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 applications in the focus areas of the DC CFAR Scientific Working Groups (SWGs) in HIV Cure research and Ending the HIV epidemic and Scientific Interest Groups (SIGs) in Drug User Health, Women and HIV, Aging and Comorbidities, Latina/x/o, Global, and Sexual and Gender Minorities. Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the relevant SWG and/or SIG leaders to explore possible mentorship or collaboration on their proposals. The DC CFAR and DC Cohort are co-sponsoring up to one pilot award this cycle. Proposals of up to $75,000 will be considered. Applications might include the conduct of secondary data analyses or a pilot study utilizing DC Cohort data and in collaboration with one or more of the 14 participating DC Cohort clinical sites. Collaborations are also strongly encouraged with the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study/Women's Interagency HIV Study Combined Cohort (MACS/WIHS CCS). Approved concept sheets and letters of support from the cohort must be submitted in the full pilot award application. For additional details review the RFA.
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.
