CDC Awards $49 Million to Support HIV Prevention Efforts in Communities Across the United States

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today awarded $49 million to directly fund community-based organizations (CBOs) in a nationwide effort to prevent HIV infection. One hundred forty-two CBOs will receive awards averaging approximately $345,000. Awards will be distributed July 1, 2004.

"Community-based organizations are critical to our efforts to reduce HIV infections in the United States,” said Dr. Robert Janssen, director of CDC’s HIV prevention programs. "We are proud to put HIV prevention dollars in the hands of the local organizations that know best how to address HIV/AIDS in their communities.”

The awards support CDC’s Advancing HIV Prevention Initiative, the comprehensive strategy to reduce new HIV infections in the United States, launched by CDC in 2003. Community-based organizations will use the funds to implement HIV prevention interventions for people living with HIV, their partners, and individuals at high risk for infection. The funds will also support counseling, voluntary HIV testing and referral services, and health education and risk reduction.

About 37 percent of the organizations receiving awards primarily target men who have sex with men (MSM), 41 percent target heterosexual men and women, and 22 percent target injection drug users. Many of the organizations serve more than one population. A complete list of organizations receiving awards accompanies this release.

People of color continue to be a high priority for CDC’s HIV prevention efforts. Of CBOs receiving funds this year, 82 percent conduct prevention programs targeting African Americans, Asians and Pacific Islanders, Latinos and American Indians – populations disproportionately affected by HIV. The CBO awards follow the announcement in April of CDC’s capacity-building program awards. That effort provided $21 million to 27 national, regional and local organizations to enhance HIV prevention efforts in communities of color.

CDC has directly funded local HIV prevention services since 1989. The 2004 community-based organization awards are part of CDC’s $788 million budget for domestic HIV prevention.

Through the Advancing HIV Prevention Initiative, CDC is working with national and local partners to increase access to early diagnosis and treatment through use of rapid HIV testing; to make HIV testing a routine part of the medical care for high-risk individuals; to strengthen HIV prevention services for people living with HIV; and to further reduce the number of infants born with HIV infection.

CBOs Recommended for HIV Prevention Funding

For more information, visit: www.cdc.gov/hiv.

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