NIDA Avenir Program: Fundamental Mechanistic Research in Addiction Science
View forecast on Grants.gov →Forecasted — not yet open
- Posted
- September 10, 2026
- Closes
- See announcement
- Award ceiling
- $375,000
- Program funding
- $3,000,000
- Expected awards
- 5
- Cost sharing
- No
- Instrument
- Grant
- Assistance listing
- 93.279
- Category
- Health
Program funding history
Awards made under Assistance Listing 93.279 across FY2025–FY2027, from public federal spending records.
- FY2025 obligated
- $1.5B
- FY2026 obligated
- $1.5B
- FY2027 (to date) obligated
- $0
- Awards in window
- 4,922
Top recipients: Yale Univ, The Johns Hopkins University, University of California, San Diego, University of Pittsburgh - of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education, Regents of the University of Michigan
Source: USAspending.gov · refreshed October 2026 · Program page: awards, recipients and the opportunities under this listing →
Synopsis
Avenir, the French word for "future," reflects NIDA's commitment to developing the next generation of leaders in addiction science. Since 2015, the Avenir Program has supported exceptionally creative early stage investigators (ESIs) in launching innovative research programs. NIDA is now expanding this program to support bold mechanistic research across a broader range of addiction science, including genetic, epigenetic, molecular, cellular, circuit, chemical, pharmacological, behavioral, and cognitive processes relevant to Substance Use Disorders (SUDs).
This initiative is intended to catalyze high-risk, high-reward research and attract outstanding new investigators, including those from outside the addiction field. Applications proposing novel, unconventional, or interdisciplinary wet-lab and/or data science approaches to advance understanding of the mechanisms underlying SUDs are encouraged. The Avenir Program is designed for ESIs who may lack the preliminary data needed for an R01 application but propose high-impact research and show strong potential to become future leaders in fundamental mechanistic addiction science.
Grant authorities that allow NIDA to forecast this opportunity are 42 U.S.C. §§ 241 and 284.
Who can apply
- Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
- Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)
- Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
- For profit organizations other than small businesses
- Special district governments
- Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
- County governments
- Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
- Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
- Independent school districts
- City or township governments
- State governments
- Small businesses
Other Eligible ApplicantsIndian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized);Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government;U.S. Territory or Possession;Faith-based or Community-based Organizations;Regional Organizations;
How to apply
Applications go through the official government listing. Grants Radar links you straight to the source — applying is free.
New to federal funding? How to read an announcement · Who can apply · How grants work
Tell me when this program posts again
One email the morning after this program opens for applications — under this number or a new one — and one more about a week before it closes (the next morning, if it is already closer than that). That is all this sends — it is not a newsletter signup.
Get grants like this every Tuesday — free
One email a week: the biggest new federal grants and what’s closing soon — the same list for everyone. Unsubscribe any time.
Similar grants
- NIDA Mentored Clinical Scientist Development Program Award in Substance Use and Substance Use Disorder Research (K12 Clinical Trial Optional)
- Avant Garde/Avenir Awards for Investigators Conducting High Risk/High Reward Research on HIV and Substance Use (or Substance Use Disorders) (DP1 Clinical Trial Optional)
- HEAL Initiative: Translating Addiction Epidemiology, Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Research into Practice (R61/R33 - Clinical Trial Optional)
- Science Track Award for Research Transition (START) Program (R03, Clinical Trial Optional)
- NIDA Core "Center of Transformative Science" Grant Program
- Ethical, Legal and Social Implications (ELSI) Small Research Grant (R03 Clinical Trial Optional)
Same-day alerts, matched to you
The free digest is weekly — the same list for everyone. Members get every open federal grant scored to their organization — and an alert the day a real match posts: we read every new posting the day it opens. Free for 30 days, then $29/mo. Card required, cancel any time before day 31.
Not ready for a subscription? A one-time Fit Report — $29 — scores every open federal grant to your organization once, by email within one business day.
See pricing