The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) awarded a total of nearly $11 million in grants to 30 community-based organizations (CBOs) dedicated to reducing HIV transmissions and improving care for those living with the virus, specifically men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender people of color.

The grants will help deliver the latest in HIV prevention and care to these populations, including Truvada as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), which is a daily prevention pill for HIV-negative people at risk of HIV, and treatment as prevention (TasP), which refers to the fact that an HIV-positive person who takes daily meds and maintains an undetectable viral load has virtually no risk of transmitting the virus (the meds also improve the health of people living with HIV).

This is the first year of funding in a five-year program, according to a CDC press release, which states that 23 of the funded groups will mostly focus on young MSM of color and their partners, while seven of the groups will focus efforts on young transgender people of color.

Eligibility for the grants required that the CBOs be located in areas that are home to a significant number of young MSM of color already diagnosed with HIV. For a full list of the 30 CBOs, including their city and their grant amount, click here.

According to the press release, the CBOs will work to reach their high-impact prevention goals by:

  • Increasing HIV testing and linking those who test positive to HIV medical care
  • Increasing referrals to partner services
  • Providing prevention and essential support services for people living with HIV and those at high risk of becoming infected.

The grants were awarded through the CDC’s Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention (DHAP) under its PS17-1704 “Comprehensive High-Impact HIV Prevention Projects for Young Men of Color Who Have Sex with Men and Young Transgender Persons of Color” program.

To learn more about the basics of HIV prevention, including TasP and PrEP, click here.