HIV and AIDS Community Grants Program | COMMGRANTSHIVAIDS17

Opportunity Information: Apply for COMMGRANTSHIVAIDS17

The HIV and AIDS Community Grants Program is a U.S. Mission to South Africa grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number: COMMGRANTSHIVAIDS17; CFDA 19.029) designed to support community-level organizations that contribute to South Africa's national HIV response. The program emphasizes evidence-based interventions that help prevent new HIV infections, strengthen HIV care and support, and tackle the social conditions that can keep people from accessing services or staying in care. In practice, this means the grant is not limited to clinical or health messaging alone; it also supports work that reduces stigma and discrimination and advances democracy, governance, and human rights where these issues directly affect HIV outcomes.

Funding preference is given to organizations serving key and priority populations, people living with HIV (PLHIV), orphans and vulnerable children and youth (OVCY), and adolescent girls and young women (AGYW). The rationale is that reaching HIV epidemic control requires both solid prevention and treatment support on the ground and deliberate efforts to address social, cultural, and legal barriers that raise HIV risk or block access to health services. As a result, proposals can focus on direct HIV prevention activities, community-based treatment adherence and psychosocial support, linkage to care, and initiatives that promote rights and reduce HIV-related stigma and discrimination. The program also recognizes that community impact depends on organizational strength, so capacity building tied directly to HIV programming (such as monitoring and evaluation systems, case management capacity, and similar operational improvements) may be considered for funding.

Projects must be community-rooted and able to demonstrate local buy-in. Applicants are expected to show that the proposed work will have a direct impact in the local community and that the community supports the effort through contributions such as local funding, labor, or in-kind services. Successful applicants must also be able to set clear performance goals and indicators and deliver outputs on time, with results that can be externally verified. Because this opportunity aligns with PEPFAR-related expectations, funded organizations must monitor, measure, and report results in line with PEPFAR reporting requirements, including electronic reporting. A sustainability expectation is built in as well: once the grant period ends, the organization should be able to continue the work independently or with follow-on support from the community and/or other donors.

Grant sizes and timelines are structured for small to mid-sized community projects. The average award in FY16 was about USD 33,000, typically for one or two years. The award ceiling is USD 50,000 (noted as roughly ZAR 650,000 using an exchange rate assumption of 13 rand to 1 dollar), and the maximum implementation period is two years. Proposals requesting less funding and/or a shorter period are considered equally. Awards are made in U.S. dollars, and the recipient is responsible for any exchange-rate risk over the life of the grant.

Geographic eligibility is limited to specific districts, and applicants should ensure their proposal aligns with the listed areas. Eligible districts include: Eastern Cape (Alfred Nzo, Buffalo City, Chris Hani, O R Tambo, Amatole), Free State (Lejweleputswa, Thabo Mofutsanyane), Gauteng (City of Johannesburg, City of Tshwane, Ekurhuleni, Sedibeng), KwaZulu-Natal (eThekwini, Ugu, uMgungundlovu, uThukela, uThungulu/King Cetshwayo, Zululand, Harry Gwala), Limpopo (Capricorn, Mopani), Mpumalanga (Ehlanzeni, Gert Sibande, Nkangala), North West (Bojanala Platinum, Dr. Kenneth Kaunda, Ngaka Modiri Molema), and Western Cape (City of Cape Town with a focus on townships and informal settlements). Organizations may submit one application per registered organization, but they can propose implementation across more than one geographic region if they clearly specify this in the application.

Programmatically, the solicitation highlights three broad areas (noted for 2016): (1) Orphans, Vulnerable Children and Youth (OVCY), (2) community-based HIV care, treatment, and support plus HIV prevention and awareness (including key populations), and (3) human rights and governance work related to HIV. The overall theme across these areas is measurable community impact that improves prevention and care outcomes while reducing stigma and strengthening rights-based access to services.

To be eligible, applicants must be registered non-profit organizations in South Africa, must serve HIV-affected and "at risk" populations, and must have been operating for at least two years. Administrative requirements include the ability to apply and report in English, submit reports electronically, obtain a DUNS number, and complete and submit the SF-424 form as part of the application package. The opportunity was posted on 2016-12-09 with an original closing date of 2017-03-15, and it is categorized as a grant instrument in the health activity area under an earmark opportunity category.

• The U.S. Mission to South Africa in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "HIV and AIDS Community Grants Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.029.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2016-12-09.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2017-03-15. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $50,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for COMMGRANTSHIVAIDS17

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