PEPFAR Community Grants Program – South Africa

Deadline: 30-Apr-24

The U.S. Embassy South Africa through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) Community Grants Program of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to the Community Grants Program.

The program provides an opportunity for direct funding to community-based organizations in the districts with the highest HIV burden in South Africa to implement community-level interventions required to achieve the national HIV response. Organizations that are providing comprehensive person-centered services and evidenced-based interventions within HIV prevention and literacy, targeted case finding and/or community-based treatment care, treatment literacy and retention in care support for people living with HIV (PLHIV), including children and adolescents, key and priority populations are eligible to apply.

Program Objectives

• The Community Grants Program seeks applications from eligible entities to support the following tailored, person-centered services:
  • Targeted HIV Prevention – This includes targeted, evidence based prevention programs. Prevention programs may focus on one or more of the following categories:
    • Comprehensive HIV prevention (including promotion and facilitating linkage to PrEP, PEP, VMMC and condom distribution among others), targeting children, adolescents and young people, and men
    • Social Norms and Behavior Change (including stigma and discrimination)
    • Sexual and Gender based violence (GBV) and post-GBV care services
    • Key and Priority Populations
    • Positive parenting and family strengthening
  • Targeted HIV Case Finding Services – with the aim of identifying and newly testing, newly linking or re-linking diagnosed individuals to antiretroviral treatment (ART). Examples include using a strategic mix of modalities for identification, linkage, and retention in care (demonstrated evidence of treatment initiation and retention). Targeted HIV Case Finding Services should offer and support immediate linkage to treatment for those who are diagnosed HIV positive and/or comprehensive prevention services – examples include PrEP, PEP, VMMC, and condom distribution among others for those who test HIV negative. Target populations for these services are men, children (under 19’s) and adolescent girls and young women (AGYW). High yield modalities like communitylevel ethical index testing (also referred to as contact tracing, partner notification or partner services) should be prioritized.
  • Community-based Care and Treatment Support – This is service delivery specifically for people living with HIV (PLHIV) and/or HIV/TB co-infected, including children and adolescents affected by and living with HIV (C/ALHIV), as well as orphaned and vulnerable children. Activities may include facilitating linkage to care, treatment initiation and retention in care, adherence clubs, psychosocial support services, HIV literacy, treatment literacy, tracking and tracing of newly diagnosed and people who experience treatment interruption or are not fully virologically suppressed, community level case management, and family-based supportive interventions. Additionally, responses that prioritize underserved populations such as men, children and adolescents will be given preference.

Funding Information

• Total available funding: $ 1,841,771million
• Award amounts: Awards may range from a minimum of $30,000 (approximately R450,000) to a maximum of $50,000 (approximately R750,000).
• Length of performance period: 12 months – Grant implementation will be for one year with a maximum budget request of $50,000
• Number of awards anticipated: 40 awards (dependent on amounts)
• Anticipated program start date: October 1, 2024

Participants and Audiences

• All eligible community-based organizations are encouraged to apply, especially women, PLHIV, youth and key populations-led organizations serving these populations and other priority populations, as well as faith-based organizations.
  • Key populations include female sex workers, men who have sex with men, transgender persons, people in prisons and people who inject drugs.
  • Priority populations include adolescent girls and young women, adolescent boys and young men, adult men, clients of sex workers, displaced persons, military, mobile/migrant populations, and non-injecting drug users.

Priority Regions

• Organizations operating within the 27 PEPFAR priority districts are eligible to apply:
  • 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, King Cetshwayo, Zululand, Harry Gwala
  • Limpopo: Capricorn, Mopani
  • Mpumalanga: Ehlanzeni, Gert Sibande, Nkangala
  • North West: Bojanala Platinum, Dr. Kenneth Kaunda, Ngaka Modiri Molema
  • Western Cape: City of Cape Town (focusing on townships, informal settlements)
• Please note, applicants in HIV high burden areas from the areas noted above will be given preference for funding.

Eligibility Criteria

• The following organizations are eligible to apply:
  • Registered Non-Profit Organization (NPO), Non-Profit Company (NPC) or Trust in South Africa
  • Serve HIV-affected, infected and/or high-risk populations
  • Implementing within one or more of the 27 PEPFAR priority districts (listed above)
  • In operation for at least two years
  • Not receiving any other direct funding from the U.S. Government
  • Not receiving funding as a sub-recipient of a PEPFAR implementing partner
  • If an organization is a previous Community Grants Program recipient, the previous award must have closed more than two years prior to the start of this grant period, which means prior to October 1, 2022.

For more information, visit U.S. Embassy & Consulates in South Africa.