk and HIV risk, and that interventions should be designed with these interactions in mind.
What kinds of deliverables or outcomes are expected from funded projects?
While specific deliverables are not listed as formal requirements in the provided text, the opportunity description indicates an expectation of outputs consistent with early-stage development work, such as intervention refinement, feasibility and acceptability testing, pilot outcome signals, implementation considerations, and stronger preliminary data to support later studies.
Who can apply for this grant?
The eligible applicant pool is broad and includes many government and organizational types, reflecting the need for collaboration among researchers, service providers, and community partners.
Are state and local governments eligible to apply?
Yes. Eligible applicants include state, county, city, and township governments, as well as special district governments.
Are educational institutions eligible?
Yes. Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and independent school districts.
Are public housing authorities eligible?
Yes. The eligible applicant list includes public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities.
Are nonprofit organizations eligible?
Yes. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status and nonprofit organizations without 501(c)(3) status.
Are for-profit organizations eligible?
Yes. Eligible applicants include for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and also small businesses.
Are Tribal governments and Tribal organizations eligible?
Yes. Eligible applicants include Native American tribal governments (federally recognized) as well as other tribal organizations.
Are specific minority-serving institutions mentioned as eligible applicants?
Yes. The announcement explicitly notes eligibility for institutions such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs).
Are faith-based and community-based organizations eligible?
Yes. The eligible applicant list explicitly includes faith-based and community-based organizations.
Are federal agencies eligible?
Yes. The eligible applicant list includes eligible federal agencies.
Are U.S. territories or possessions eligible?
Yes. The eligible applicant list includes U.S. territories or possessions.
Are non-U.S. (foreign) entities eligible to apply?
Yes. The eligible applicant list explicitly includes non-U.S. (foreign) entities.
When was this opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on 2023-08-21.
What is the original closing date?
The original closing date provided is 2024-08-05.
Is information provided about the award ceiling or expected number of awards?
No. The source data described does not list an award ceiling or an expected number of awards.
What is the overarching theme of the work NIH is trying to support here?
The opportunity is centered on practical, trauma-informed, survivor-responsive research intended to improve how systems identify, engage, and support sexual trafficking survivors in HIV and substance use-related services, while also addressing the broader conditions that shape risk and recovery.
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