Interventions for Stigma Reduction to Improve HIV/AIDS Prevention, Treatment and Care in Low- and Middle- Income Countries (R01 - Clinical Trial Optional) | PAR 23 190

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 23 190

This National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity, PAR-23-190, supports research projects that develop, refine, and/or pilot test interventions aimed at reducing HIV/AIDS-associated stigma in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The overall goal is practical: reduce stigma in ways that measurably improve HIV prevention, treatment, and care outcomes, and ultimately improve quality of life for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH). The mechanism is an R01 research project grant, and clinical trials are allowed but not required (clinical trial optional), meaning applicants can propose everything from measurement development and implementation research to intervention pilots, including trials when appropriate.

The program is focused on stigma not just as a social problem, but as a barrier that directly shapes health behavior and health systems performance. It encourages projects that show clear pathways from stigma reduction to outcomes such as increased care-seeking, better treatment uptake and adherence, improved engagement and retention in care, and reduced HIV transmission risk. Importantly, NIH is signaling interest in interventions that can be realistically deployed in LMIC contexts, including community settings and health care systems where stigma may be embedded in policies, provider behavior, or service delivery practices.

A major emphasis is improving how stigma is measured so that interventions can be better targeted and evaluated. The opportunity calls for innovation in the measurement of HIV-associated stigma, including the way stigma intersects with other stigmas tied to multiple morbidities or social identities. In practice, this could include developing or adapting robust tools that capture layered experiences such as HIV stigma plus stigma related to mental health conditions, substance use, tuberculosis, viral hepatitis, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex work, or other coinfections and comorbidities. Strong measurement work is positioned as a foundation for stronger interventions: if stigma is being measured more accurately across contexts and populations, researchers can design and test approaches that are more responsive to what communities actually experience.

NIH also highlights specific populations and life stages where stigma has unique dynamics and consequences. One priority area is stigma as it affects adolescent and youth health. This includes how stigma influences willingness to test, disclose, seek contraception or HIV prevention services, start and stay on antiretroviral therapy, or remain engaged in care during a period when confidentiality concerns and social pressures can be especially intense. Another priority area concerns spillover effects of stigma on family members and caregivers of PLWH, as well as stigma-related challenges for aging PLWH. These topics reflect the reality that stigma does not only harm an individual; it can affect households, caregiving relationships, social support, economic stability, and long-term wellbeing, especially as PLWH live longer and face age-related conditions alongside HIV.

The opportunity also seeks novel stigma reduction interventions that demonstrate a credible connection to concrete HIV outcomes. NIH is interested in approaches that do more than raise awareness; they should plausibly shift behavior, service uptake, or health system functioning. Examples in this category might include interventions delivered through clinics, peer networks, schools, workplaces, digital platforms, or community organizations, as long as they can be evaluated and linked to changes like improved testing rates, earlier treatment initiation, better adherence, reduced drop-off from care, or reductions in risky exposures. The initiative further emphasizes the complexity of compounded stigma, encouraging research that helps people cope with added burdens when HIV-related stigma stacks on top of stigma from coinfections or comorbidities, and when those combined stigmas drive avoidance of services or worsen mental health.

Eligibility is broad, reflecting NIHs intent to attract multidisciplinary teams and encourage partnerships across sectors and geographies. Eligible applicants include federal, state, county, and local governments; public and private institutions of higher education; independent school districts; special district governments; public housing authorities; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses; and tribal governments and tribal organizations (including federally recognized tribes and other tribal entities). The announcement explicitly calls out additional eligible applicants such as faith-based and community-based organizations, 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). It also allows non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations), regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions, which aligns with the LMIC focus and supports leadership and implementation capacity in the countries and regions most affected.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is categorized as a discretionary grant with an R01 funding instrument type, and it is associated with multiple CFDA numbers (93.121, 93.242, 93.279, 93.393, 93.396, 93.847, 93.989), reflecting participation across NIH institutes and programs that touch HIV, comorbidities, and related behavioral and social science. The listed award ceiling is $400,000, and the original closing date is 2025-12-22. Overall, the announcement is designed for applicants who can propose rigorous, context-sensitive stigma research that leads directly to better interventions and measurable improvements in HIV prevention and the care continuum in LMIC settings.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, food and nutrition, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Interventions for Stigma Reduction to Improve HIV/AIDS Prevention, Treatment and Care in Low- and Middle- Income Countries (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): 93.121, 93.242, 93.279, 93.393, 93.396, 93.847, 93.989.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-05-10.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-12-22. (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 $400,000.00 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 PAR 23 190

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