Request for Proposals (RFP)

From 2005-2024, the CFAR Developmental Core funded 145 Pilot Awards to New and Early Stage Investigators (ESIs) and established investigators new to HIV with $3.6 million. These Pilot Awards resulted in subsequent NIH grants totaling $106.9 million. In other words, for every dollar spent in Pilot Awards, there was an average return of nearly $30 in NIH funding, one of the highest returns on investment among CFAR programs nationwide.

Through our Pilot Award program, we provide funding to these investigators to generate pilot data for future NIH grants and connect them with strong and engaged mentors, collaborators across multiple disciplines, and CFAR services. The ultimate goal for all Pilot Awardees is independent NIH funding.

FUNDING STREAMS

The Traditional Development Award (TDA) is our principal funding mechanism. The maximum Award amount is $50,000.

Secondary Data Analysis (SDA) Awards support the use of one of four specific cohorts accessible to UNC CFAR investigators, including the MWCCS, UCHCC, CNICS, and NA-ACCORD databases.

Priority Pilot Awards (PPA) are new collaborative proposals that emerge from an official CFAR Scientific Working Group (SWG) or Research Interest Group (RIG). PPA proposals may ask for up to $60,000, while otherwise following the application instructions in the Traditional Developmental Award RFA.

Microgrants provide support for small needs related to CFAR-funded research, such as publishing or presenting results (including conference travel), training, and/or consultation. Microgrants are only available if the Core has funding left over after funding TDA and SDA Awards.