Reducing Stigma to Improve HIV/AIDS Prevention, Treatment and Care in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (R21 Clinical Trial Optional) | PAR 19 326

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 19 326

Reducing Stigma to Improve HIV/AIDS Prevention, Treatment and Care in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (R21 Clinical Trial Optional) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number PAR-19-326) designed to push forward practical, high-impact research on HIV-related stigma in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The central goal is to generate and test new or improved stigma-reduction interventions that can measurably strengthen HIV prevention and treatment outcomes and improve quality of life for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH). The focus is not stigma as an abstract concept, but stigma as a concrete barrier that reduces uptake of prevention services, delays diagnosis, discourages linkage to care, undermines retention and adherence, and harms physical, mental, and social well-being. In other words, the opportunity is aimed at research that can translate into real-world changes in how services are delivered, how communities respond to HIV, and how systems treat and support PLWH.

The mechanism is an R21, which is typically used for early-stage, exploratory, or developmental research that can open up a new line of investigation or provide proof-of-concept evidence for interventions that could later be scaled or tested in larger studies. The notice indicates that clinical trials are optional, meaning applicants can propose studies that do or do not meet the NIH definition of a clinical trial. That flexibility allows for a range of approaches, such as piloting an intervention to reduce stigma in a health facility or community setting, testing strategies that improve disclosure safety and support, developing and validating stigma-related measures in specific LMIC contexts, or evaluating multi-level interventions that address stigma among healthcare workers, families, employers, schools, or public institutions. The overarching expectation is that funded work will be intervention-oriented and outcome-driven, with a clear pathway toward improving prevention, treatment, care engagement, and lived experience for PLWH.

The funding activity category is listed under education and health, and the CFDA numbers associated with this opportunity are 93.242, 93.279, and 93.989, reflecting NIH program areas that commonly support HIV-related and global health research. The award ceiling shown is $150,000, which signals that projects should be tightly scoped and focused on feasible, high-yield aims that fit an exploratory grant budget. While the listing does not specify the number of expected awards, the intent is to stimulate multiple innovative projects that can build a stronger evidence base for what actually reduces stigma in LMIC settings and why those approaches work.

Eligibility is broad and 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), and other organizations. The opportunity also explicitly calls out additional eligible applicants such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), and non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities, meaning foreign organizations can apply. This inclusive eligibility structure is consistent with the global scope of the problem and helps enable leadership and participation from institutions that serve underrepresented communities and from organizations based in the countries most affected by HIV-related stigma.

Key dates in the source information include a creation date of 2019-07-31 and an original closing date of 2020-11-12. Even if deadlines have passed, the summary remains useful as a guide to the kind of research NIH sought under this program announcement: intervention development and testing focused on stigma reduction as a lever to improve HIV prevention and care outcomes in LMICs, with an emphasis on generating actionable evidence that can be adapted, scaled, or used to justify larger follow-on studies. For full requirements, including detailed eligibility, allowable costs, application structure, and any specific scientific priorities or review criteria, applicants are directed to consult the full Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA).

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Reducing Stigma to Improve HIV/AIDS Prevention, Treatment and Care in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (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, 93.279, 93.989.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2019-07-31.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-11-12. (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 $150,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, 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, Others.

Apply for PAR 19 326

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