Pilot Award for Prevention and Treatment of Opioid Use Disorders

Project Award Amount $40,000 (Spring Cycle Only)

Description

This funding opportunity is intended to support projects focused on pursuing research on the prevention and treatment of opioid use disorders. We are particularly interested in projects that will generate preliminary data needed to develop clinical trials or population-based community interventions. Projects should be relevant to these broad areas related to opioids: pain management, standard of care and opioid prescribing patterns; improving prevention or treatment of opioid misuse and addiction; and the intersection of pain and addiction.

Applications in any aspect of clinical research will be considered. Examples include:

  • Implementation strategies for evidence-based approaches in multiple settings including primary and emergency care, the criminal justice system, and other community settings, and in communities highly affected by the opioid crisis;
  • Populations that may be at-risk include older adolescents and young adults (ages 16-30), which are groups at highest risk for opioid initiation, misuse, OUD and overdose fatality; individuals born with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS)/Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (NOWS); homeless populations; and those with co-occurring health conditions including other substance-abuse disorders, mood and anxiety disorders;
  • Evidence-based approaches that can be integrated or embedded into health care systems;
  • Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of opioids as they relate to reward pathways and addiction.

Each pilot project will have a maximum budget of $40,000. Pilot projects are for one year and are not renewable. A progress report is required at the end of the funding period that identifies resulting publications and subsequent funding obtained to support the expanded/extended projects. Any resulting publication must directly acknowledge the funding agency.

Eligibility

Eligibility requirements need to be met as of date of submission; no waivers will be accepted.

Who's Eligible:
UCSF Faculty in any series (Ladder Rank, In Residence, Clinical X, Health Science Clinical, and Adjunct) in all ranks (Instructors, Assistant, Associate, Full Professors) and Appointees to the Professional Research Series and to the Librarian Series may apply. Fellows (unless not allowed by fellowship funders) and Postdocs are eligible. Investigators must apply with documentation of an eligible appointment.

Who's Not Eligible:
Residents and Specialists.

Submission Rules

Criteria for Review/Evaluation of Applications
Proposals will be evaluated based on the quality of the proposed scientific investigation, the significance of the proposed research for the field of opioid use disorders research, the potential of the proposal to lead to future successful NIH grant applications, and the quality and promise of the applicant and the research team. Proposals should describe the strategy for community engagement and the diversity and composition of the study team and other populations engaged in the study.

Projects that involve human subjects and/or animal subjects will require IRB/IACUC approval letters, evidence of human studies training (if applicable), and supplemental documentation for NIH Prior Approval for timely release of project funds. In compliance with funder requirements, CTSI cannot fund any international projects or expenses; projects where there may be foreign co-authorship will require additional approval prior to release of funds.

The proposal will be evaluated based on the following questions: click here to view the review form for this grant mechanism.

Selection of Awardees
Funding decisions are made independently by each funding agency based on several factors – scientific review score, alignment of proposal to funder’s strategic goals, proposal research area of focus, and specifically called out eligibility and priority areas.

TO APPLY:

STEP 1) Complete the electronic application form.  Please note there are several pieces of information that need to be provided directly via the electronic application form (selecting the appropriate grant mechanism, providing demographic information, uploading an abstract, etc.).

Click here to preview an inactive template of the electronic application form.

STEP 2) Upload your proposal as a SINGLE PDF that includes all the things listed in numeric order in the instructions below.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PROPOSAL PDF

Please write your proposal following the instructions listed below and create one single PDF file. Do not include form fields in your PDF document.

Proposal Length: Maximum 6 pages, including figures and tables, excluding table of contents, literature cited and community engagement, if applicable.
Format Requirements: Arial font; 11 pt; minimum 0.5 inch for all margins; no appendices; include page numbers and table of contents.

RESUBMISSIONS
Definition: Same research topic with an amended application or research plan rather than a new research topic and new research plan.
Requirements: Please use up to one extra page to introduce your revised proposal, addressing the issues raised in the review, and any additional changes to your proposal. Make sure the new edits are highlighted in bold or italic font so the reviewers can easily see where and how the proposal has changed. Do not use "track changes". A new letter of support from the Department Chair or other Unit Head is required in all cases.

1. P.I. Name(s) - Optionally, you may apply with two PIs. If funded, PI1 will be the primary contact for the award set up and management. If the proposal has multiple PIs, both PI1 and PI2 need to meet the eligibility criteria listed for this grant mechanism. Only ONE application as PI (PI1 or PI2) is permitted per cycle.

