Improving HIV treatment in the Dominican Republic (DR) under the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has announced a forecasted funding opportunity aimed at improving HIV treatment in the Dominican Republic through the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). This cooperative agreement initiative aligns with CDC's global health mission and continues PEPFAR’s strategy to reduce HIV/AIDS prevalence worldwide. The anticipated Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), coded CDC-RFA-JG-26-0185, is expected to be published on December 2, 2025, with a projected application deadline of February 17, 2026. The overarching purpose of this program is to enhance the quality of clinical HIV services for people living with HIV (PLHIV) in the Dominican Republic. It specifically emphasizes increasing access to HIV testing, the provision of antiretroviral treatment, tuberculosis preventive therapy (TPT), and long-term treatment adherence to promote viral suppression. One of the focal communities of this initiative includes Haitian migrants and their descendants, highlighting a priority for addressing disparities within vulnerable populations. Applicants are expected to follow international standards in delivering services to ensure efficacy and sustainability. The CDC anticipates an approximate total of $5.6 million to be made available for Year 1, contingent upon the availability of appropriated funds. However, the current forecast lists the Year 1 award ceiling as $0, a placeholder figure typically used in forecasts and not reflective of the actual funding to be distributed. A total of two awards are expected to be issued under this cooperative agreement. The opportunity is open to a wide range of eligible applicants, including but not limited to state and local governments, public and private institutions of higher education, tribal governments, for-profit entities (including small businesses), nonprofits regardless of their 501(c)(3) status, and housing authorities. This broad eligibility scope is reflective of the cooperative nature of the funding and the emphasis on implementation capacity in the target region. All entities must be capable of executing health programs in international contexts, particularly in the Dominican Republic. Applications must be submitted electronically via Grants.gov no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the posted due date. The estimated award date and project start date are both set for September 30, 2026. The opportunity is not subject to any matching or cost-sharing requirements, and additional documents or pre-application steps have not yet been specified. Interested applicants are encouraged to monitor the Grants.gov portal for updates when the final NOFO is posted. For inquiries related to this funding opportunity, applicants should contact the designated point of contact listed as “DGHT NOFOs” at the email address pepfarfoas@cdc.gov. This forecasted opportunity represents a significant contribution to global HIV/AIDS response strategies and offers a timely funding mechanism for institutions with relevant expertise to engage in international health improvement work.