Integrated Viral Hepatitis Surveillance and Prevention Funding for Health Departments Supplement

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), operating under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), continues to support public health infrastructure and infectious disease surveillance through targeted cooperative agreements. This specific funding opportunity, CDC-RFA-PS21-21030301SUPP23, represents a supplemental funding mechanism available only to recipients currently funded under the original initiative CDC-RFA-PS21-2103, titled “Integrated Viral Hepatitis Surveillance and Prevention Funding for Health Departments.” The overarching aim is to enhance the capacity of health departments to detect, prevent, and respond to hepatitis B and C infections, particularly through advanced surveillance techniques and by expanding access to testing and linkage to care. This supplement prioritizes two distinct but complementary areas. Component 1 focuses on integrating genomic and epidemiological surveillance to enable timely detection and response to hepatitis C virus (HCV) outbreaks and transmission clusters. This work entails building an integrated system that combines molecular and case surveillance data to facilitate more proactive public health responses. Component 2 aims to expand routine testing and care linkage for hepatitis B virus (HBV) and HCV in high-impact settings such as syringe services programs (SSPs), correctional facilities, emergency departments, and sexually transmitted infection clinics. Applicants may seek funding for either or both components, allowing them to tailor their approach based on local needs and capacity. The funding is structured as a cooperative agreement, meaning the CDC anticipates substantial involvement with funded recipients throughout the performance period. While the total available supplemental funding is approximately $250,000, the specific amount awarded per recipient is not detailed. Up to 10 awards may be issued under this supplement. Notably, this opportunity does not require a cost-sharing or matching component, easing the burden for eligible applicants. The assistance listing associated with this funding opportunity is 93.270 – Viral Hepatitis Prevention and Control. Eligibility is strictly limited to entities that are already recipients of funding under the original CDC-RFA-PS21-2103 initiative. This ensures continuity and supports the scaling of programs that are already operational and have proven capacity in hepatitis prevention. No other applicants will be considered. The eligibility clarification underscores the closed nature of the competition, emphasizing that it is a targeted supplement rather than a new funding stream. Applicants were initially directed to submit by March 20, 2023, but the deadline was later extended to March 27, 2023. Applications must be submitted electronically by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the closing date. There is no mention of a pre-application phase such as a letter of intent, and no recurring submission cycle is indicated, suggesting that this is a one-time supplement. As a supplemental notice of funding opportunity (NOFO), this grant builds directly on previous awards rather than constituting a standalone opportunity. Applicants with questions or needing access support are directed to contact Clarisse Tsang via the provided email address, [email protected]. No phone number or direct link to a PDF document is included in the provided material. Given the nature of this supplement, evaluation is likely to focus on how well proposed activities align with the stated goals of enhancing surveillance and expanding testing, and how efficiently they can be implemented within the scope of existing programs.