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COMPASS Initiative^® Community Investment Opportunities
Investing in the community means providing resources, skills, and support to those at the frontline of the HIV epidemic. It also acknowledges the unique barriers to care that many communities in the South experience. The community investments provided by the COMPASS Initiative® will focus on addressing these barriers by increasing organizational capacity, building awareness, reducing HIV-related stigma, advancing education, sharing knowledge, and promoting the wellbeing of individuals through mental health services and trauma-informed care.

Grants

Transformative Grants 2024

In addition to numerous structural and geographic barriers, there is a need for more intentional funding and directed efforts to eliminate HIV-related health inequities. The Transformative Grant provides direct and indirect funding to organizations working in the Southern United States to support the development of programs and activities that align with programmatic focus areas of the COMPASS Initiative® and builds the overall capacity of organizations across the U.S. South.

Transformative Grants provide HIV-serving organizations and faith-based organizations with funding and resources to enhance their capacity, such as provision and sustainability of high quality and accessible HIV education and care. Capacity building is an ongoing effort that aims to build knowledge and improve the skills of organizational staff to positively change an organization’s structures and systems in order to better serve communities. Capacity building is an investment that ultimately strengthens an organization’s mission, improves effectiveness and future sustainability, and most importantly, improves services for communities. This includes strengthening organizational infrastructure; creating upstream (structural) interventions planning like housing or transportation initiatives; developing grassroots, evidence-based, and/or anti-stigma interventions to enhance community mental health and wellness; and building brave and inclusive narrative spaces for LGBTQ+ persons to seek healing in community; and exploring faith and spirituality.

Focus Area: Building Organizational Capacity
Lead Coordinating Center: Emory University Rollins School of Public Health
This initiative will allow applicants to seek funding to support organizational capacity building activities in at least one of three focus areas: 1) Sustaining and Advancing Initiatives, 2) Organizational Mentoring and Twining and/or 3) Community/System Level Interventions.

Focus Area: Wellbeing, Mental Health, Trauma-Informed Care, Substance Use, and Telehealth
Lead Coordinating Center: University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work
This initiative will focus on organizational change in trauma informed care, to include but not limited to, wellness, mental health, substance use (especially opioid use), and telehealth and its intersection with HIV in the Southern United States.

Focus Area: Reducing HIV-Related Stigma
Lead Coordinating Center: Southern AIDS Coalition
This initiative will focus on supporting the design, implementation, and evaluation of interventions to reduce HIV-related stigma.

Focus Area: Faith-Based Advocacy and Spiritually Integrated Capacity Building
Lead Coordinating Center: Wake Forest University School of Divinity
This initiative will focus on building the capacity of faith leaders’ understanding of and engagement with their communities’ health challenges and opportunities, and equipping them to co-create with key community partners new holistic strategies for addressing HIV/AIDS and related health concerns.

Applications received AFTER 11:59PM CST, (12:59 AM ET) on April 11, 2024, WILL NOT BE REVIEWED or CONSIDERED for participation.

Scholarship to Attend Trauma Informed Training for Case Managers in the South

The SUSTAIN Wellbeing COMPASS Coordinating Center is excited to announce the launch of our first continuing education opportunity for case managers, service linkage workers, and those in similar roles who provide services to people living with or impacted by HIV in the US South. The 2-day in-person training on Trauma-informed Case Management will be held in Houston, Texas on Wednesday, December 6th and Thursday, December 7th, 2023 from 9am to 4pm. 20 selected participants will receive $4,000 to cover travel costs to and from the training (flight, hotel, food, Uber, and any other costs associated with the travel to and from training) and compensation for their time. Breakfast and lunch will be provided by SUSTAIN on both days.

Applications received AFTER 11:59PM EST October 22, 2023, WILL NOT BE REVIEWED or CONSIDERED for participation.

2024 SPARK!

Southern AIDS Coalition is accepting applications for the 2024 SPARK! Grants. SPARK!--Southerners Promoting Awareness Resources and Knowledge supports organizations addressing HIV-related stigma and increase community-level knowledge through programming and campaigns.

In various aspects of knowledge and research, a gap still exists in how our communities address information about HIV and AIDS. Despite progress, stigma continues to impede effective HIV prevention and support. The key lies in community education, serving as a crucial tool to dispel misinformation, challenge stereotypes, and cultivate a precise understanding of HIV transmission and treatment. Ultimately, this fosters an environment marked by empathy and support.Grants will be awarded in two tracks: SPARK Action! SPARK Change!

SPARK! will provide funding and capacity building support totaling $25,000 per grantee to support programs.

For more detailed information click here. Applications received AFTER 11:59PM EST on March 15, 2024, WILL NOT BE REVIEWED or CONSIDERED for participation.

