By Larry Tate
March 3, 2003

The U.S. Conference of Mayors has provided awards of more than $600,000 in HIV/AIDS prevention grants to 10 community-based groups and one health department throughout the country. These awards represent the Conference's 19th round of grants since 1985, all to non-profit organizations and local health departments for prevention programs for high-risk populations.

This year eight of these organizations will conduct HIV prevention programs for gay/bisexual men of color, variously targeting African American, Hispanic, and Asian men. The other three organizations will conduct HIV prevention programs for Native Americans.

The competitive one-year grants for HIV/AIDS prevention for gay/bisexual men of color were awarded to the following organizations:

• Nashville CARES will use its grant of $36,304 to target young gay/bisexual African American men.
• Helping Individual Prostitutes Survive of Washington (DC) will use its grant of $64,280 to target gay and transgender African American sex workers.
• San Antonio Metropolitan Health District will use its grant of $64,194 to target gay/bisexual African American men.
• Asian Americans for Community Involvement of San Jose (CA) will use its grant of $66,000 to target gay/bisexual Chinese, Vietnamese and Filipino men.
• Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers will use its grant of $65,996 to target gay/bisexual Cape Verdean men.
• Lester and Rosalie Anixter Center of Chicago will use its $60,000 grant to target gay and transgender Hispanic men.

Special half-year grants to continue successful programs previously funded were awarded to the following organizations:

• Whitman-Walker Clinic of Washington (DC) will use its $33,000 grant to continue targeting gay/bisexual Hispanic men in the Maryland suburbs.
• My Brothaz HOME of Savannah (GA) will use its grant of $32,000 to continue targeting gay/bisexual African American men.

The competitive one-year grants for HIV/AIDS prevention for Native Americans were awarded to the following organizations:

• Upper Midwest American Indian Center of Minneapolis will use its grant of $60,000 to target high-risk Native American youth.
• Hunter Health Clinic of Wichita will use its grant of $60,000 to target gay/bisexual Native men and Natives with substance-abuse problems.
• Great Falls Indian Family Health Center of Great Falls, MT, will use its grant of $60,000 to target gay/bisexual Native men and high-risk Native youth.

Since 1985, the Conference of Mayors, in cooperation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has awarded nearly $12.6 million in HIV/AIDS prevention grants. Since 1992, the Conference has taken the lead in issues affecting gay/bisexual men of color, conducting a national HIV prevention needs assessment as well as 48 local HIV prevention projects. And, since 1995, the Conference has awarded 17 local programs for Native Americans, a unique group whose needs are inadequately addressed in many areas. As per our cooperative agreement, the Conference will be awarding another round of HIV prevention grants in late 2003.

Continue to check usmayors.org for more information on upcoming funding opportunities.