NIDA Avenir Award

NIDA Avenir Award

Supports early-stage investigators building addiction science in HIV, substance use, genetics, and epigenetic research.

The NIDA Avenir Award uses the DP2 mechanism to foster innovation from investigators at the very beginning of their independent research careers. NIDA describes Avenir recipients as "the future of addiction science." The award is available in two distinct tracks: Track 1 covers HIV and substance use, and Track 2 covers genetics and epigenetics of addiction. Each track has its own scientific scope and may have separate submission cycles. The Avenir complements NIDA's Avant-Garde Award (DP1), which is open to all career levels; investigators past early-stage status should apply to Avant-Garde instead.

Eligibility is restricted to Early-Stage Investigators — researchers at the beginning of their independent careers who have not yet received a substantial NIH research award as principal investigator. Eligible home institutions include U.S. universities, nonprofits, and research organizations; for-profit companies are not eligible as lead applicants. Award amounts, period of performance, and specific submission dates are published in the funding opportunity announcement and in a 611KB applicant PDF guide available from NIDA's HIV Research Program; those figures were not captured in currently available source documents.

The DP2 mechanism, like the DP1 used by Avant-Garde, is designed to give investigators room to pursue high-risk, high-reward science without the rigid preliminary-data standards of conventional R01 applications. Reviewers evaluate the innovation and potential impact of the proposed research alongside the investigator's capacity for independent scientific leadership. Applicants should review the current FOA on grants.nih.gov and confirm which track aligns with their research before applying. Pre-application contact with NIDA program staff is advisable to confirm track fit and timing.