The Avenir Award Program for Research on Substance Use Disorders (SUD) and HIV, offered by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) under the NIH, supports early-stage investigators (ESIs) conducting innovative research at the intersection of substance use and HIV. This program aims to identify and fund forward-looking projects that address NIH HIV/AIDS research priorities, such as reducing HIV incidence, optimizing HIV and SUD therapies, and addressing comorbidities in HIV-affected substance-using populations. Basic and clinical research projects are eligible, including studies utilizing animal models, in vitro systems, or human participants that examine the effects of addictive substances on HIV progression, develop tailored treatments for those with SUD, or create interventions addressing HIV and SUD in substance-using populations.

The Avenir Award provides up to $1.5 million in direct costs for a maximum four-year project, disbursed in full during the award’s initial year. This funding supports personnel, supplies, equipment, and other direct expenses necessary to carry out the proposed research. Applicable Facilities and Administrative (F&A) costs will be calculated and added at the time of the award. ESIs applying for the Avenir Award must propose novel approaches that could lead to significant advancements in HIV/SUD research, and applications may include, but do not require, preliminary data. While the award is aimed at early-career investigators, applicants must have a faculty position conferring eligibility for independent research grants, such as an R01.

Eligible applicants include U.S.-based higher education institutions, nonprofits, government entities, for-profit organizations, and certain tribal and community organizations. Foreign institutions and components of non-U.S. organizations are not eligible. Applicants must register in several systems, including SAM.gov, eRA Commons, and Grants.gov, which can take several weeks, so early registration is advised. Applicants are expected to submit an electronic application via NIH’s ASSIST, Grants.gov Workspace, or institutional system-to-system solutions. Applications must adhere strictly to guidelines in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide, and submissions must include a biographical sketch, a project abstract and narrative, a statement of research effort, and a detailed essay describing the project’s goals, significance, innovation, and applicant qualifications.

Applications undergo a rigorous NIH peer-review process focusing on the scientific impact, novelty, and research potential. Key review criteria include the significance of the problem, innovation, the applicant’s qualifications, approach feasibility, and the potential of the project to shift research paradigms. Applications proposing clinical trials must further address study design, population diversity, statistical rigor, and human subjects protections. Only applications deemed of high scientific merit will be discussed and scored, and those advancing through peer review will receive a written critique and compete for available funding. The NIH peer review group will invite top candidates for interviews, and final award decisions will consider review outcomes, funding availability, and alignment with NIDA's program priorities.

Important deadlines include an annual application submission date of August 15, with subsequent review and award cycles leading to potential project start dates in April of the following year. Letters of intent are encouraged 30 days before the application deadline, though not mandatory. Letters of reference, a critical application component, must be submitted by referees on the applicant’s behalf prior to the due date, and applications missing these letters will not be reviewed.