Advancing communication strategies to support future HIV vaccine use (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) | RFA MH 22 170

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA MH 22 170

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity titled "Advancing communication strategies to support future HIV vaccine use (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-MH-22-170) is a discretionary grant program designed to strengthen the communication science needed to support the eventual public rollout of an HIV vaccine. While biomedical research continues to push toward a safe and effective vaccine that could prevent HIV acquisition and reduce new infections, this opportunity focuses on the social and communication side of the challenge: making sure people can understand, trust, and actually choose to use a future HIV vaccine once it becomes available.

The central problem the announcement highlights is that vaccines have become more publicly contested, and the COVID-19 era intensified debate, distrust, and misinformation. In practice, people are exposed to competing narratives: some encourage vaccination while others discourage it, often using misleading or false claims. The initiative is therefore aimed at research that identifies which communication factors shape vaccine beliefs and decisions, and which strategies can effectively address confusion, misinformation, skepticism, and polarization. The goal is not only general education, but also practical, evidence-based approaches that improve acceptance and uptake of future HIV vaccines across different communities and contexts.

This is an R01 mechanism, meaning it is intended for substantial, hypothesis-driven research projects with the scope to generate strong evidence and broadly useful findings. The "Clinical Trial Optional" designation indicates applicants may propose studies that include clinical trials if appropriate, but a clinical trial is not required. The activity areas are listed under education and health, and the CFDA numbers associated with the opportunity are 93.242 and 93.279. The original closing date in the provided listing was 2022-05-10, and the posting creation date was 2022-01-03. An award ceiling and expected number of awards are not specified in the source text provided.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of organizations that could realistically conduct rigorous communication research or implement and evaluate communication interventions. 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; Native American tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions in those categories); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; and other entities. 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), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, Indian/Native American tribal governments that are not federally recognized, and non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations). This wide eligibility list reflects an intent to encourage research that is both scientifically strong and grounded in the real-world settings and communities that will be central to future HIV vaccine communication.

Overall, the opportunity can be summarized as NIH support for communication research that prepares the public health field for the introduction of an HIV vaccine by developing and testing messages, messengers, channels, and broader engagement strategies that can improve understanding, reduce the impact of misinformation, build trust, and increase equitable vaccine acceptance and uptake when an HIV vaccine becomes available.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Advancing communication strategies to support future HIV vaccine use (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): 93.242, 93.279.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2022-01-03.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-05-10. (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 RFA MH 22 170

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