Notice of Intent to Publish a Funding Opportunity Announcement for Improving Uptake and Use of the Dapivirine Vaginal Ring for HIV Prevention (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) intends to promote a new initiative by publishing a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) to solicit applications for research on the dapivirine vaginal ring for HIV prevention. The research will focus on advancing understanding of multilevel facilitators and barriers to use of the dapivirine vaginal ring, developing interventions to support uptake and correct and persistent use of the vaginal ring, and testing implementation strategies for optimal delivery of the vaginal ring. The opportunity is expected to be published in Winter 2022 with an expected application due date in Summer 2022. Key aspects of the opportunity include: • The FOA will utilize the R21 activity code, and companion FOAs will utilize the R01 and R34 activity codes. • The award ceiling is $275,000. • The opportunity is open to various types of organizations, including nonprofits, for-profit organizations, and institutions of higher education. • The project start date is expected to be Apr 15, 2023.