AIDSWatch@Home 2026–2027 Grant Program: Apply for Up to $15,000 to Advance HIV Advocacy, Community Organizing and Policy Change

Organizations and community coalitions working to advance HIV-related policy, strengthen community leadership, and promote equitable decision-making have an opportunity to secure funding through the AIDSWatch@Home 2026–2027 Grant Program. Offered by AIDS United, the initiative supports locally rooted advocacy efforts that empower people living with HIV and other directly affected communities to influence public policy and engage decision-makers on issues affecting their lives.

The programme offers grants of up to $15,000 to support organizations in planning and implementing community-focused advocacy activities. Through funding, organizing support, coaching, and peer learning, AIDSWatch@Home seeks to strengthen local advocacy capacity and help communities translate their experiences and priorities into meaningful policy engagement.

For the 2026–2027 funding round, applicants are expected to develop an organizing strategy that addresses an HIV-related issue, builds relationships with relevant stakeholders, prepares community members to participate in advocacy, and culminates in a public-facing community education or organizing event. The programme emphasizes that successful advocacy should continue beyond a single event through structured follow-up, leadership development, coalition building, and sustained engagement with decision-makers.

Overview of the AIDSWatch@Home 2026–2027 Grant Program

AIDSWatch@Home is an initiative of AIDS United designed to strengthen state and local advocacy efforts addressing HIV-related challenges. It recognizes that national-level policy action alone is not sufficient to address the diverse needs of people living with HIV and communities affected by the epidemic. Local, state, Tribal, and territorial decision-making systems also play an important role in shaping access to resources, public programmes, prevention initiatives, protections, and other policies affecting these communities.

The 2026–2027 grant round is intended to help organizations and coalitions develop practical advocacy initiatives that respond to their communities’ needs and create opportunities for people directly affected by HIV to participate in policy discussions.

Selected organizations will receive financial assistance to support an organizing and advocacy programme running from December 2026 through August 2027. The funding is intended to help applicants move beyond awareness-raising alone and build a coordinated approach involving community education, advocacy preparation, coalition development, decision-maker engagement, and post-event follow-up.

According to AIDS United’s grantmaking information, the programme anticipates approximately eight awards, with each selected organization eligible to receive up to $15,000.

Application deadline: Friday, October 30, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET).

Funding amount: Up to $15,000 per selected organization.

Programme period: December 2026 to August 2027.

About AIDS United and the Purpose of AIDSWatch@Home

AIDS United works to support efforts that improve the lives of people living with HIV and communities affected by the epidemic. Its advocacy and grantmaking initiatives recognize the importance of community participation, equitable access to resources, and policies that respond to the realities experienced by affected populations.

AIDSWatch@Home extends this advocacy approach to state and local settings. The initiative is built on the understanding that public policies are shaped at multiple levels of government and that communities need opportunities to engage the officials, institutions, and decision-making bodies responsible for implementing them.

State legislatures, local authorities, administrative agencies, regulatory bodies, Tribal governments, and territorial decision-makers can influence policies and programmes that affect people living with HIV. Community organizations can help ensure that these decision-makers hear directly from affected populations, understand the consequences of policy choices, and consider community priorities when developing or implementing public policy.

The programme supports organizations that are prepared to organize their communities around a defined HIV-related issue and create structured opportunities for education, advocacy, and public participation.

Rather than treating advocacy as a one-time activity, AIDSWatch@Home encourages grantees to develop longer-term strategies that establish relationships, strengthen community leadership, mobilize supporters, and maintain contact with decision-makers after the main activation.

What the AIDSWatch@Home Grant Is Designed to Achieve

The programme places considerable emphasis on building sustainable advocacy capacity within communities. Grant-funded activities should be designed to produce practical results while strengthening the people and organizations involved.

1. Strengthening community-led HIV advocacy

One of the programme’s central objectives is to increase the participation of people living with HIV and other directly affected community members in decisions that affect their lives.

Organizations are expected to identify the people most closely connected to the issue they intend to address and create meaningful opportunities for those individuals to shape the advocacy process.

Community members should have opportunities to contribute to the development of priorities, participate in organizing activities, communicate their concerns, and influence the direction of the project. Their involvement should extend beyond attendance at an event or consultation.

2. Improving public understanding of HIV-related policy

Many policies affecting people living with HIV are developed or implemented through administrative procedures, legislative processes, regulatory decisions, and public programmes that may be difficult for community members to navigate.

