Research Center on Mental Health and HIV/AIDS (P30 Clinical Trial Optional)
🏛 National Institutes of Health (HHS-NIH11)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Jul 15, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for research institutions and centers seeking to conduct high-impact HIV/AIDS research through coordinated infrastructure and interdisciplinary teams. Eligible applicants typically include universities, medical schools, research institutes, and nonprofit organizations with established research capacity. Applications must align with the National HIV/AIDS Strategy and NIH Office of AIDS Research priorities. The grant supports basic, behavioral, clinical, and translational research across multiple scientific domains.
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Key dates
- Jun 24, 2026 Applications open
- May 25, 2027 Application deadline in 313 days
- Apr 1, 2028 Award announced
- Apr 1, 2028 Project start
Program description
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) seeks research applications to support the NIMH HIV/AIDS Research Centers (ARC) program, including Developmental Centers (D-ARCs) and full AIDS Research Centers (ARCs). These Research Centers aim to capitalize on the coordinated infrastructure to advance high-impact, interdisciplinary HIV/AIDS research. The ARC program supports innovative research across basic, neuro-HIV, behavioral and social, clinical, translational, implementation science, and data science domains. Centers are expected to foster scientific collaboration, accelerate innovation, and strengthen dissemination of research advances to implementing agencies, affected communities, and other stakeholders.
Applications should align with the National HIV/AIDS Strategy, the NIH Office of AIDS Research (OAR) Strategic Plan, and the NIMH Strategic Plan for HIV research. Applications are not being solicited at this time. This notice is being issued to provide potential applicants with ample time to develop strong, collaborative, and responsive project plans. Research teams that have expertise in establishing and sustaining collaborations with academic institutions, community partners, government agencies, industry, and other scientific networks to enhance the impact of Center-supported activities are encouraged to apply to this NOFO.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
- 501(c)(3) Public Charity
- City / Municipal Government
- County Government
- Hospital
- Nonprofits
- Private University
- Public Authority
- Public K-12 School
- Public University
- Small Business (SBA-defined)
- Special District
- State Government
- Tribal Nation
- Tribal Organization
Demographic focus
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance)
- Project Narrative and Research Plan
- Budget and Budget Justification
- Biographical Sketches (key personnel)
- Institutional Commitment Letters
- Letters of Support from Community Partners
Program contact
- 👤 Division of AIDS Research (DAR)
- 📧 NIMH.DAR.inquiries@nih.gov
- 📞 Please contact via e-mail.
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 93.242 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$78,262,050
-
$75,056,208
-
$74,756,329
-
$64,705,159
-
$63,991,707
-
$54,214,022
-
$48,653,752
-
$38,895,082
-
$38,475,557
-
$35,940,675
Top States by Funding
- CA 15 awards $408.1M
- MA 9 awards $230.5M
- NY 6 awards $184.2M
- CT 4 awards $183.5M
- WA 4 awards $174.9M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 93.242). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $1,722,300,004 | |
| 2025 | $1,726,864,191 | |
| 2026 est. | $99,221,272 |
FAQ
Who can apply for this grant?
Universities, medical schools, research institutions, and nonprofit organizations with research infrastructure and HIV/AIDS expertise typically qualify. Your institution must demonstrate capacity to establish collaborative networks.
When is the deadline?
The deadline is May 25, 2027. This notice gives applicants ample time to develop strong, collaborative project plans before submission.
What research activities are supported?
The grant supports basic, neuro-HIV, behavioral and social, clinical, translational, implementation science, and data science research related to HIV/AIDS.
How much funding is available?
Individual awards reach up to $1.5 million. Actual amounts vary by research scope and center designation (D-ARC or full ARC).
Is this a rolling or fixed deadline?
This is a fixed deadline on May 25, 2027. Applications are not currently being solicited; plan ahead for this future opportunity.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Demonstrate strong partnerships with academic institutions, community organizations, and implementing agencies to show coordinated research infrastructure.
- Align your research aims explicitly with the National HIV/AIDS Strategy and NIH Office of AIDS Research Strategic Plan priorities.
- Build in interdisciplinary team expertise across multiple research domains (basic, behavioral, clinical, translational, implementation science).
- Start planning now even though applications are not yet solicited; the long lead time allows you to strengthen collaborations.
- Emphasize how your center will accelerate innovation and disseminate findings to affected communities and stakeholders beyond academia.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications fail when they lack demonstrated capacity for sustained institutional collaboration and coordination across disciplines. Misalignment with NIH strategic priorities or insufficient evidence of community engagement significantly weakens competitiveness. Weak dissemination plans that don't clearly show impact on implementing agencies and affected communities often result in rejection.
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