Background

The Ending the Epidemic Grant is a New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute-funded initiative, which supports FPWA member organizations that provide HIV/AIDS outreach, awareness, education, testing, and medical services to hard-to-reach, at-risk, and underserved New Yorkers. Through the combined efforts of participating organizations, we can maintain the momentum of Ending the HIV/AIDS Epidemic beyond 2020.

FPWA will make available six grants of $5,000 each to member agencies who provide HIV/AIDS services and outreach. The grant term is eight (8) months, beginning October 15, 2020 to June 15, 2021. Due to the uncertain nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, all required grant activities may be hosted virtually if in-person gatherings remain limited and/or unsafe.

Requirements

Only FPWA member organizations current on their 2020 membership dues are eligible to apply. In addition, organizations must:

1. Identify at least one (1) staff person that is qualified to implement the below deliverables
2. Participate in all quarterly meetings to advance the work of the initiative
3. Be responsive to communications from FPWA regarding the program and deliverables including FPWA check-in phone calls, as needed

Guidelines and Deliverables

Grantees will be expected to conduct outreach to community members about testing services, education around safety, and information about preventative medications. Efforts undertaken by grantees shall include the following:

• Raising awareness around HIV/AIDS through informational materials and outreach (virtually or in-person, if possible)
• Participate in AIDS Institute “PrEP Aware” Campaign and at least five (5) National Awareness Day social media campaigns or ETE Learning Series events (dates below)
• Attending quarterly grantee meetings to share information, resources, challenges, and updates
• Organize and conduct at least two (2) community-level intervention activities/events. We encourage grantees to consider which intervention activities they currently offer that might qualify or be amended to qualify.

To qualify as a community-level intervention activity/event, at least two of the following must be included:

• Outreach to community members through flyers, email, social media, phone, or in-person invitations
• Referral information to HIV/AIDS services providers including counseling and other supportive and mental health providers.
• Informational materials explaining the HIV-prevention drugs Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)/Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP)
• An enrollment station for HIV-prevention drugs Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)/Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP)
• A registered nurse, doctor, or qualified HIV/AIDS specialist to conduct testing and referral efforts, as well as answer questions from the community

• Submitting interim and final reports in accordance with the deadlines set by FPWA.
  • Interim and final reports must include:
    • Progress updates towards deliverables, such as planning and outreach efforts to hold two community-level intervention activities, PrEP/PEP enrollment, and linkage to other HIV/AIDS related care.
    • Number of people attending community intervention activities (or other measure of engagement), number of individuals tested (if applicable), number of people given HIV/AIDS counseling/ referrals.
    • Financial reporting to substantiate release of funds. Grantees are expected to maintain expenditure receipts and reports demonstrating agency usage of funds against budget. FPWA and DOH may request documentation to substantiate expenditures outside of regular reports as needed.
  • Your $5,000 budget may cover salary for staff time, materials, or other costs directly associated with meeting grant deliverables.

FPWA will be available as a resource to answer questions and provide support regarding the grant guidelines, as well as to help grantees think creatively about developing partnerships with other organizations in service of completing their project goals. FPWA shall also support outreach efforts by sharing grant-related events with our membership.

General Grant Timeline

Mandatory Meeting Schedule (subject to change)

FPWA Actions and Social Media Campaigns

The AIDS Institute is a New York State Department of Health initiative committed to eliminating new infections, improving the health and well-being of persons living with HIV, AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases and viral hepatitis, and improving LGBT and drug user health. Governor Andrew M. Cuomo detailed a three-point plan to move closer to the end of the AIDS epidemic in New York State. The goal is to reduce the number of new HIV infections to just 750 [from an estimated 3,000] by the end of 2020 and achieve the first ever decrease in HIV prevalence in New York State. Ending the Epidemic (ETE) in New York State will maximize the availability of life-saving, transmission-interrupting treatment for HIV, saving lives and improving the health of New Yorkers. You can learn more about these efforts at: health.ny.gov/diseases/aids/ending_the_epidemic/.