NIDA Research Center of Excellence Grant Program (P50 Clinical Trial Optional) | PAR 22 133

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 22 133

The NIDA Research Center of Excellence Grant Program (P50 Clinical Trial Optional), Funding Opportunity Number PAR-22-133, is a National Institutes of Health discretionary grant designed to build and sustain high-impact research centers focused on drug abuse and addiction across any area within NIDA's mission. The program is structured around the idea that a P50 Center should do more than fund a collection of related projects; it should function as an integrated, multidisciplinary hub where teams collaborate across disciplines and methods to produce work that is thematically connected, synergistic, and capable of shifting the direction of the field. The "clinical trial optional" framing indicates that a Center may propose clinical trials if they fit the scientific aims, but clinical trials are not required for eligibility.

A central expectation of this opportunity is scientific ambition. NIDA signals that incremental or purely confirmatory work should not be the main focus. Instead, proposed Centers should pursue new, creative directions and generate innovative science that can realistically transform knowledge in the areas being studied. In practice, that means reviewers will likely be looking for a coherent vision, clear scientific leadership, and research projects that mutually reinforce one another through shared frameworks, common resources, and coordinated strategies, rather than operating as separate, loosely related studies.

Beyond producing publishable findings, the Center is also expected to operate as a national resource for the broader community. This includes educational and outreach activities that connect the Center's expertise to drug abuse research communities, educational organizations, the general public, and policy makers working in or affected by NIDA-relevant research areas. The FOA emphasizes broad dissemination and responsible sharing, with a goal of creating Centers that actively share findings, data, and research resources as appropriate so other investigators can use them, build upon them, and accelerate progress in the field. In other words, the Center is meant to have influence outside its home institution by supporting knowledge transfer, capacity-building, and field-wide advancement.

Workforce development is another explicit goal. The P50 Center of Excellence mechanism is expected to foster career development and mentoring for new investigators, giving them meaningful roles within Center projects rather than peripheral participation. This focus reflects a long-term investment strategy: NIDA is not only funding the science produced during the award period, but also trying to strengthen the pipeline of emerging researchers who will lead future advances in drug abuse and addiction research.

In terms of eligibility, the FOA allows applications from a wide range of U.S.-based organizations and governmental units. Eligible applicants include state, county, city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; and Native American tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments. It also includes public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education), for-profit organizations other than small businesses, small businesses, and other eligible entities. The announcement 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), as well as faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions.

Restrictions on foreign involvement are clear. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply, non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply, and foreign components as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement are not allowed. This effectively limits the applicant organization and its components to domestic operations and disallows formal foreign components within the proposed Center structure.

The opportunity is categorized under Education and Health, with CFDA number 93.279, and is offered as a grant mechanism under NIH. The original closing date listed for the opportunity is January 12, 2023, and the FOA creation date is March 14, 2022. The source information does not specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards in the fields provided, so applicants would typically need to consult the full FOA and NIH budget guidance for the P50 mechanism to understand allowable costs, project period expectations, and any institute-specific budget considerations.

Taken together, PAR-22-133 is aimed at supporting Centers that can act as engines of innovation in addiction science: tightly integrated research programs that are multidisciplinary by design, ambitious in scope, committed to mentoring new investigators, and structured to share knowledge and resources broadly so the Center's impact extends well beyond the funded institution.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NIDA Research Center of Excellence Grant Program (P50 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 2022-03-14.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-01-12. (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.

Apply for PAR 22 133

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