Strategies to Link, Engage, and Retain Men with HIV in Care: Evaluation Provider

The Strategies to Link, Engage, and Retain Men with HIV in Care: Evaluation Provider funding opportunity is offered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through the Health Resources and Services Administration. This initiative is part of a broader federal effort aligned with the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program 2030 framework, which aims to strengthen long-term care engagement and improve outcomes for individuals living with HIV. The program specifically focuses on men with HIV who are not consistently engaged in care or who face barriers to remaining in care, addressing a critical gap in public health service delivery. The purpose of this opportunity is to fund a single Evaluation Provider through a cooperative agreement. This provider will lead a comprehensive, multi-site evaluation of an implementation-focused initiative. The Evaluation Provider will work in coordination with a separately funded Implementation Technical Assistance Provider and multiple implementation sites. Together, these entities will form a collaborative structure designed to test, adapt, and evaluate interventions that improve engagement in HIV care. While collaboration is required, each funded entity maintains distinct responsibilities, with the Evaluation Provider focusing on assessment and technical evaluation support. Funding under this opportunity supports activities grounded in implementation science, including the adaptation, execution, and evaluation of interventions at scale. The Evaluation Provider is expected to apply established frameworks, including the HIV/AIDS Bureau Implementation Science Framework, to generate findings that are generalizable and replicable. The initiative emphasizes rapid-cycle evaluation, dissemination of findings, and the development of practical tools that can be used across diverse healthcare settings. Dissemination must follow human-centered design and adult learning principles to ensure usability and sustainability of outcomes. The total available funding for this opportunity is 1,300,000 dollars, with one anticipated award issued at that level. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement for applicants. Funds are intended to support evaluation activities, including data collection, analysis, technical assistance to implementation sites, and dissemination of results. The project is expected to begin on September 1, 2026, with the award date aligned to the same timeline, indicating immediate project initiation upon funding. Eligible applicants include a broad range of public and nonprofit entities, such as state and local governments, tribal governments and organizations, nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status, and both public and private institutions of higher education. This inclusive eligibility structure reflects the program’s emphasis on diverse institutional capacity to conduct large-scale evaluation and technical assistance. There are no geographic restrictions specified, indicating nationwide eligibility across the United States. The application process is expected to open around May 25, 2026, with a submission deadline of June 24, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Applications must be submitted electronically through the designated federal grants platform. There are no pre-application requirements such as letters of intent specified in the available information. Applicants should prepare a full proposal that demonstrates evaluation expertise, familiarity with implementation science, and capacity to support multi-site projects. Applications will be evaluated based on their ability to meet the program’s objectives, including the strength of the evaluation design, the feasibility of proposed methods, and the applicant’s capacity to deliver technical assistance. The funding agency has provided a contact for inquiries, including an email address and phone number for program-related questions. This opportunity is currently in a forecasted stage, with final application materials and detailed guidance expected upon official release.