Establishing a Center for the Advancement of Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Pharmacotherapeutics through Training and Preclinical Support

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), through its National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), has released a forecasted funding opportunity to establish a Center for the Advancement of Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Pharmacotherapeutics through Training and Preclinical Support. NIDA’s mission is to lead the nation in advancing scientific understanding of drug use and addiction and to apply that knowledge to improve individual and public health. This initiative reflects NIDA’s commitment to developing effective treatment options by fostering formal product development skills among researchers and providing technical and financial support for early-stage testing of new therapeutic concepts. By establishing this Center, NIDA seeks to strengthen the pipeline of SUD pharmacotherapeutics and ensure that promising ideas can advance into later stages of development. The purpose of this forecasted opportunity is to create a Center that educates and trains researchers on the processes of drug product development while simultaneously offering preclinical support for selected concepts. The Center will be responsible for developing a formal curriculum in product development, enabling SUD researchers to gain practical skills that can be applied to therapeutic development. In addition, the Center will conduct outreach and networking activities designed to engage the research community, recruit investigators with innovative concepts, and provide access to infrastructure for conducting early translational experiments. This dual approach ensures that both the educational and technical needs of the research community are met. Funding under this program will be provided through a cooperative agreement mechanism, which indicates that NIH will be actively involved in supporting and monitoring the progress of the awardee. The estimated total program funding is $3,000,000, with one award expected. While the notice does not specify an award ceiling or floor, the total amount available suggests a significant investment in the Center. The expected project start date is September 1, 2026, following an estimated award date of the same day. NIH emphasizes that this notice is for planning purposes only, and applications are not being accepted at this time. Instead, this forecast allows interested applicants to prepare meaningful collaborations and responsive proposals in advance of the official release. Eligible applicants for this funding opportunity include a broad range of organizations such as state governments, county and city governments, special district governments, independent school districts, public housing authorities, tribal governments (both federally recognized and non-federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations, nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status, public and private higher education institutions, small businesses, and other for-profit organizations. Additionally, foreign institutions, U.S. territories, faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, and agencies of the federal government are also eligible. This wide eligibility scope ensures that expertise from multiple sectors can be leveraged to advance SUD pharmacotherapeutics. The application timeline is projected as follows: the estimated post date for the funding announcement is November 21, 2025, with applications due by January 27, 2026. The award date and project start date are set for September 1, 2026. There are no pre-application deadlines or requirements mentioned in the forecast. Applications will not be accepted until the official notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) is posted. The opportunity is forecasted for Fiscal Year 2026 and is expected to recur, as it falls within NIH’s ongoing mission to support drug development research. The grant is authorized under Sections 301 and 405 of the Public Health Service Act, as amended (42 USC 241 and 284), and governed by applicable federal regulations. Applicants should note that NIH’s cooperative agreement mechanism means close coordination between the recipient and NIH staff will occur throughout the project. Interested applicants are encouraged to begin planning now to assemble the expertise, partnerships, and institutional support needed to establish a competitive application. The primary grant contact is Tam Nguyen, PhD, who can be reached by phone at (301) 451-1203 or via email at Tam.Nguyen@nih.gov for questions related to this forecasted opportunity.