Collaborative Initiative on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (CIFASD), Research Project (U01 Clinical Trial optional) | RFA AA 21 010

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA AA 21 010

The Collaborative Initiative on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (CIFASD), Research Project (U01 Clinical Trial optional) is a National Institutes of Health funding opportunity led by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). It uses the cooperative agreement mechanism (U01), which generally means awardees conduct their own proposed research projects while working in close coordination with NIH program staff and the broader CIFASD consortium. The overall goal is to continue and build on the previously funded CIFASD program by supporting integrated, multidisciplinary research that tackles major unresolved problems in the fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) field.

The opportunity is centered on closing urgent gaps in FASD science and practice. NIAAA is looking for projects that improve the early and accurate identification of FASD cases, which can include better screening approaches, diagnostic tools, biomarkers, or methods that help clinicians and communities recognize affected individuals sooner and with greater confidence. It also prioritizes research that strengthens interventions to reduce or mitigate FASD-related outcomes, meaning applicants can propose studies aimed at improving developmental, behavioral, cognitive, educational, or health trajectories for people with FASD, with clinical trials allowed but not required under this announcement. Another major focus is expanding the basic and mechanistic understanding of alcohol teratogenesis, emphasizing research that clarifies how prenatal alcohol exposure disrupts development and how those discoveries can be translated more quickly into practical prevention, diagnosis, or treatment strategies. Finally, NIAAA highlights the importance of reducing prenatal alcohol exposure itself and, by extension, lowering the incidence of FASD, which can involve prevention research, implementation strategies, or community-informed approaches that change behaviors, systems, or environments contributing to prenatal exposure.

Applications submitted under this FOA are expected to propose individual research projects that are either clinical or basic in nature, but aligned with the CIFASD collaborative framework. Because this is a U01 cooperative agreement, proposed work should be well-suited to coordination across a larger initiative, such as harmonizing measures, sharing data or methodologies, contributing to common goals, or leveraging multidisciplinary expertise to accelerate progress in the field. The activity category is health, and the CFDA number associated with the program is 93.273.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of domestic applicants such as state, county, city, and township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled universities; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in those categories); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and small businesses. The FOA also explicitly calls out additional eligible applicant groups, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities/foreign organizations. This wide eligibility signals an interest in engaging diverse institutions and communities, including those disproportionately affected or uniquely positioned to contribute to prevention, identification, and intervention efforts.

Key administrative details from the source listing include the funding opportunity number RFA AA 21 010, a creation date of June 2, 2021, and an original closing date of August 16, 2021. The listing does not provide an award ceiling or expected number of awards in the provided fields, so applicants would typically look to the full FOA text for budget guidance, project period expectations, consortium requirements, and any coordinated data-sharing or governance elements that often come with large collaborative initiatives like CIFASD.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Collaborative Initiative on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (CIFASD), Research Project (U01 Clinical Trial optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.273.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2021-06-02.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-08-16. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• 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 AA 21 010

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