Frequently Asked Questions

Pathways to Care: A ReLink HIV Initiative is a national funding opportunity led by NASTAD and supported by Gilead Sciences. The initiative is designed to re-engage people with HIV who are out of care by strengthening surveillance-to-care systems, patient navigation, and cross-sector collaboration across jurisdictions. Funded projects will implement innovative, data-driven strategies to improve re-engagement, retention, and viral suppression.

Eligible applicants include:

• Public Health Agencies (state, local, and tribal health departments or any other government agency with public health authority).  
• Tax Exempt 501c3 nonprofit organizations with a history of serving persons with HIV.  
• Universities with a history of serving persons with HIV.  

Applicants must have at least five years of experience providing HIV-related services and demonstrate capacity for data use, fiscal management, and cross-sector collaboration. 

No, but partnerships are a core component of this initiative.

• Non–public health applicants are encouraged to partner with a public health agency that manages HIV surveillance data.
• Public health agencies must demonstrate partnerships with HIV clinics, healthcare providers, and/or community-based organizations.

These partnerships are essential to ensuring timely re-engagement and continuity of care.

NASTAD anticipates funding up to 15 jurisdictions nationwide.

Each funded jurisdiction may receive up to $500,000 total over a two-year project period (approximately $250,000 per year). Funding supports personnel, data systems, patient navigation, evaluation, and administrative costs.

The anticipated project period is June 1, 2026 through May 31, 2028 (24 months).

• Organizations that demonstrate access to extensive data sources to support re-engagement in care efforts including but not limited to the following examples: HIV surveillance data, Health Information Exchange data, Medicare data, pharmacy data, Electronic Health Records from large healthcare systems, Lexis Nexis data, and other similar data sources. Organizations can demonstrate access because they own or control access to data or have access to it through data sharing agreements or contracts.  
• Organizations that do not have access to the data sources described but demonstrate how they will obtain access to those sorts of data sources and which ones they expect to be able to gain access to within three months of grant award.  
• Applicants who propose to deliver re-engagement in care services in jurisdictions with case rates of 200 per 100,000 or greater.  
• Jurisdictions able to demonstrate large numbers of persons with HIV not engaged in HIV care.  
• Applicants able to demonstrate they will re-engage in care either large numbers of clients or if working with smaller numbers demonstrate that they are focusing on populations where social determinants of health contribute to greater difficulties re-engaging in HIV care.  An example of such a population that might require more intensive support to re-engage smaller numbers of clients would be persons who are unhoused.  

Funded activities may include:

• Development of intensive HIV re-engagement service models
• Strengthening data-to-care and surveillance systems
• Patient navigation and peer support models
• Cross-system coordination among public health, clinical, and community partners
• Evaluation and dissemination of re-engagement strategies

Allowable costs include:

• Salaries and fringe benefits
• Travel related to project activities
• Client transportation
• Data systems and IT expenses
• Client supplies related to re-engagement
• Contractual services
• Administrative/indirect costs (up to 15% de minimis or a federally approved rate)

Unallowable costs include:

• Prescription drugs or medical expenses
• Research activities
• Lobbying
• Direct payments to clients
• Activities that advance pharmaceutical business interests
• Costs incurred prior to the grant start date

Awardees will be required to:

• Participate in monthly calls with NASTAD
• Submit quarterly programmatic and fiscal reports
• Provide de-identified data for evaluation
• Participate in learning collaboratives and dissemination activities
• Develop a sustainability plan for post-funding continuation

Applications must be submitted electronically as a single PDF by March 31, 2026.

Applications should be submitted via email to relink@NASTAD.org and must include all required components outlined in the RFP, including the project narrative, work plan, budget, letters of support, and data-sharing documentation.

For questions or technical assistance related to this RFP, please submit them to relink@NASTAD.org.