Note: We are re-sharing this post from late November since the deadline for sharing your ideas for both of these HIV and aging challenges is approaching on January 31. You could receive a cash prize and technical assistance to support development and small-scale testing of your concept to improve outcomes for people aging with HIV and long-term survivors!

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH) Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy (OIDP) and the HHS Administration for Community Living (ACL) are thrilled to announce a partnership on two national prize competitions ($500,000 each) that focus on innovative efforts that help improve health outcomes for people aging with HIV and long-term survivors, particularly among racial and ethnic minority and LGBTQ+ populations, in either rural or urban areas. The challenges are:

• “Innovations for Needs of People Aging with HIV/Long-term Survivors in Urban Communities” Challenge and
• “$500,000 Rural HIV and Aging Challenge”

Because people with HIV living in urban and rural settings are diverse populations and interventions that may work in one geographic location may not work in another, both competitions seek effective community-based solutions for addressing the needs of people aging with HIV and long-term survivors.

“Although people 50 and older tend to visit healthcare providers more frequently, discussion about sex and substance use behaviors are less likely to come up with their providers. They are also impacted by HIV and age-related stigma,” said Kaye Hayes, MPA, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Infectious Disease & Director, OIDP. “Addressing the needs of our communities aging with HIV is a critical focus of my office because this population also experiences special challenges and is susceptible to other chronic diseases and experienc[es] social isolation and loneliness.”

People over 50 currently make up more than half of those living with HIV in the United States and this number is growing because of the effectiveness of antiretroviral therapies and new diagnoses within this age group. Eighteen thousand people, age 50 and older, are estimated to have undiagnosed HIV, which significantly affects health outcomes, as they are often late getting into HIV care and treatment compared to younger people.

“Much has changed since the early years of the HIV epidemic, when life expectancy was months, not decades. Now, people with HIV are living and thriving well into later life,” said Edwin Walker, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Aging, ACL. “This is good news, but it means that policymakers, clinicians, service providers, communities, and advocates face new challenges. Addressing the needs of older people as they age with HIV requires innovative solutions to complex issues.”

Information on Applying for Challenges

These challenges provide a more streamlined and simplified application process than other federal funding opportunities. They also offer an opportunity for individuals and organizations whose limited resources prevent them from applying for federal funding to submit concepts for the Federal Government’s consideration. These challenges are sponsored by the Minority HIV/AIDS Fund (MHAF), which aims to improve HIV prevention, care, and treatment for racial and ethnic minorities through supporting innovative solutions that address critical emerging needs; and by working to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and impact of federal investments in HIV programs and services for racial and ethnic minorities. The challenges are also part of actions identified in the National HIV/AIDS Strategy Federal Implementation Plan (PDF, 706KB) to develop and optimize collaborative multi-agency and multi-sectoral approaches and strategies to address emergent and evolving challenges facing people of all ages living with HIV.

Applications are due January 31, 2023, at 5:00 pm ET. For more information about the challenges and how to submit a proposal, please visit the challenge-specific pages below. Stay tuned for a Live with Leadership with Kaye Hayes and Edwin Walker in early December 2022!

• “Innovations for Needs of People Aging with HIV/Long-term Survivors in Urban Communities”
• “$500,000 Rural HIV and Aging Challenge.”