COMPASS Initiative SPARK! Grants

justinbs@southernaidscoalition.org

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SPARK! (Southerners Promoting Awareness, Resources, and Knowledge) is a grant program for for community-led campaigns and education initiatives in southern states that work to reduce stigma and change knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors around HIV and AIDS.

In this funding cycle, projects that are designed to combat HIV stigma will be given priority. Funding is provided through two tracks.

• Track 1: SPARK! Action projects that give communities the necessary skills to engage with local government and/or decision-makers and create local coalitions to raise awareness around laws, policies and practices that perpetuate stigma
• Track 2: SPARK! Change projects address HIV-related stigma through community-level education, including media campaigns, community conversations, and other programming highlighting the voices of individuals impacted by HIV.

Applicants must be nonprofit 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations or have a fiscal sponsor with 501(c)(3) status. Eligible organizations must be located in and provide services in one of 12 southern states.

Priority will be given to rural applicants, defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as communities located outside of an urban area with a population of 50,000 or more, or communities located in a service desert.

Up to $25,000 in funding and technical assistance support

Capacity building support can range from direct technical assistance from Southern AIDS Coalition or its partners to allocation in the grant to support the organization's capacity, including supporting the organization hiring a consultant to assist with growth.

Grant funds must be expended by April 30, 2025.

A link to application instructions and the online application is available on the program website.