AIDSWatch@Home supports community education and organizing activities that help participants understand these processes and identify opportunities to influence them.

Depending on the issue selected, organizations may focus on explaining proposed policy changes, helping community members understand the responsibilities of public agencies, preparing advocates to communicate with elected representatives, or building public awareness of decisions affecting HIV-related services and protections.

3. Building relationships with decision-makers

Effective advocacy requires a clear understanding of who has the authority to make, implement, or influence a particular decision.

Applicants should identify the relevant offices, agencies, legislative bodies, Tribal authorities, territorial institutions, or other decision-making structures connected to their proposed issue.

They should also consider how advocates will engage these decision-makers, what information will be presented, which allies can help advance the work, and how engagement will continue after the main event.

4. Developing coalitions and community partnerships

The programme encourages applicants to work with partners whose experience, relationships, or resources can strengthen the proposed organizing effort.

Coalition partners may contribute community connections, advocacy expertise, communications support, policy knowledge, volunteer participation, or access to relevant decision-makers.

Applications should explain the roles of confirmed and prospective partners, how responsibilities will be shared, and which gaps in coalition capacity the organization hopes to address.

5. Sustaining advocacy beyond the primary event

A central feature of AIDSWatch@Home is the expectation that the main activation will serve as a milestone in a wider organizing strategy rather than the final objective.

Organizations must plan how participants will remain involved after the event, how leaders will continue developing their skills, how decision-makers will be contacted again, and how progress will be evaluated.

The programme therefore encourages organizations to establish clear follow-up actions, measurable outcomes, and a schedule for maintaining momentum.

Funding Available Through the AIDSWatch@Home 2026–2027 Grant

The grant provides financial support for organizations seeking to plan and implement a structured HIV advocacy and community organizing initiative.

Selected applicants may request up to $15,000 for their proposed activities. Applicants should develop a realistic budget that directly supports the work described in their organizing plan and clearly explains the purpose of each expenditure.

The application requires a proposed budget using the designated Excel budget template. Applicants must follow the workbook’s instructions and provide a clear description and justification for each budget line.

The budget should be consistent with the proposed activities, anticipated participation, organizing timeline, accessibility arrangements, and planned follow-up. Applicants should ensure that their requested funding reflects the actual resources needed to implement the project.

The application also requests the organization’s total budget for the current fiscal year, the start and end dates of its current budget year, and other organizational information. These details help provide context for the proposed project and the organization’s capacity to manage the grant.

The programme anticipates making approximately eight awards. However, the final number of selected organizations and the amounts awarded to individual applicants should be confirmed through the official grant announcement and award process.

What Activities Should the Grant Support?

The application is structured around organizing and advocacy rather than treating the initiative as a general service-delivery project. Applicants should explain how their proposed activities will help community members understand an issue, organize around it, engage relevant decision-makers, and take meaningful follow-up action.

The following areas are particularly relevant to the application requirements.

Community education and advocacy preparation

Organizations should explain how they will prepare participants to understand the selected HIV-related issue and participate in advocacy.

This may involve developing educational materials, holding policy discussions, organizing preparatory meetings, explaining the relevant decision-making process, and helping participants communicate their experiences and priorities effectively.

The proposed activities should be linked to the policy challenge being addressed and the objectives of the organizing plan.

Outreach and participant recruitment

Applicants are expected to describe their outreach strategy and explain how they will engage the people most affected by the issue.

The strategy should consider how potential participants will be identified, contacted, prepared, and encouraged to remain involved. Organizations should also explain how they intend to recruit first-time advocates and develop community members into more confident and active leaders.

Coalition development and partnership coordination

The application asks applicants to identify principal decision-makers, allies, confirmed partners, prospective partners, and likely obstacles.

Organizations should explain what each partner will contribute, how collaboration will work in practice, and how decisions and resources will be shared.

Where gaps exist, applicants should identify the additional relationships, knowledge, or support they need to strengthen the coalition.

A public-facing advocacy or organizing event

The organizing plan must lead to a public-facing community education or organizing event by May 31, 2027.

The event should be connected to the selected policy issue and the wider advocacy strategy. It should provide a meaningful opportunity for community members to learn, organize, develop leadership, communicate their priorities, or engage with relevant decision-makers.

Applicants should explain how they will prepare participants, mobilize attendance, coordinate partners, and evaluate the event’s immediate results.

The application also asks organizations to address AIDSWatch@Home co-branding as part of their broader organizing strategy.