ACTION Trauma-Informed Spaces (TIS)

ACTION Trauma-Informed Spaces is a grant of up to $15,000 that supports Southern HIV service organizations to change their spaces to be more trauma-informed and healing-centered. The space can be anywhere your organization works, such as offices, mobile units, virtual, indoors or outdoors. Organizations will create a trauma-informed space by applying the six principles of trauma-informed care. The deadline to apply March 1, 2024, at 11:59 pm EST / 10:59 pm CST.

ACTION Espacios Informados sobre el Trauma (TIS)
ACTION Espacios Informados sobre el Trauma es una subvención de hasta $15,000 que ayuda a organizaciones de servicios para el VIH del Sur a cambiar sus espacios para que estén más informados sobre el trauma y centrados en la sanación. El espacio puede ser cualquier lugar en el que trabaje su organización, como oficinas, unidades móviles, virtuales, interiores o exteriores. Las organizaciones crearán un espacio centrado en el cuidado informado sobre el trauma aplicando los seis principios del cuidado informado sobre el trauma.

For more detailed information click here. Applications received AFTER 11:59PM CST on March 1,2024, WILL NOT BE REVIEWED or CONSIDERED for participation.

La fecha límite de solicitud es el 1 de marzo del 2024 a las 11:59 pm EST / 10:59 pm CST

2024 ACTION Language Justice

ACTION Language Justice is a grant and capacity building opportunity for HIV Service Organizations led by or serving people living with HIV or most systematically impacted by HIV such as Black, Brown, Indigenous, lesbian/gay/bisexual/queer (LGBQ), same gender loving (SGL), cisgender women and men, transgender, nonbinary, or gender non-conforming (T/GNC) people. ACTION Language Justice 2024 supports HIV Service Organizations to implement projects that address HIV and Language Justice.

As a grant, ACTION Language Justice will provide up to $55,000. The purpose of the funds are to support the development and implementation of language justice projects. $55,000 will be awarded to support costs related to implementing your project and 2 participants’ travel for the in-person gathering in Houston, TX on August 14-16, 2024. As a capacity-building opportunity, ACTION Language Justice 2024 will provide training and coaching to implement language justice strategies in your programs or at your organization. We are proud to continue our partnership with our Language Justice consultants, Tecolotl, to work closely with the 2024 cohort. No prior knowledge of Language Justice is required to participate.

2024 ACTION Justicia Lingüística

ACTION Justicia Lingüística es una oportunidad de subvención y desarrollo de capacidades para las Organizaciones de Servicios para el VIH dirigidas por o que atienden a personas que viven con el VIH o más sistemáticamente afectadas por el VIH, como las personas negras, morenas, indígenas, lesbianas/gays/bisexuales/queer (LGBQ), amantes del mismo género (SGL, por sus siglas en inglés), mujeres y hombres cisgénero, personas transgénero, no binarias o de género no conforme (T/GNC, por sus siglas en inglés). La 2024 ACTION Justicia Lingüística apoya a las organizaciones de servicios para el VIH para que pongan en marcha proyectos que aborden el VIH y la justicia lingüística.

Como subvención, ACTION Justicia Lingüística aportará hasta $55,000. El propósito de los fondos es apoyar el desarrollo y la implementación de proyectos de justicia lingüística. Además, se destinarán $3,000 a apoyar a 2 personas de su organización para que viajen a Houston, Texas, del 14 al 16 de agosto de 2024 para asistir a talleres presenciales, recibir asesoramiento y participar en espacios de trabajo colaborativo. Como una oportunidad de desarrollo de capacidades, 2024 ACTION Justicia Lingüística proporcionará capacitación y orientación para implementar estrategias de justicia lingüística en sus programas o en su organización. Estamos orgulloses de continuar nuestra asociación con nuestres consultores de Justicia Lingüística, Tecolotl, para trabajar estrechamente con el grupo de 2024. No es necesario tener conocimientos previos de Justicia Lingüística para participar.

For more detailed information click here. Applications received AFTER 11:59PM EST (10:59PM CST) on April 8, 2024, WILL NOT BE REVIEWED or CONSIDERED for participation.

Para información más detallada haga clic aquí here. Las aplicaciones recibidas DESPUÉS DE LAS 11:59PM EST (10:59PM CST) del 8 de abril de 2024, NO SERÁN REVISADAS ni CONSIDERADAS para la participación.

Faith Organizational Resiliency

Wake Forest University School of Divinity is seeking to fund Organizational Resiliency activities that focus on infrastructure development and coalition and network building between faith communities and non-traditional partners. Especially during the time of COVID-19, we understand the particular challenges that faith communities have faced with engaging with members at a physical distance and online. Organizational Resiliency grants will support the establishment of infrastructures to enhance communications, trauma informed care, health ministries, and other programs to respond to the HIV crisis in the South and promote healing and life-enhancing possibilities for those impacted by HIV/AIDS.

