Expanding Medication Assisted Treatment for Opioid Use Disorders in the Context of the SAMHSA Opioid STR Grants (R21/R33) | RFA DA 18 005

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA DA 18 005

This funding opportunity, titled "Expanding Medication Assisted Treatment for Opioid Use Disorders in the Context of the SAMHSA Opioid STR Grants (R21/R33)" (RFA-DA-18-005), is a discretionary NIH grant program focused on improving access to medication assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder (OUD). The core aim is to support research that tests practical, scalable approaches either to expand MAT within the general health care sector (such as primary care, emergency departments, hospitals, and other mainstream medical settings) or to strengthen pathways that connect people to MAT after they receive naloxone for overdose reversal. The opportunity is explicitly framed around state strategies funded through the State Targeted Response (STR) grants authorized by the 21st Century Cures Act, meaning applicants are expected to align their proposed interventions with how states are deploying STR resources and building their broader response infrastructure.

The FOA uses an R21/R33 funding structure, which generally indicates a phased approach: an initial exploratory or developmental phase (R21) followed by a second phase (R33) that supports expanded implementation, refinement, or more rigorous testing if predefined milestones are met. In practice, this structure is meant to encourage projects that start with early-stage testing of an intervention or linkage model and then move into a more robust phase once feasibility and early performance indicators are demonstrated. While the provided text does not list specific milestone requirements, the intent of the mechanism is to reward projects that can show measurable progress and readiness to scale.

Funding is capped at an award ceiling of $200,000, and the opportunity falls under the Education and Health funding activity category, associated with CFDA number 93.279. The issuing agency is the National Institutes of Health. The original closing date listed for the solicitation was June 20, 2017, and the record indicates it was created on April 10, 2017. The expected number of awards is not specified in the provided source data.

A key emphasis is on expanding MAT in routine health care environments rather than limiting treatment to specialty addiction settings. That typically means applicants might propose models such as integrating buprenorphine prescribing into primary care, building hospital-based initiation and rapid referral workflows, embedding addiction consult services, using care coordinators or peer navigators, or creating systems that reduce barriers like provider training gaps, stigma, fragmented handoffs, and lack of follow-up after acute events. The other main emphasis is on linking individuals who have received naloxone (often after an overdose event) to ongoing treatment, addressing a well-known gap where overdose reversal can be a critical moment for engagement but is frequently followed by lost contact or insufficient access to evidence-based care. Projects under this umbrella would generally be expected to test strategies that convert that moment of crisis into sustained treatment initiation and retention.

Eligibility is broad and includes multiple types of government entities and organizations. Eligible applicants include state, county, city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; Native American tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories as listed); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other entities. The FOA also highlights additional eligible applicant categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI), Hispanic-serving institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible federal government agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions. In terms of international involvement, the solicitation makes an important distinction: non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible. However, "foreign components" are allowed as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement, which typically refers to discrete project elements carried out outside the U.S. under the direction of the U.S. applicant organization, subject to NIH rules and justification.

Overall, this opportunity is designed for applicants who can propose and test concrete, real-world methods to increase the reach of evidence-based medications for OUD, especially in mainstream medical settings and in the aftermath of overdose reversal events involving naloxone. The alignment with SAMHSA STR state plans signals that NIH is looking for interventions that fit into existing state-led opioid response systems, leverage ongoing investments from the 21st Century Cures Act, and generate actionable evidence about what works to get more people into treatment quickly and keep them engaged.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Expanding Medication Assisted Treatment for Opioid Use Disorders in the Context of the SAMHSA Opioid STR Grants (R21/R33)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.279.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-04-10.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2017-06-20. (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 $200,000.00 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 RFA DA 18 005

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