Addressing the Impact of Syndemics on the Health of People with HIV and Diseases and Conditions within the Missions of NIDDK and NHLBI (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) | RFA DK 25 001

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA DK 25 001

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is offering a discretionary research grant opportunity titled "Addressing the Impact of Syndemics on the Health of People with HIV and Diseases and Conditions within the Missions of NIDDK and NHLBI (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)." The funding opportunity number is RFA-DK-25-001, and it uses the NIH R01 mechanism, meaning it is intended to support full-scale, hypothesis-driven research projects. The scientific focus is on syndemics, which refers to multiple, interconnected health and social problems that cluster together and worsen outcomes, especially in populations facing structural or social disadvantage. In this case, the grant is centered on how syndemics affect people with HIV, specifically in ways that overlap with the research missions of two NIH institutes: NIDDK (diabetes, digestive and kidney diseases, nutrition and related metabolic conditions) and NHLBI (heart, lung, and blood diseases, sleep disorders, and related conditions). The "Clinical Trial Optional" designation means applicants may propose studies that include a clinical trial, but a clinical trial is not required to be competitive.

This opportunity sits within the broader NIH health and nutrition-related funding categories and is associated with multiple CFDA/assistance listing numbers, including 93.233, 93.313, and several within the 93.83x and 93.84x series (such as 93.837 through 93.840 and 93.847). While the full announcement would spell out the exact scientific priorities, the title and institute alignment signal an emphasis on research that examines co-occurring conditions and drivers that compound risk for people living with HIV, such as cardiometabolic disease, kidney disease, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, sleep problems, or blood-related disorders, along with social and behavioral factors that can intensify these medical risks. Projects under this kind of call typically aim to clarify mechanisms, identify high-risk clusters of conditions, improve screening or risk prediction, or test multi-level interventions that address more than one problem at a time, especially where comorbidity patterns and social determinants interact.

Eligibility is broad and includes a wide range of domestic applicant organizations. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city or township governments; 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; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized tribal governments; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education in those categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other entities meeting NIH eligibility rules. The opportunity also explicitly calls out additional eligible applicant types commonly emphasized in federal funding: 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 agencies of the federal government; regional organizations; Indian/Native American Tribal Governments other than federally recognized; and U.S. territories or possessions.

At the same time, there are clear restrictions regarding foreign applicants. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations) are not eligible to apply as the primary applicant. Non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply. However, "foreign components" are allowed as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement, which generally means a U.S. applicant organization can include certain international elements of the project (for example, specific performance sites, collaborations, or resources located outside the United States) if they meet NIH policy requirements and are well-justified scientifically. This structure is common in NIH funding: the award is made to a domestic applicant organization, but selected international collaborations may be permitted when they add unique value.

Key administrative details provided include an original closing date of 2025-03-20 and an award ceiling listed at $500,000. The announcement was created on 2023-11-30. The agency is NIH, and the funding instrument is a grant. Although the number of expected awards is not listed in the provided text, the R01 format and defined ceiling suggest a competitive research program where budgets and project scopes must be carefully aligned to NIH expectations, with the ceiling serving as an upper limit on the amount that can be requested per award under the terms stated.

In practical terms, a strong application for this opportunity would be expected to make a clear case for why a syndemics framework is necessary to understand health outcomes in people with HIV in relation to NIDDK- and NHLBI-relevant diseases. That usually means going beyond studying single conditions in isolation and instead analyzing how multiple conditions and contextual factors interact and amplify harm. Many projects in this space also emphasize health equity, implementation considerations, or community-engaged approaches, particularly when working with populations disproportionately affected by HIV and chronic cardiometabolic, renal, or cardiopulmonary disease. Since clinical trials are optional, applicants can propose observational, mechanistic, epidemiologic, implementation, or intervention research, choosing the design that best matches their aims and the complexity of the syndemic relationships they plan to investigate.

• The National Institutes of Health in the food and nutrition, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Addressing the Impact of Syndemics on the Health of People with HIV and Diseases and Conditions within the Missions of NIDDK and NHLBI (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.233, 93.313, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.840, 93.847.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-11-30.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-03-20. (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 $500,000.00 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.

Apply for RFA DK 25 001

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