Strategies to Link, Engage, and Retain Men with HIV in Care: Evaluation Provider

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is forecasting the cooperative agreement opportunity titled “Strategies to Link, Engage, and Retain Men with HIV in Care: Evaluation Provider.” This initiative is part of HRSA’s ongoing work under the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP), which supports comprehensive care for individuals living with HIV. The funding opportunity falls under the Special Projects of National Significance (SPNS), a program designed to evaluate innovative models of HIV care delivery and address gaps in care. The overarching goal is to improve the long-term health outcomes of men with HIV who are not consistently engaged or retained in care. This opportunity will fund a single recipient to serve as the Evaluation Provider (EP) in a national, multi-partner initiative. The EP will work in tandem with a separately funded Implementation Technical Assistance Provider (ITAP) and up to eight implementation sites that will be sub-awarded by the ITAP. While both the EP and ITAP will collaborate closely, their roles remain distinct: the EP will lead evaluation activities while the ITAP will oversee implementation support. The EP will be responsible for assessing the effectiveness and adaptability of HIV care interventions implemented across sites, ensuring that findings are generalizable and can be replicated nationally. The funded EP will be expected to use implementation science principles to assess how different interventions serve men with HIV who are disengaged from care. The evaluation approach must incorporate HRSA’s HIV/AIDS Bureau (HAB) Implementation Science Framework. The initiative emphasizes rapid-cycle learning, broad-scale implementation, and dissemination of findings grounded in human-centered design and adult learning methodologies. A strong focus will be placed on sustainability, with the expectation that successful practices be replicable and publicly disseminated through accessible, user-centered formats. Funding will be issued through a cooperative agreement, indicating that HRSA will be substantially involved in project oversight and guidance. The total estimated program funding is $1,300,000, with an award ceiling matching that full amount. No cost-sharing or matching is required. This forecasted opportunity is expected to be posted on April 1, 2026, with applications due by June 1, 2026. Applicants must submit electronically by 11:59 p.m. ET on the due date. The anticipated project start and award dates are both September 1, 2026. Eligible applicants include a broad range of public and nonprofit entities eligible under Parts A–D of Title XXVI of the Public Health Service Act. These include state and local governments, academic institutions, local health departments, tribal entities (federally and non-federally recognized), nonprofit hospitals and clinics, and community health centers supported under Section 330 of the PHS Act. Faith-based and community-based organizations are also eligible. This expansive eligibility ensures a wide array of qualified applicants may apply, provided they meet the structural and programmatic qualifications. For questions related to the opportunity, interested applicants may contact Tracy McClair at 301-945-5839 or via email at [email protected]. The funding aligns with the RWP2030 framework, which reaffirms commitment to quality HIV care and identifies strategies for reaching individuals not currently in care. The initiative’s timeline includes a forecast release in February 2026, with the application window spanning April through June 2026. Awards are scheduled to be made in September 2026.