Establishing a Center for the Advancement of Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Pharmacotherapeutics through Training and Preclinical Support (U54 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
🏛 National Institutes of Health (HHS-NIH11)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Jul 17, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for institutions and researchers advancing substance use disorder pharmacotherapeutics. Applicants must have expertise in drug discovery, development, and institutional capacity to establish and operate a research center. The Center will provide training in product development, technical support, and infrastructure for initial experiments on new SUD medications. Organizations with strong research infrastructure and commitment to translational research are preferred.
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Key dates
- Aug 28, 2025 Applications open
- Mar 10, 2026 Application deadline
- Dec 1, 2026 Award announced
- Dec 1, 2026 Project start
Program description
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) seeks to advance its mission by establishing a Center that educates and supports researchers in formal product development for new substance use disorder (SUD) pharmacotherapeutics. The Center will also help advance the best concepts through initial experiments via technical and financial support. Previous NIDA-supported initiatives in early translational research have shown that drug addiction researchers are eager to acquire formal product development skills and access technical expertise and support. Prospective applicants are encouraged to: develop plans for a product development curriculum to be taught to SUD researchers, outline outreach and networking initiatives to engage the research community and recruit researchers’ concepts for development within the Center, and describe the infrastructure support that may be provided for initial experiments.
Applications are not being solicited at this time. This Notice is being provided to allow potential applicants sufficient time to develop meaningful collaborations and responsive applications. Investigators with expertise in the areas of drug discovery and development and institutional capacities to support such a Center are encouraged to begin to consider applying for this NOFO.Grant authorities that allow NIH to forecast this opportunity are as follows Sections 301 and 405 of the Public Health Service Act as amended (42 USC 241 and 284) and under Federal Regulations 42 CFR Part 52 and 45 CFR Part 75 and 2 CFR Part 200].
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (R&R) Application for Federal Assistance
- Project Narrative (research plan)
- Budget and Budget Narrative
- Institutional Support/Commitment Letter
- Biographical Sketches (Key Personnel)
- Facilities & Equipment Description
Program contact
- 👤 Tam Nguyen, PhD
- 📧 Tam.Nguyen@nih.gov
- 📞 (301) 451-1203
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 93.279 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
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$204,359,786
-
$128,078,833
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$126,585,435
-
$99,478,296
-
$79,333,238
-
$78,351,755
-
$74,806,844
-
$71,588,047
-
$61,578,651
-
$50,952,037
Top States by Funding
- NY 4 awards $260.8M
- WA 1 awards $204.4M
- CT 2 awards $155.8M
- CA 4 awards $141.1M
- MD 2 awards $128.2M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 93.279). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $1,245,503,136 | |
| 2025 | $1,343,517,098 | |
| 2026 est. | $20,194,375 |
FAQ
Who can apply for this grant?
Institutions with expertise in drug discovery and development, and capacity to support a dedicated research center. This is typically a cooperative agreement for larger research institutions.
When is the deadline?
March 10, 2026. This is a fixed deadline, not rolling.
What activities does the Center support?
Formal product development training for SUD researchers, technical expertise sharing, initial experiments on promising drug concepts, and networking within the addiction research community.
How competitive is this funding?
Highly competitive. This is a U54 mechanism (Cooperative Agreement) from NIH. Strong preliminary data, institutional commitment, and clear product development plans are essential.
What is the funding range?
Total pool is $3 million for the competition. Individual awards vary; check the published FOA when it opens.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Establish institutional partnerships now. Begin collaborations with drug development experts and SUD researchers before the application opens.
- Develop a robust product development curriculum. Show how you will teach formal drug discovery and development methods to addiction researchers.
- Demonstrate infrastructure readiness. Detail labs, equipment, personnel, and resources available to support preclinical experiments.
- Plan your outreach strategy. Explain how you will recruit and engage SUD researchers, evaluate concepts, and provide mentorship.
- Align with NIDA priorities. Emphasize commitment to advancing new pharmacotherapy options for understudied SUD populations.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Vague or underdeveloped curriculum plans. Applications lacking specific coursework, mentorship models, or learning outcomes will score poorly. Insufficient institutional commitment or unclear resource allocation. Reviewers want evidence of sustained funding and dedicated personnel for the Center. Weak or unrealistic concept evaluation criteria. Failing to describe how you will select and prioritize researcher concepts for development support.
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