Population Approaches to Reducing Alcohol-related Cancer Risk (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) | PAR 25 221

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 25 221

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is soliciting research applications under the R01 mechanism for a grant opportunity titled "Population Approaches to Reducing Alcohol-related Cancer Risk (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)" (Funding Opportunity Number PAR-25-221). The focus is on population-level, interdisciplinary research that can meaningfully reduce cancer risk linked to alcohol by improving public awareness, shifting social norms, strengthening or evaluating policy approaches, and designing, testing, and implementing interventions that operate beyond the individual level. Clinical trials are allowed but not required, which gives applicants flexibility to propose observational, implementation, policy, communication, community, or intervention studies depending on the specific research questions.

A central theme of the NOFO is that alcohol use is a modifiable cancer risk factor, yet awareness of the alcohol-cancer connection remains uneven. NIH is interested in studies that increase understanding of how people perceive alcohol-related cancer risk, how information about that risk spreads (or fails to spread), and what communication or educational strategies are effective in real-world settings. This can include work that looks at warning labels, mass media campaigns, health system messaging, community education, or digital and social media approaches, as long as the work is grounded in population approaches and is aimed at cancer prevention and control.

The NOFO also emphasizes the role of social norms and the broader environment in shaping drinking behavior. Applicants are encouraged to study how norms around alcohol are created and maintained within communities, institutions, and social networks, and to test strategies that can change those norms in ways that reduce risky consumption. This may involve interdisciplinary frameworks drawing from public health, behavioral science, implementation science, epidemiology, health communication, sociology, economics, marketing, and policy research, among other fields.

A major area of interest is alcohol policy research, including the development and/or evaluation of policies that may reduce alcohol consumption and, ultimately, alcohol-related cancer risk. While the NOFO text does not list specific policy levers, the intent is to support rigorous research on population-impacting strategies such as regulatory, pricing, availability, marketing, or other policy-relevant approaches, and to examine how these approaches are adopted, implemented, and sustained across different contexts. Strong applications will typically connect policy or environmental changes to measurable outcomes such as changes in awareness, attitudes, consumption patterns, or other intermediate outcomes relevant to cancer prevention, and when feasible, to cancer-related endpoints or validated risk indicators.

NIH is particularly interested in proposals that address multiple levels of alcohol consumption rather than focusing only on the most severe use. That includes research spanning moderate drinking through heavy drinking, recognizing that cancer risk can be influenced across a continuum of exposure and that population strategies often need to address broad segments of the public. In addition, the NOFO highlights alcohol use disorder (AUD) as a relevant focus area when approached from the perspective of cancer prevention and control. In practical terms, that means studies that consider how AUD-related prevention, identification, treatment, and recovery supports might intersect with cancer risk messaging, screening, prevention services, or broader cancer control strategies.

The opportunity explicitly encourages proposals in understudied areas, signaling that NIH is looking for projects that fill important gaps rather than repeating well-trodden ground. This could include new settings, understudied populations, novel intervention or policy approaches, or research that brings stronger causal inference, better measurement, or more real-world implementation evidence to questions that are currently unresolved. Another key priority is addressing disparities. The NOFO calls for attention to underrepresented minority populations and communities experiencing disproportionate burdens of both cancer and alcohol-related harms, specifically noting American Indian and Alaska Native populations and sexual and gender minority populations. Applications that are designed with these communities in mind, incorporate culturally grounded approaches, and prioritize equitable implementation and impact are aligned with the stated aims.

Eligibility is broad, consistent with many NIH R01 opportunities. Eligible applicants include various levels of government (state, county, city/township, special districts), independent school districts, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, federally recognized Native American tribal governments, and tribal organizations that are not federally recognized. Nonprofit organizations are eligible whether or not they have 501(c)(3) status, and both for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses may apply. Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities are also eligible. The NOFO additionally highlights a range of institution types and organizations as other eligible applicants, 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, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and non-U.S. (foreign) entities.

From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary grant in the Education and Health activity categories, with CFDA numbers 93.273 and 93.396. The original closing date listed is January 7, 2027, and the NOFO was created on November 6, 2024. An award ceiling is not specified in the provided source data, and the expected number of awards is not listed, so applicants would typically need to rely on NIH program guidance and standard R01 budgeting practices to shape a realistic proposal.

Overall, this funding opportunity is geared toward research that can move the needle at the population level: making the alcohol-cancer risk link better understood, changing the social and policy environments that influence drinking, and deploying interventions that can be adopted at scale. Strong alignment comes from projects that are interdisciplinary, equity-focused, grounded in real-world implementation or policy contexts, and designed to address the full spectrum of alcohol consumption patterns, including but not limited to AUD, with clear relevance to cancer prevention and control.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Population Approaches to Reducing Alcohol-related Cancer Risk (R01 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, 93.396.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-11-06.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2027-01-07.
• 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 PAR 25 221

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