Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA CE 18 006
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), through the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC), offered this R01 grant opportunity to support investigator-initiated research aimed at preventing overdose deaths linked to both prescription and illicit opioids. The central focus is on building stronger evidence about what actually works in real-world settings by either developing and piloting new interventions or rigorously evaluating promising primary or secondary prevention interventions. In this context, "interventions" is meant broadly and can include strategies, programs, or policy approaches. The larger public health purpose is to generate findings that state and local health departments can use to implement, refine, and scale efforts that reduce opioid-related fatalities.
A key theme of the opportunity is multidisciplinary, cross-sector collaboration. The CDC explicitly encourages teams that bring together expertise from fields like public health, epidemiology, social work, economics, law enforcement, and criminal justice, reflecting the reality that overdose prevention often depends on systems that extend well beyond healthcare alone. Applicants are expected to partner with community and/or governmental organizations in multiple sectors, especially those that can provide access to people at elevated risk for opioid misuse or overdose and those that can facilitate access to essential data systems. The application must show that these partnerships are already established, and it must include written agreements that spell out each partner's role in the proposed research.
The NOFO distinguishes between primary and secondary prevention and invites projects in either category. Primary prevention is framed as stopping opioid misuse, abuse, and overdose before it occurs, which could involve upstream approaches that reduce initiation, risky prescribing exposure, or progression to higher-risk use. Secondary prevention is framed as responding quickly and effectively when overdose risk is acute or after a nonfatal overdose has already happened, with examples such as emergency department-based services and structured linkage to treatment immediately following an overdose event. The intent is to support interventions that are novel or meaningfully improved and that can be tested with strong research designs, producing actionable evidence rather than purely descriptive findings.
At the same time, the CDC draws a clear boundary around what is not responsive. Studies that solely evaluate the clinical effectiveness of medications for opioid use disorder, such as buprenorphine, methadone, or naltrexone, are explicitly outside the scope for this funding announcement. In other words, the emphasis is not on medication efficacy trials, but on prevention-oriented interventions and systems-level or programmatic responses that can reduce overdose occurrence and deaths.
From an administrative and funding standpoint, this was a discretionary grant opportunity (CFDA 93.136) released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, CDC. The opportunity number is RFA-CE-18-006, created March 13, 2018, with an original application due date of May 15, 2018 (with electronic submissions due by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time). Awards were contingent on funding availability, with an anticipated seven awards and an award ceiling of $750,000. Eligibility was broad and included various levels of government (state, county, city/township, special districts), public and private institutions of higher education, federally recognized tribes and tribal organizations, nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations (including small businesses), and other eligible entities as clarified by the NOFO.
Overall, the opportunity was designed to strengthen the practical evidence base for preventing opioid overdoses by funding rigorous, collaborative research tied to implementable interventions, particularly those that can be adopted or adapted by public health agencies and cross-sector partners working with high-risk populations.Apply for RFA CE 18 006
- The Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - ERA in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Research Grants for the Primary or Secondary Prevention of Opioid Overdose (R01)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.136.
- This funding opportunity was created on Mar 13, 2018.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 15, 2018 Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 500 p.m., ET, on the listed application due date.. (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 $750,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 7 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), 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, Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the main purpose of this CDC R01 grant opportunity?
This R01 opportunity from the CDC (through the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, NCIPC) supports investigator-initiated research aimed at preventing overdose deaths linked to both prescription and illicit opioids. The goal is to build stronger, real-world evidence about what works by developing and piloting new interventions or by rigorously evaluating promising primary or secondary prevention interventions.
Which agency and program area offered this funding?
The funding was offered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) through the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC), under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
What is the opportunity number and CFDA listing?
The opportunity number is RFA-CE-18-006, and the CFDA listing is 93.136.
What kinds of projects are considered responsive to this NOFO?
Projects are responsive if they focus on preventing opioid overdose deaths by either (1) developing and piloting novel or meaningfully improved interventions, or (2) rigorously evaluating promising primary or secondary prevention interventions in real-world settings. The NOFO emphasizes actionable findings that can be used by state and local health departments to implement, refine, and scale overdose prevention efforts.
How does this NOFO define "interventions"?
"Interventions" is defined broadly and can include strategies, programs, or policy approaches, not just clinical activities. The emphasis is on prevention-oriented interventions that can reduce overdose occurrence and fatalities.
What is the difference between primary and secondary prevention in this opportunity?
