The DC CFAR Pilot Awards Program aims to provide pilot funds on a competitive basis to HIV/AIDS investigators to assist them in the development of their NIH-funded research careers.
Investigator Eligibility
Faculty investigators at nine participating DC CFAR institutions (American University, Children's National Health System, DC Health, Georgetown University, George Washington University, Howard University, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Us Helping Us and Whitman-Walker) who are full members of the DC CFAR are eligible to apply as Principal Investigators (PI) to the program.
These funds are provided to support early stage and new HIV/AIDS investigators, with an emphasis on women and underrepresented minorities. Principal Investigators must have a terminal degree and be eligible to submit NIH grant applications through their home institution’s office of research. PIs must be at the rank of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Full Professor or Research Scientist. New investigators are those who have not previously served as the PI on an NIH R01 award or equivalent (for more information, please visit the NIH guidance on investigator types). Clinical and post-doctoral fellows are not eligible to apply as PIs.
Research Scope
The Pilot Awards fund research projects that focus on HIV/AIDS and related opportunistic illnesses. The scope of funded projects includes basic, clinical, epidemiologic, social behavioral and prevention HIV/AIDS science. Applications should focus on the NIH high priority HIV/AIDS research areas, which broadly focus on: reducing HIV/AIDS incidence; the next generation of HIV therapies and implementation research on the HIV continuum of care; cure research; HIV-associated comorbidities, coinfections, and complications; and cross cutting areas in basic research and health disparities. Special consideration will be given to applicants collaborating with the DC Cohort, the MACS/WIHS Combined Cohort Study and the DC CFAR Scientific Working Groups (SWGs) and Scientific Interests Groups (SIGs).
Co-sponsorship with the DC Cohort: The DC Cohort is supplementing up to 2 pilot awards this cycle with an additional $12,500 per award in addition to the $75,000 maximum for a DC CFAR pilot award for a total award of up to $87,500. This is an opportunity for DC CFAR Investigators to work with a large multicenter cohort which follows people living with HIV of all ages who are receiving care at 14 clinics in DC, which is a priority for this cycle of the program.
For examples of these projects, please review the abstracts of previously funded projects.
Application Process
Each year there are between one and three award cycles. Each cycle may vary slightly in terms of eligibility and scope of solicited proposals. Review the request for applications (PDF) and all application materials before completing the Pre-Submission Form.
