AFC Establishes New Grantmaking Initiatives For Healthcare Advocacy, Prevention for Positives

CHICAGO -- The AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC) has created two, new funding initiatives designed to expand the availability of healthcare for HIV-positive people and actively involve people living with HIV/AIDS in risk-reduction activities.

The initiatives, known as Access to Healthcare and Prevention for Positives, were announced in January as part of AFC's newly issued grant proposal guidelines for 2002. As in years past, AFC is also accepting funding proposals through its general grantmaking cycle, which will fund an array of AIDS-related prevention, care, and advocacy projects.

AFC's Board of Directors decided to create the initiatives in order to spur the development of new models in HIV prevention education and to identify and pursue new strategies in meeting the medical needs of the growing HIV-positive, uninsured population.

"We believe that focusing grant funds on these critical areas will greatly enhance the region's system of AIDS prevention and care, and will advance systems-level advocacy to make healthcare more accessible for low-income people with HIV/AIDS," said Mark Ishaug, AFC executive director.

Through the Access to Healthcare initiative, AFC will select and fund a limited number of projects pursuing healthcare expansion systems advocacy. Funded activities may include research, material development, strategy and policy formulation, and educational activities, including legislative outreach.

Through the Prevention for Positives initiative, AFC will support community agencies in developing prevention services for people living with HIV. The goal of the project is to identify effective prevention models to reduce the transmission of HIV and improve the quality of life of those living with HIV/AIDS. The initiative will provide funding, coordination, and ongoing evaluation of specific interventions.

For each initiative, AFC will convene a mandatory bidders' conference for agencies interested in applying for grants. Conference participants will engage in a brainstorming discussion, which will aid AFC in further development of the initiatives. The Prevention for Positives bidders' conference will be held on Wednesday, January 30, 2002, at AFC, from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon. The Access to Healthcare bidders' conference will be held at AFC on Tuesday, February 5, from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon. There will be no bidders' conference for the general grantmaking cycle.

Established in 1985, the AIDS Foundation of Chicago is the Midwest's largest source of private philanthropic support for HIV/AIDS prevention and care programs. Since it began making grants in 1988, AFC has given away more than $11 million to support AIDS prevention, education, care, and advocacy programs. In addition, AFC helps to coordinate the delivery of essential HIV/AIDS services, maintains a 135-member Service Providers Council, and promotes sound HIV/AIDS policy and law at the local, state and federal level.

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