Regional AIDS Education and Training Centers | HRSA 19 035

Opportunity Information: Apply for HRSA 19 035

The Regional AIDS Education and Training Centers (AETC) grant opportunity (HRSA-19-035) is a federal cooperative agreement program run by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through HRSA, specifically the HIV/AIDS Bureau (HAB) Office of Training and Capacity Development. It sits under the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) Part F and is designed to keep strengthening the clinical workforce that delivers HIV care. The award supports a national network of eight regional AETCs, each responsible for a defined geographic region. Together, these regions cover all 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the six U.S. Pacific jurisdictions (Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands). The core idea is workforce growth and quality improvement: increasing the number of healthcare professionals who are trained and who intend to counsel, diagnose, treat, and medically manage people living with HIV (PLWH), while also helping reduce behaviors that increase HIV transmission.

A central expectation of the program is that regional AETCs do not operate in isolation. Funded recipients must coordinate closely with other parts of the Ryan White system (Parts A through D) and broader healthcare delivery systems in their regions, and they must collaborate with the two National AETCs: the National Coordinating Resource Center (NCRC) and the National Clinician Consultation Center (NCCC). In practical terms, this means regional centers are expected to align training and technical assistance with current clinical guidance, share tools and approaches across regions, and connect providers to consultation and clinical decision support so that training translates into real changes in clinical practice.

Applicants are asked to build training models that are innovative, tailored to local needs, and driven by data. The program is not just about offering classes; it emphasizes targeted education and technical assistance, consultation, and clinical decision support that helps providers deliver higher-quality HIV care. This includes reaching novice clinicians and low-volume HIV providers and clinics, since expanding and stabilizing that part of the workforce is a direct way to improve access to care and outcomes along the HIV care continuum (for example, linkage to care, retention, and viral suppression).

The required work is organized into four main program components, each with clear expectations and, in some cases, minimum funding allocations. First is Core Training, focused on expanding the pool of providers prepared to deliver HIV care, with a strong push to engage clinicians and sites that are newer to HIV care or see smaller numbers of HIV patients. Second is the Minority AIDS Initiative (MAI), where roughly 20 percent of funding is dedicated to building the capacity of minority providers and minority-serving organizations to provide HIV care, improve access, and reduce disparities experienced by minority populations affected by HIV. The MAI effort can be integrated across multiple parts of the program, including core training, practice transformation, and interprofessional education, as long as it meaningfully advances equity and reduces gaps in outcomes.

Third is the Practice Transformation (PT) component, which requires at least 40 percent of program funding. Under PT, each regional AETC must partner with at least six eligible HRSA-funded community health centers (CHCs). Importantly, the mix must include three Ryan White-funded CHCs and three non-Ryan White-funded CHCs. The intent is to spread effective HIV care capacity across safety-net settings, not only those already deeply embedded in Ryan White. PT activities are guided by Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) principles and typically rely on coaching and practice facilitation to improve clinic workflows, care coordination, and quality improvement systems that support better HIV outcomes. The goal is tangible improvement in performance along the HIV care continuum, not just increased knowledge.

Fourth is the Interprofessional Education (IPE) component, which requires at least 10 percent of funding. This piece targets the future workforce by helping health professions schools and graduate training programs teach HIV care using hands-on, team-based learning. It is grounded in the Core Competencies for Interprofessional Collaborative Practice (2016 update), reflecting the reality that high-quality HIV care is delivered by teams (medical providers, nursing, pharmacy, behavioral health, case management, and other support roles). By strengthening faculty capacity and curricula, the program aims to increase both the number and readiness of clinicians entering the workforce with practical HIV care skills.

In addition to the required components, applicants may propose optional expansions. One option is a Practice Transformation Expansion (PTE) project, which focuses on deeper integration of HIV services into primary care settings and building provider capacity to manage PLWH who also face substance use disorders and related conditions such as opioid use disorder, hepatitis C, and sexually transmitted infections. Another optional component supports expanded HIV testing for disproportionately affected populations, helping healthcare facilities and health departments implement routine HIV testing consistent with CDC recommendations in CDC jurisdictions. These optional elements are meant to extend the regional AETC role beyond training alone into system-level changes that increase identification of HIV and strengthen comprehensive care in real-world settings.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is categorized as a discretionary funding program using a cooperative agreement mechanism (meaning HRSA typically has substantial programmatic involvement compared to a standard grant). The CFDA number listed is 93.145. The notice anticipated eight awards, aligning with the eight-region structure. The original posting date was October 12, 2018, with an original closing date of December 10, 2018. The award ceiling is listed as 0 in the source data, which usually indicates the ceiling was not specified in that particular listing rather than implying no funding. Eligibility is indicated broadly as "Others (see additional information)," which generally signals that the full announcement text defines eligible organization types and any restrictions.

Overall, this funding opportunity is aimed at building and sustaining a regionally organized, nationally coordinated training and technical assistance infrastructure for HIV care. It prioritizes practical clinical impact: expanding the HIV workforce, improving care delivery systems in community health centers, embedding HIV education in interprofessional training pipelines, and addressing inequities in HIV outcomes, while working in close partnership with the broader Ryan White system and national AETC resources.

• The Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Regional AIDS Education and Training Centers" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.145.
• This funding opportunity was created on Oct 12, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Dec 10, 2018. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 8 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for HRSA 19 035

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