National HIV/AIDS Grants and Contributions Funding Programs under the Federal Initiative to Address HIV/AIDS in Canada

INFORMATION
September 2005

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) is realigning its national HIV/AIDS grants and contributions (G&C) funding programs administered by the HIV/AIDS Policy, Coordination and Programs Division (HIV/AIDS Division).

The realignment is based on recommendations from a national program review completed in the spring of 2005. The purpose of the review was to assess whether PHAC national HIV/AIDS G&C funding was positioned to best contribute to the goals and policy directions of the Federal Initiative to Address HIV/AIDS in Canada. The review included a file review of national projects and consultations with key stakeholders, including non-governmental organizations, professional associations, provinces and territories, other federal departments and other divisions within PHAC.

Five National HIV/AIDS G&C Funds

The realignment will see the number of PHAC national HIV/AIDS funds reduced from seven under the Canadian Strategy on HIV/AIDS to five (see table below). The combined five funds will contribute to the achievement of the goals of the Federal Initiative by:

• Supporting a strong national voluntary sector response that will play a coordinating and leadership role in the response to HIV/AIDS;
• Supporting the engagement and direct, meaningful involvement of people living with and at risk of HIV/AIDS;
• Encouraging strategic collaboration and partnerships to address the risk factors of the disease and to achieve integrative approaches to disease prevention across sectors;
• Enhancing the capacity of individuals, organizations and communities to respond effectively to the epidemic;
• Gathering and exchanging HIV/AIDS information and knowledge and supporting the uptake and utilization of knowledge;
• Enabling the development of effective, informed and innovative policies and program interventions that are relevant nationally; and
• Enhancing a broader response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic and its underlying causes.

An additional aspect of the new funds will be a significant focus on outcomes. Strategic outcomes are being developed for each fund in alignment with the overall outcomes of the Federal Initiative. Each fund will then support specific activities and outputs that will contribute to the achievement of fund outcomes.

Fund	Focus1
National HIV/AIDS Voluntary Sector Response Fund	To enhance and sustain an effective voluntary sector response to HIV/AIDS in Canada.
Specific Populations HIV/AIDS Initiatives Fund	To address national policy and program priorities for people living with HIV/AIDS and those populations most vulnerable to HIV/AIDS in Canada.
National HIV/AIDS Information and Knowledge Exchange Fund	To ensure that reliable HIV/AIDS information is accessible and meaningful and can be used by individuals, professionals, organizations and communities to strengthen responses to HIV/AIDS across Canada.
National HIV/AIDS Demonstration Fund	To demonstrate and share the effectiveness of select front-line initiatives to build the evidence base and strengthen programmatic responses to HIV/AIDS.
Non-Reserve First Nations, Inuit and Métis Communities HIV/AIDS Project Fund2	To strengthen the ability of non-reserve First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities to respond effectively to HIV/AIDS.
1 The focus of each individual fund will be further defined during the request for proposal development process. 2 A review of the Non-Reserve Fund is nearing completion. Review recommendations will guide modifications to the Fund to strengthen its contribution to the Federal Initiative.

Upcoming Requests for Proposals

The HIV/AIDS Division will be releasing competitive requests for proposals (RFP) for each of the new funds starting this fall. Funding decisions under each RFP will be based on recommendations from proposal review committees whose membership will include individuals with HIV/AIDS expertise and national level policy and program development expertise, including people living with and at risk of HIV/AIDS. Each RFP will include clearly identified proposal review criteria.

The first RFP will be for the National HIV/AIDS Voluntary Sector Response Fund and will be released on September 21, 2005. Other solicitations will follow over the next six months.

All solicitations will be released on the PHAC HIV/AIDS Web site (www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/aids-sida). Please check the web site regularly for updates.

The Federal Initiative to Address HIV/AIDS in Canada

Launched in January 2005, the Federal Initiative is the federal government's renewed strategy to address HIV/AIDS in Canada. Building on the achievements of the Canadian Strategy on HIV/AIDS and with increased investment to $84.4 million annually by 2008-2009, the Federal Initiative lays out the federal government's role in leadership, coordination, knowledge development, awareness and direct support for front-line responses to address HIV/AIDS. The Federal Initiative also defines the federal government's commitment and contribution to the broad, Canada-wide action called for in Leading Together: Canada Takes Action on HIV/AIDS (2005-2010).

For more information on the Federal Initiative, please visit www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/aids-sida/

For information on Leading Together, please contact Fernand Comeau at Fernand_Comeau@phac-aspc.gc.ca.

Contact for More Information on PHAC National HIV/AIDS G&C Funding Programs

Neil Burke, A/Manager
Program Development and Evidence-Based Interventions Section
HIV/AIDS Policy, Coordination and Programs Division
Centre for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control
Public Health Agency of Canada
Room 1366
1st Floor, LCDC Building
Tunney's Pasture
Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0K9
Telephone: (613) 941-1313
E-mail: neil_burke@phac-aspc.gc.ca