Primary prevention focuses on preventing opioid misuse, abuse, and overdose before it occurs, including upstream approaches that reduce initiation, risky prescribing exposure, or progression to higher-risk use. Secondary prevention focuses on responding when overdose risk is acute or after a nonfatal overdose, such as emergency department-based services and structured linkage to treatment immediately following an overdose event.
Are both primary and secondary prevention projects allowed?
Yes. The NOFO invites projects in either primary prevention or secondary prevention, as long as they are prevention-oriented and designed to produce strong, actionable evidence.
Does the CDC expect projects to be conducted in real-world settings?
Yes. A central focus is strengthening evidence about what works in real-world settings, including through piloting interventions and rigorous evaluations of promising approaches.
What kind of research approach does the NOFO prioritize?
The NOFO prioritizes strong research designs that can rigorously test interventions and produce practical, implementable findings. It explicitly signals a preference for evidence-generating studies rather than purely descriptive work.
What is the broader public health impact the CDC wants from these projects?
The CDC aims to generate findings that state and local health departments can use to implement, refine, and scale efforts that reduce opioid-related fatalities, strengthening the practical evidence base for overdose prevention.
What role do partnerships play in this grant?
Partnerships are a core expectation. Applicants are expected to partner with community and/or governmental organizations across multiple sectors, especially organizations that can provide access to people at elevated risk for opioid misuse or overdose and organizations that can facilitate access to essential data systems.
Do partnerships need to be in place before applying?
Yes. The application must show that partnerships are already established and must include written agreements that spell out each partner's role in the proposed research.
What types of sectors does the CDC encourage teams to include?
The NOFO highlights multidisciplinary, cross-sector collaboration and encourages teams with expertise spanning areas such as public health, epidemiology, social work, economics, law enforcement, and criminal justice, reflecting that overdose prevention often depends on systems beyond healthcare alone.
Is access to data systems important for this opportunity?
Yes. The NOFO specifically notes the value of partners who can facilitate access to essential data systems, indicating that data access is an important consideration in building rigorous, real-world evidence.
What topics or study types are explicitly not responsive?
Studies that solely evaluate the clinical effectiveness of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), including buprenorphine, methadone, or naltrexone, are explicitly outside the scope of this funding announcement.
Does "outside the scope" mean MOUD cannot be involved at all?
The NOFO draws a clear boundary specifically around studies that solely evaluate clinical effectiveness of MOUD. The emphasis of this opportunity is on prevention-oriented interventions and programmatic or systems-level responses that reduce overdose occurrence and deaths.
What type of grant mechanism was used?
This was offered as an R01 grant opportunity supporting investigator-initiated research.
What is the expected number of awards?
The CDC anticipated making seven awards, contingent on funding availability.
What is the maximum award amount?
The award ceiling was $750,000.
When was the opportunity created and when were applications due?
The opportunity was created on March 13, 2018. The original application due date was May 15, 2018, with electronic submissions due by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
Is this a discretionary grant?
Yes. The NOFO describes this as a discretionary grant opportunity.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was broad and included various levels of government (state, county, city/township, and special districts), public and private institutions of higher education, federally recognized tribes and tribal organizations, nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations (including small businesses), and other eligible entities as clarified by the NOFO.
Are for-profit organizations allowed to apply?
Yes. The eligibility list includes for-profit organizations, including small businesses.
Are tribes and tribal organizations eligible?
Yes. Federally recognized tribes and tribal organizations are included in the eligibility categories described.
Does this opportunity focus only on prescription opioids?
No. The opportunity targets preventing overdose deaths linked to both prescription and illicit opioids.
What kinds of outcomes is the CDC ultimately trying to influence?
The stated focus is preventing overdose deaths and reducing opioid-related fatalities through interventions that can be implemented and scaled by public health agencies and cross-sector partners.
Why does the NOFO emphasize cross-sector collaboration?
The NOFO emphasizes cross-sector collaboration because overdose prevention often depends on systems beyond healthcare alone, and multidisciplinary teams can improve access to high-risk populations, strengthen intervention implementation, and support access to key data systems needed for rigorous evaluation.
Does the NOFO prefer new interventions or evaluations of existing ones?
It supports both: developing and piloting new or meaningfully improved interventions, and rigorously evaluating promising primary or secondary prevention interventions. In both cases, the expectation is that the work produces actionable evidence for real-world use.
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