Follow-up and continued engagement

The programme requires planning for follow-up approximately 30, 60, and 90 days after the primary activation.

Organizations should describe how they will maintain contact with participants, encourage further advocacy, continue developing community leaders, strengthen coalition relationships, and pursue the next steps identified during the event.

The application also asks applicants to identify outputs and near-term outcomes that will demonstrate progress at the primary activation and at each follow-up stage.

These may include participation levels, new advocates recruited, community leaders developed, coalition partners activated, decision-maker offices reached, completed follow-up actions, and the next scheduled advocacy activity.

Applicants should select indicators that are realistic, relevant to their goals, and capable of being documented.

Key Application Requirements and Questions

The AIDSWatch@Home application requires applicants to provide information about their organizations, their communities, the proposed policy issue, their organizing strategy, and their ability to deliver the project.

1. Organizational information

Applicants must provide basic organizational details, including:

• Organization name and Employer Identification Number (EIN).
• Organizational address, city, state, ZIP code, and website.
• Organization type and whether it operates from multiple locations.
• A two- to three-sentence summary of the organization’s mission.
• The year the organization was founded.
• The year it began working in HIV.
• Staff size range.
• Primary contact’s name, title, work email, and work phone.
• Current organizational budget and budget-year dates.

The form also asks whether the application will use a fiscal sponsor. Applicants should accurately describe their organizational arrangements and be prepared to provide the required supporting documentation where applicable.

2. Organizational leadership and community representation

Applicants must provide information about the composition of their leadership, staff, and the communities they serve.

The form requests approximate percentages for various groups, including people living with HIV, people of color, LGBTQ+ people, transgender people, nonbinary people, people who use drugs, sex workers, people who have experienced housing instability, people with a history of incarceration, young people, and others with relevant lived experience.

These questions are intended to help AIDS United understand how organizational leadership, staffing, and community relationships reflect the populations involved in the proposed work.

The application states that this demographic section does not receive a separate score and that applicants will not be awarded or deducted points solely on the basis of demographic percentages or their ability to provide complete demographic information.

Applicants may select options such as “Not collected,” “Insufficient data,” or “Prefer not to answer” without penalty. They should provide reasonable aggregate estimates where available and must not identify individuals or disclose or infer anyone’s HIV status.

Applicants must also explain how people living with HIV and other directly affected community members will participate in project planning, implementation, evaluation, and follow-up. They should describe how community members influence decisions and priorities, how lived expertise is recognized and compensated, and what structures will be used to gather input and maintain accountability.

A further narrative asks organizations to identify significant differences between their leadership or staff and the communities involved in the proposed work. Applicants should describe any current or planned steps to address these differences, including who will be responsible and the anticipated timelines.

An optional section allows applicants to explain limitations or challenges in collecting demographic information.

3. Geographic reach and communities served

The application asks organizations to identify the geographical areas they serve and the scope of their work.

Applicants can describe whether their activities reach urban, suburban, rural, or reservation communities and whether their organizational reach is local, statewide, regional, or national.

They must also describe the locations relevant to their work and identify the groups the proposal is intended to reach.

This information should be consistent with the proposed organizing strategy and demonstrate that the applicant understands the communities, institutions, and decision-making systems relevant to its issue.

4. Identification of the HIV-related policy issue

Applicants must identify a primary policy focus and may select a secondary focus.

The application asks them to explain why the issue matters to their community, the administrative, regulatory, implementation, or public-education challenge they intend to address, and the decision-making system or body relevant to the issue.

Applicants must also provide the start and end dates of the relevant legislative, budgetary, regulatory, administrative, Tribal, territorial, or local decision-making calendar.

A strong application should establish a clear connection between the identified problem, the people affected, the institution with authority to act, and the proposed advocacy activities.

5. Proposed organizing strategy and timeline

Applicants must describe the organizing plan, coalition development, outreach strategy, and activation timeline that they intend to finalize by February 28, 2027.

The plan should explain how the proposed activities will support the required public-facing community education or organizing event by May 31, 2027.

The narrative should also describe the organizing base, the roles of people living with HIV and other directly affected communities, the principal decision-makers and partners, potential obstacles, and the wider strategy before and after the activation.

The application requires applicants to explain how they will approach recruitment, list-building, participant preparation, turnout, leadership development, decision-maker engagement, coalition coordination, and follow-up.

6. Accessibility, safety, and privacy

AIDSWatch@Home asks applicants to explain how their grant-funded activities will be accessible, safe, and welcoming.

