Improving Choice, Use, and Equitable Implementation of Biomedical HIV Prevention for Women (R34 Clinical Trial Optional) | RFA MH 24 162

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA MH 24 162

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity titled "Improving Choice, Use, and Equitable Implementation of Biomedical HIV Prevention for Women (R34 Clinical Trial Optional)" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-MH-24-162) supports research focused on strengthening real-world use and equitable delivery of the HIV prevention vaginal ring for women. The main purpose is to close practical knowledge gaps about why some people start using the ring, why others do not, and what helps or gets in the way of using it consistently over time. In addition to understanding these barriers and facilitators, the program emphasizes building and testing strategies that can improve uptake (starting the ring), adherence (using it as recommended), and persistence (continuing to use it over time), especially outside the controlled environment of traditional clinical trials.

A major theme of the opportunity is studying what influences ring use in everyday settings, where people face normal life pressures and health systems operate with real constraints. The announcement highlights research that examines barriers and supports at multiple levels. This can include individual-level factors such as knowledge, risk perception, preferences, concerns about side effects, stigma, privacy, or confidence in using a biomedical prevention method. It can also include interpersonal influences such as partner dynamics, family or peer support, relationship power, disclosure concerns, or community norms that shape whether women feel comfortable initiating and sustaining ring use. Structural and systems-level issues are also central, including clinic accessibility, provider training and biases, service integration (for example, how ring delivery fits within sexual and reproductive health services), cost and coverage issues, supply chain reliability, and broader inequities that affect access to HIV prevention options.

The opportunity also calls for development and testing of behavioral interventions designed to encourage women to choose the vaginal ring when it fits their needs and to support consistent, ongoing use. These interventions could involve counseling approaches, peer or community-based support models, adherence support tools, communication strategies, partner-related interventions, or other evidence-informed methods aimed at reducing barriers and reinforcing facilitators. Importantly, the emphasis is not just on whether an intervention works in theory, but whether it is feasible, acceptable, and effective in realistic delivery environments where staff time, clinic workflows, and patient follow-up can be challenging.

Another key focus is implementation science, meaning research that investigates how best to deliver the vaginal ring through real health systems and community settings and how to scale access in an equitable way. Projects might identify implementation barriers (for example, limited provider familiarity, fragmented services, or weak referral pathways) and facilitators (such as trusted community partnerships or integrated service models). They may also test strategies to optimize delivery, such as new clinic workflows, task-shifting approaches, models for community distribution, demand-creation efforts, or approaches that improve continuity (so women can reliably obtain the ring over time). Equity is built into the framing of the initiative, signaling interest in work that addresses unequal access and ensures that implementation approaches reach women who are often underserved or disproportionately affected by HIV.

This is a discretionary grant program using the NIH R34 mechanism, with clinical trials listed as optional, meaning applicants may propose studies that do or do not involve a clinical trial component, depending on the research question and design. The funding activity category is health, and the opportunity is associated with CFDA numbers 93.242, 93.310, and 93.313. While the listing provided does not specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards, it does provide timing information indicating an original closing date of September 27, 2023, and a creation date of August 25, 2023.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of applicants that can contribute to public health, implementation research, and community-engaged intervention development. Eligible applicants include state, county, city, township, and 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; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized governments; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations both with and without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses. The announcement also explicitly calls out additional eligible applicant types such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), 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 non-U.S. (foreign) entities. Overall, the eligibility language suggests an intent to encourage diverse partnerships and applications, including organizations with strong ties to communities most affected by HIV and those positioned to study delivery in varied health system contexts.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Improving Choice, Use, and Equitable Implementation of Biomedical HIV Prevention for Women (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): 93.242, 93.310, 93.313.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-08-25.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-09-27. (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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