Strengthening Syringe Services Programs [ARCHIVED]

This website is designed to:

1. Support the application process for external organizations applying for Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) PS22-2208; and
2. Provide a forum for the dissemination of important information to future PS22-2208 funded grantees.

Full Funding Information: CDC-RFA-PS22-2208

Executive Summary

This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) aims to increase access to harm reduction services for people who currently inject, or have a history of injecting, drugs and reduce incidence of infectious diseases and other complications of injection drug use through two components. Component 1 will expand a national network of syringe services programs (SSPs) to facilitate communication among SSPs, other harm reduction programs, and trusted national organizations with a demonstrated portfolio in improving the health of persons who use drugs.  This component will also improve data about SSPs by conducting an annual survey of SSPs to document capacity, needs, access, and service gaps. Component 2 will increase support and resources to SSPs for implementation of syringe distribution and disposal; testing, treatment, and prevention of infectious diseases and infectious complications from injection drug use; and mitigation of other harms due to drug use.

A full list of these activities can be found at grants.gov

Strategies and Activities

Component 1: Support a national network of syringe services programs (SSPs) and oversee implementation and use of an annual survey of SSPs.

Activities:

• Support and expand a national network of SSPs
• Oversee implementation, analysis, dissemination, and use of findings for a national annual survey assessing SSP coverage, capacity, and service delivery

Component 2: Support and strengthen implementation of SSPs

Activity:

• Support SSPs to expand harm reduction services

Expected Outcomes

Expected outcomes include:

• Improved collaboration, communication, and data about SSPs nationwide
• Increased access to harm reduction services
• Decreased unsafe injection practices
• Decreased new infections of hepatitis C, hepatitis B, hepatitis A, HIV, endocarditis, and other infections
• Decreased overdose rates and mortality
• Increased capacity for responding to outbreaks of infections associated with injection drug use
• Increased services available through SSPs in the United States

Eligibility

This NOFO provides open competition; please refer to the NOFO Eligibility Information section for more information.

Organizational Capacity of Recipients

Organizational capacity will be weighed heavily during the review and selection process. Applicants should describe intent to use project funds to staff the funded project with individuals with lived experience and subject matter expertise in harm reduction, SSPs, and data collection and analysis to achieve the objectives of the NOFO.

Component 1 applicants should describe and document capacity to:

• support a national network of SSPs through meaningful engagement with a variety of national organizations with a demonstrated portfolio in support of persons who inject drugs and SSPs.
• reach SSPs nationally through an established network in urban, suburban, and rural areas of the United States and territories.
• conduct a monitoring and evaluation survey of SSPs, including formative assessment and planning, survey implementation, data collection, quality assurance, and dissemination.
• collaborate with CDC, stakeholders, SSPs, and other recipients under this NOFO.

Component 2 applicants should describe and document the ability to:

• plan funding for SSPs in areas disproportionately impacted by infectious disease consequences of injection drug use, considering diversity of programs and need for funded activities.
• award funding to SSPs, including setting up objective criteria for funding; supporting applicants without previous grant funding experience; awarding funding, monitoring, evaluating, and offering communication and support to sub-recipients; and collecting and reporting performance data.
• collaborate and coordinate with local SSPs to achieve mutually agreed upon objectives.
• coordinate nationally with partners to achieve the objectives of this NOFO.

Please refer to the NOFO Organizational Capacity of Organizations to Implement Approach section for more information.

Funding Strategy

Total period of performance funding: Approximately $50,000,000 over five (5) years.

Average One Year Award Amount: $10,000,000

Component 1: Approximately $750,000
Component 2: Approximately $9,250,000

Applicants may apply for Component 1 or Component 2 or both. One recipient may be funded for both components. Applicants are permitted to submit only one application. If you are applying for both components, one application should be submitted with two separate narratives, workplans, and budgets required.

This program notice is subject to the appropriation of funds, and is a contingency action taken to ensure that, should funds become available for this purpose, CDC can process applications and award funds in a timely manner. In the event that future fiscal year appropriation or other statute fails to authorize this activity, no awards will be made. Final award amounts may be less than requested. Funding availability in subsequent fiscal years is subject to the availability of appropriated funds.

Pre-Application Technical Assistance

Informational Conference Call

Two Pre-Application Technical Assistance webinars will take place on March 16, 2022, and March 29, 2022, to provide potential applicants the opportunity to hear an overview of this NOFO and to ask CDC representatives specific questions related to it.

March 16, 2022, 3:00 p.m. ET Click here to register.

March 29, 2022, 1:30 p.m. ET Click here to register.

Important Resources

• Syringe Services Programs
• Division of Viral Hepatitis | CDC