Organizations should consider:

• Disability access and reasonable accommodations.
• Language access and communication needs.
• Transportation support.
• Childcare or dependent-care needs.
• Digital access for participants who may face technology barriers.
• Privacy protections for people who do not wish to disclose their HIV status.
• Safe and respectful ways for community members to participate in advocacy activities.

Applicants should explain how these arrangements will be incorporated into the project plan and budget.

7. Capacity-building and peer learning

The application asks organizations to identify two or three organizing capacities they most want to strengthen.

Applicants should specify who will participate in coaching and peer learning, their preferred support format, and any accessibility needs.

This section gives organizations an opportunity to explain where additional guidance, skills development, or collaboration could improve the quality and sustainability of their advocacy work.

Required Supporting Documents

Applicants should prepare the required attachments before completing the submission process.

Proposed budget

Applicants must upload a proposed budget for grant-funded activities using the designated budget template in Excel format. Each line item should have a clear description and justification, and the workbook’s instructions should be followed.

Audit or IRS Form 990

Applicants must submit their organization’s most recent audited financial statements, including the cover page and the auditor’s notes or findings.

If an organization has a fiscal sponsor, it should submit the fiscal sponsor’s audit. If the organization does not have an audit or fiscal sponsor, the application instructions request its IRS Form 990 for the last calendar year. If neither document is available, the organization must provide a detailed letter of explanation.

Fiscal sponsorship agreement, where applicable

Organizations applying with a fiscal sponsor must attach the fiscal sponsorship agreement signed by both the applicant organization and the fiscal sponsor.

Applicants should ensure that documents are complete, legible, and consistent with the organizational and financial information entered in the application.

Important Dates and Programme Timeline

The application establishes several milestones that applicants should incorporate into their planning.

• October 30, 2026: Application deadline at 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
• December 2026: Start of the anticipated programme period.
• February 28, 2027: Deadline for finalizing the organizing plan, coalition development, outreach strategy, and activation timeline.
• May 31, 2027: Deadline for completing the primary public-facing community education or organizing activation.
• Approximately 30, 60, and 90 days after the activation: Follow-up milestones for evaluating progress, maintaining participant engagement, and completing further advocacy actions.
• August 31, 2027: Deadline by which all follow-up and grant-funded work must be completed.

Applicants should develop a realistic schedule that accommodates the relevant legislative or administrative calendar, participant recruitment, partner coordination, event preparation, and post-event activities.

Because the primary activation must take place by May 31, 2027, organizations should avoid planning an event so late in the programme that they cannot complete the required follow-up by August 31, 2027.

Click HERE for more information about AIDSWatch@Home 2026–2027 Grant Program.

How to Prepare a Strong AIDSWatch@Home Application

Applicants should ensure that their proposals are specific, community-led, achievable, and connected to a clear policy objective.

Define a focused and relevant issue

Begin by identifying a particular HIV-related policy challenge affecting the community. Explain why it matters, who is affected, and what decision or implementation process needs attention.

A clearly defined issue makes it easier to identify the relevant decision-makers, develop an organizing strategy, and establish meaningful indicators of progress.

Demonstrate meaningful community leadership

Explain how people living with HIV and other directly affected community members will exercise real influence over the project.

Describe how they will help set priorities, make decisions, lead activities, evaluate progress, and shape follow-up. Where appropriate, include plans for compensating community members for their expertise and supporting their participation.

Build a practical coalition

Identify partners who can contribute to the proposed work and explain their responsibilities. Distinguish between confirmed partners and those the organization intends to approach.

A realistic coalition plan should also acknowledge potential obstacles and explain how the organization will address gaps in relationships, capacity, or expertise.

Establish measurable objectives

Provide reasonable estimates for the number of participants to be engaged, first-time advocates recruited, community leaders developed, coalition partners activated, decision-maker offices reached, and participants expected to complete a follow-up action.

These estimates should reflect the organization’s resources, community context, and proposed activities rather than unsupported or overly ambitious targets.

Plan the full organizing cycle

Treat the primary activation as one stage of a larger advocacy process. Explain what will happen before the event, how the event will advance the organizing strategy, and what participants and partners will do afterward.

Include specific plans for the 30-, 60-, and 90-day follow-up milestones, together with indicators that will show whether the work is producing progress.