For more detailed information click here. Applications received AFTER 11:59PM CST on May 8, 2023, WILL NOT BE REVIEWED or CONSIDERED for participation.

Collaborative Learning

Learning It Together: Artist Cohort

Wake Forest University School of Divinity is seeking faith partners to initiate programs to respond to the HIV crisis in the South by shifting narratives away from stigma toward healing and life-enhancing possibilities for those impacted by HIV/AIDS. Our aim is to collaborate with Christian and interfaith partners, create inclusive faith spaces (virtual and/or in-person) for LGBTQ persons and people living with HIV, and educate emerging faith leaders who will impact how communities respond to HIV/AIDS in the future.

The Learning It Together Artists Cohort will provide funding to support the creation and amplification of arts-based projects centered around faith to help reduce stigma and aid in changing the perception of HIV/AIDS in the south. The Faith Coordinating Center will provide potential opportunities for amplification in collaboration with GLAAD and other local, statewide, and national media outlets.

We are seeking to fund creative projects that facilitate the creation of inclusive and healing faith spaces (virtual and/or in-person) for LGBTQ persons and people living with and affected by HIV.

For more detailed information click here. Applications received AFTER 11:59PM CST on November 6, 2023, WILL NOT BE REVIEWED or CONSIDERED for participation.

LEARN: Trauma-informed Leadership and Supervision (TILS)

Leading with Education, Advocacy & Resistance with our Neighbors (LEARN) is SUSTAIN Wellbeing COMPASS Coordinating Center’s shared learning opportunities to build organizational leadership and support organizational transformation. The primary goal of LEARN is to build knowledge, capacity, expertise, and leadership in a particular topic area. A second important goal of LEARN is to strengthen community networks through enhanced collaboration between participating organizations. Each cohort of LEARN is centered on a different content area.

For more detailed information click here. Applications received AFTER 11:59PM CST on March 15, 2024, WILL NOT BE REVIEWED or CONSIDERED for participation.

2023 PoWER Forward

PoWER Forward is a 7-month intensive collaborative learning opportunity for organizations interested in developing sustainable community programs that are measurable, beneficial to the community, and intriguing to funders. During the institute, participants will cover an integrated curriculum that addresses the life of a community program from design to funding, and incorporates the necessary communication skills to engage with collaborators along the way. The intent of PoWER Forward is to help participating organizations learn how to:

•   Define the steps, from assessment to implementation, for developing an effective community program
•   Craft a winning grant proposal based on the elements of their community program components
•   Employ strategies for communicating with key collaborators before, during, and after the program and proposal life cycles
•   Seek appropriate funding opportunities from various types of funding agencies

For more detailed information click here. Applications received AFTER 11:59PM EST on April 3, 2023, WILL NOT BE REVIEWED or CONSIDERED for participation.

Application Deadline Extended: Monday, April 3, 2023 at 11:59 PM EST

**Participation in the PoWER Leadership does not guarantee successful award of additional COMPASS Initiative funding, nor other grant opportunities.

LEARN Harm Reduction (HR)

SUSTAIN is excited to announce the launch of our fifth cohort of LEARN Harm Reduction (HR), which will be developed and facilitated in collaboration with Sandra Chavez! Sandra is an expert community-based consultant who has 15+ years of experience working at the intersections of HIV, housing, and harm reduction in the Southern U.S., and is thrilled to facilitate another cohort of LEARN HR! No prior knowledge around harm reduction is required to participate.

For more detailed information click here. Applications received AFTER 11:59PM EST(10:59PM CST) on March 13, 2024, WILL NOT BE REVIEWED or CONSIDERED for participation.

Trainings & Consultations

Capacity Building Assistance Consultation Form
The Emory University Coordinating Center provides consultations to facilitate individual or organizational change among organizations in the South. Available capacity building consultations include: Governance and Leadership, Mission, Values, & Strategy, Finance and Administration, Resource Development, Strategic Relationships and Coalition Building, Communications, Internal Management and Operations, and Service Delivery and Impact. Click below to submit a request for a consultation.

Stigma Reduction & Culturally Appropriate Care
These trainings emphasize the need for HIV awareness, stigma reduction, and culturally appropriate care in our effort to address the epidemic in the Southern United States. Training topics include Undoing Racism, Stigma & HIV, Cultural Competence & Humility, and Addressing Employment Needs & Maximizing Opportunities for People Living with/or at Greater Vulnerability to HIV.

If you have questions about any of the Community Investment opportunities,
you can contact us at info@gileadcompass.com.