2. Project Title

3. Proposal (maximum 6 pages, including figures and tables, excluding literature cited)

  • Aims. Do not submit an application that describes an idea that is the same or similar to one used in a previously funded RAP grant. If it is a similar idea, describe how the new proposed research is uniquely different.
  • Feasibility: Describe what steps you are taking to ensure the proposed project can be completed within the one-year project period for this grant (approximately 300 word max).
  • Background and Significance
  • Preliminary studies
  • Research Design and Methods (include time-table)
  • Explain how this pilot project is important for your career goals (e.g., lead to major funding, etc.)
  • Mentoring Plan: (required for fellows and junior faculty)
    Please describe the plan for oversight of this project by your mentor(s), including the specific role of your primary mentor named in this application.
  • Literature cited (not included in page limit)

It is recommended that PIs with projects involving human subjects prepare an IRB application concurrently with the application for funding. Please refer to the UCSF Human Research Protection Program to determine if your research requires IRB review and if your research meets the definition of human subjects research.

4. Detailed Budget  $40,000 maximum per proposal; round up to the nearest thousand (e.g., instead of $39,869 list $40,000).  
    Use the following form: PHS 398 Form Page 4 "Detailed Budget for the Initial Period": http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html

    Budget Preparation Resources:

 

Allowable

Not Allowable

PI Salary *

X

 

Co-Investigator(s) Salary

X

 

Post Doc Salary

X

 
Network Recharge Rates X  

Administrative Support

 

X

Supplies

X

 

Equipment

 

X

Software

 

X

Personal Computers

 

X

Mailing

 

X

Tuition

 

X

Travel

 

X

Research Staff Support (e.g. SRA; Lab. Technician)

X

 

Patient Care

X

X

International Subcontracts

 

X

Indirect costs on subcontracts

 

X
Publication fees; max $5K  X  

General guideline: 

*The NIH base salary cap applies.  PIs are required to list their effort whether it is paid or in kind.

PI partial salary support should be well-justified with respect to project activities. Due to their small size, RAP grants are designed for project support and are not intended to provide PI salary support unrelated to the project.  PI salary amounts greater than ~10% of the requested award amount (e.g., $5,000 of a $50K award proposal, not 10% FTE) must be well justified and it should reflect work done by the PI to conduct specific scientific tasks on the project (e.g. data collection, computation) and not merely general supervision of project goals and personnel.  

Multiple PIs can decide how to distribute the 10% salary support among themselves (e.g., 5%/5% or 6%/4%).

  • The 10% limit on salary support is a guideline and includes SALARY & FRINGE BENEFITS.
  • Update: General Automobile and Employee Liability (GAEL) are NOT allowable costs.
  • The award amount is DIRECT COST ONLY.

5. Budget Justification: Clearly and fully justify all costs. Budget Overlap - If the proposed study is closely related or a sub-study of existing funded research listed in the applicant’s bio sketch, clarify the relationship between the two projects and confirm that there is no overlap in funding.

For all personnel, clearly identify any discrepancies between the actual effort (i.e. real percent time) the individual will contribute to the project, versus the amount of salary effort they are requesting.  This is particularly important for personnel/PI's who expect to contribute project effort with little or no salary, such as those whose salary is above the NIH base salary cap.

Recall: PI salary amounts greater than ~10% of the requested award amount must be well justified.

NOTE: If your Other Support references projects that may appear to have scientific or budgetary overlap with this proposal, please clearly identify and explain why this proposal is unique and non-overlapping.

6. NIH BioSketch of Principal Investigator and Co-Investigator(s) and UCSF Faculty Mentor(s) (if applicable), (5 page format):

·         Use Form Version H at https://grants.nih.gov/grants/forms/biosketch-blank-format-rev-10-2021.docx
·         Include bio sketches for both PIs of a multi-PI application
·         Only NIH Bio sketch version H will be accepted with RAP applications this Spring 2024 Cycle.

Other support pages of Principal Investigator(s) and Co-Investigator(s) and UCSF Faculty Mentor(s)  Use form at https://grants.nih.gov/sites/default/files/other-support-format-page-rev-10-2021.docx

7. Letter(s) of support: Provide a letter of support from the department chair or other unit head. In addition, for early career investigators, department chairs/unit heads should comment on the independence of the applicant and availability of research space and other resources for the proposed research. Include the letter of support at the end of your PDF proposal and address it to the RAP Committee. If there are multiple (two) PIs, a letter of support is required for both PIs. If PIs are in the same department, the chair can vouch for both PIs in a single letter.