Budget realistically

Ensure that the proposed budget reflects the actual activities described in the narrative. Explain and justify each line item, and account for accessibility, outreach, participant support, coordination, and follow-up where relevant.

The budget and narrative should reinforce one another and present a coherent, deliverable project.

Protect participant privacy and dignity

The application places importance on protecting the privacy of people who may not wish to disclose their HIV status.

Organizations should explain how they will create safe participation arrangements, avoid unnecessary disclosure of sensitive information, and respect the privacy and dignity of community members throughout the organizing process.

How to Apply for the AIDSWatch@Home 2026–2027 Grant

Interested organizations should consult the official AIDS United grantmaking page and review the AIDSWatch@Home funding announcement and budget workbook before submitting an application.

Application steps:

1. Visit the official AIDS United grantmaking page: https://www.aidsunited.org/our-work/grantmaking.
2. Locate the AIDSWatch@Home 2026–2027 grant opportunity and review the official guidance and application requirements.
3. Confirm that the organization meets the programme’s eligibility requirements and can deliver the proposed work within the specified timeline.
4. Develop a focused HIV-related policy advocacy proposal with a clear organizing base, defined objectives, identified decision-makers, and a realistic activation plan.
5. Complete the organizational information, community representation questions, geographic information, policy focus, application overview, and narrative sections.
6. Prepare the required budget in the official Excel template and gather the appropriate audit, IRS Form 990, or fiscal sponsorship documentation.
7. Review the application for completeness, consistency, and accuracy before submission.
8. Submit the application through the official online application portal before the deadline.

The application portal provides an option to save progress and resume later. Applicants should remember that saving the form does not constitute submission.

The form also explains that clicking “Review & Submit” takes the applicant to a page where responses must be reviewed. Applicants must then click the final submit control at the bottom of that page to ensure the application is successfully submitted.

Applicants should retain their submission confirmation and contact AIDS United through its official channels if they need clarification about the current application process.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much funding is available?

Selected organizations may receive up to $15,000 for their proposed AIDSWatch@Home organizing and advocacy activities.

When is the application deadline?

The application deadline is Friday, October 30, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

What is the programme period?

The 2026–2027 programme is expected to run from December 2026 through August 2027.

When must the main advocacy event take place?

The primary public-facing community education or organizing activation must take place by May 31, 2027.

Is the main event the final project milestone?

No. The programme requires continued organizing and follow-up after the activation. Applicants must plan for approximately 30-, 60-, and 90-day follow-up milestones and complete all grant-funded work by August 31, 2027.

Is prior advocacy experience required?

The application explicitly asks whether the organization has previously organized policy education or advocacy with local, Tribal, territorial, state, or federal decision-makers. It states that prior experience is not required.

Organizations should nevertheless explain their relevant experience, current activities, partnerships, and capacity to implement the proposed plan.

Can an organization apply with a fiscal sponsor?

The application includes a fiscal-sponsor option and requests a signed fiscal sponsorship agreement where applicable. Organizations should consult the official grant guidance to confirm the specific eligibility and documentation requirements for their arrangement.

Are applicants required to provide demographic information?

The application requests aggregate estimates of leadership, staff, and community demographics. It permits applicants to indicate that information was not collected, is insufficient, or should not be provided, without penalty. Applicants must protect individual privacy and must not disclose or infer any person’s HIV status.

Where can applicants find the application?

Applicants should begin at the official AIDS United grantmaking page, locate AIDSWatch@Home, and follow the application link and instructions provided for the 2026–2027 round.

Conclusion

The AIDSWatch@Home 2026–2027 Grant Program offers organizations an opportunity to strengthen community-led HIV advocacy, develop local organizing capacity, and help affected communities participate more effectively in policy decisions. With funding of up to $15,000 per selected organization, the programme supports a structured approach that combines community education, outreach, coalition development, leadership preparation, decision-maker engagement, and sustained follow-up.

The programme is particularly focused on ensuring that people living with HIV and other directly affected community members have meaningful influence over the priorities, strategies, and activities intended to affect their lives. Applicants should therefore demonstrate not only that they can organize an event, but also that they can build a credible advocacy strategy with clear objectives, strong partnerships, accessible participation, measurable outcomes, and a plan for continuing the work after the event.

Organizations interested in applying should review the official guidance, prepare their supporting documents, develop a realistic budget, and ensure that their proposed activities align with the programme’s timeline.

The application deadline is October 30, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Eligible organizations should consult the official AIDS United grantmaking page for the application form and the most current programme requirements.

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