The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) invites applications for the "Specialized Alcohol Research Centers" grant under funding opportunity RFA-AA-24-007. This program aims to support interdisciplinary, collaborative research on Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), alcohol misuse, and associated health consequences across the lifespan. Using the P50 Specialized Center grant mechanism, the initiative emphasizes the development of innovative methods, technologies, and collaborative efforts within a major research theme, which should support the advancement of alcohol research and serve as a national and regional resource. Eligible topics include AUD etiology, diagnosis, treatment, prevention, alcohol-related diseases, and the health disparities impacting minority populations and underserved groups.

Each center should promote inclusivity by including a Plan for Enhancing Diverse Perspectives (PEDP), outlining strategies to incorporate diverse viewpoints and participation from individuals of underrepresented backgrounds. This PEDP is a required element, as applications lacking this plan will be rejected. The plan, along with other review criteria (such as significance, investigator qualifications, and innovation), will be evaluated by peer reviewers. The program encourages the establishment of centers within identifiable organizational structures, such as universities or medical centers, and applicants may propose pilot projects that support early-career investigators, foster novel hypotheses, and advance health disparities research. Collaborative projects with domestic or foreign institutions are allowed, provided the center’s domestic lead oversees the partnerships.

NIAAA expects to allocate $7 million in fiscal year 2026 for up to six awards, including those funded under companion notice RFA-AA-24-008. Each application may request up to $1.15 million in direct costs per year for a maximum of five years. The budget should reflect both core research activities and pilot projects that explore innovative hypotheses or methodologies. These funds will support a combination of basic, clinical, developmental, and applied research components, as well as administrative and resource cores to facilitate efficient center operation.

Eligible applicants include institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, for-profit entities, and government agencies. Foreign institutions are not eligible to apply, though foreign components may participate. Prior to submission, applicant organizations must complete registrations with System for Award Management (SAM), NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) (for foreign components), and eRA Commons, among others. Letters of intent are encouraged by October 15, 2024, with final applications due by November 15, 2024. Applications must be submitted through ASSIST or an institutional system-to-system solution and must comply strictly with the guidelines in the NIH application guide.

Reviewers will assess the significance of each project within the center's thematic area, its integration across research cores, and the qualifications of investigators and collaborators. Individual research projects, administrative and resource cores, and pilot projects will be evaluated separately for their relevance, scientific merit, and potential to contribute to the overall goals of the center. The PEDP, innovative approaches, and detailed milestones will also play a central role in evaluation, especially regarding inclusivity and collaborative potential.

Award administration includes adherence to NIH policies on data management and sharing, clinical trial reporting, and compliance with human subject and animal research protections. Grantees must provide annual progress reports, particularly on the PEDP and pilot projects, and comply with Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA) reporting.