National Capacity Building Assistance for Strengthening HIV Syndemic Systems & Services - AIDS United (AU)'s PS24-0020 capacity-building initiative, National Capacity Building Assistance for Strengthening HIV Syndemic Systems & Services, aims to implement scalable technical assistance (TA) strategies to bolster the capacity of CDC-funded health departments (HDs) and community-based organizations (CBOs). AU and its implementation partners will use a flexible, continuous consultation approach to provide tailored TA, encompassing mentoring, skills building, and resource development. Collaborating with HDs, CBOs, other component CBA providers, and people living with and at high risk for HIV, AU will ensure accessibility and cultural relevance through services such as mentoring sessions, skills enhancement workshops, and peer-to-peer knowledge exchange. AU's commitment to ending the domestic HIV/AIDS epidemic is demonstrated through its strategic grantmaking, capacity building, policy advocacy, and evaluation efforts. With a proven track record and extensive experience, AU continues to lead the way in strengthening HIV systems and services nationwide. AU brings extensive experience across the focus areas of Component D, providing TA on harm reduction, transgender/non-conforming community services, social determinants of health, and more. AU has also developed a wide array of resources to support these efforts. AU ensures meaningful involvement of directly affected people in its TA work, conducting needs assessments and incorporating feedback to tailor TA to the needs of communities most affected by HIV. AU has demonstrated proficiency in organizing multi-partner TA events, including institutes and summits, providing comprehensive presentations, materials, and post-event support, as demonstrated through the annual AIDSWatch and other CDC and HRSA-funded initiatives. AU's proven track record in delivering targeted TA includes serving as a one of the lead Midwest CBA provider and collaborating with NASTAD in the southern region under PS19-1904 and showcasing its national reach and expertise in HIV prevention strategies under PS14-1403. By actively engaging with the HIV workforce and community partners, AU ensures that technical assistance efforts are rooted in local needs and contexts, with a focus on serving racially and ethnically diverse populations disproportionately affected by HIV, facilitated through collaborative planning sessions and leveraging existing platforms for sustainable advancements. Emphasizing continuous quality improvement, AU will use the CDC’s evaluation framework, incorporating pre-and post-knowledge checks to assess TA efficacy and knowledge acquisition. An iterative feedback system will ensure program adaptability and responsiveness. The process evaluation will align CBA activities with program objectives to achieve expected outcomes. The outcome evaluation will measure strategy effectiveness in achieving short and intermediate goals.
