The Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) titled Capacity Building and Technical Assistance for Sustainable Community-Led Monitoring (CLM) of HIV Services in Sierra Leone (SL) under PEPFAR, aims to improve HIV care and services by strengthening community-led monitoring systems. This initiative seeks to enhance the experiences and outcomes of individuals receiving HIV services in Sierra Leone through sustainable monitoring efforts, collaborative data collection, and real-time analysis to address program gaps and improve service delivery.

The program's objective is to enable community-led assessments that gather insights into clients’ experiences with HIV services. Findings will help Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Health and other stakeholders address issues like stigma, discrimination, service provider practices, and overall satisfaction with HIV services. The program focuses on building the skills of community actors, improving data systems, fostering collaborations with government and civil society, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of monitoring efforts. Target populations include key groups such as female sex workers, men who have sex with men, people who inject drugs, and recipients of care.

The funding opportunity is open to a broad range of applicants, including nonprofits, educational institutions, businesses, and foreign entities. Applicants must conduct the proposed activities in Sierra Leone and comply with criteria outlined in the NOFO, including timely submission, adherence to page limits, and alignment with the program’s objectives. The total funding for the first year is anticipated to be $350,000, with a single award expected. Funding for subsequent years will depend on performance, program priorities, and availability of funds. Applications must also meet specific responsiveness criteria to be considered.

Applications are due on February 25, 2025, through Grants.gov, with key supporting documents required, such as project narratives, budget justifications, and organizational capacity statements. Proposed budgets should be itemized, justified, and consistent with program goals, and applicants are encouraged to allocate at least 10% of funds for monitoring activities and 5% for evaluation. Applications will undergo a merit review based on criteria like the quality of the approach (40 points), organizational capacity (35 points), and data monitoring and evaluation plans (25 points).

The program emphasizes data quality, transparency, and sustainability. It mandates the inclusion of performance measures and evaluation plans to track progress and improve health outcomes. Successful applicants will collaborate with key stakeholders, including UNAIDS, local health agencies, and community-based organizations. The initiative aligns with broader efforts to achieve epidemic control and improve public health outcomes.

Post-award requirements include regular reporting on financial and performance measures, collaboration with CDC and other partners, and adherence to CDC’s terms and conditions. Monitoring activities will track progress toward outcomes and address gaps identified through performance assessments. Recipients are expected to comply with local laws, CDC standards, and PEPFAR-specific guidelines. Award notifications are expected by August 2025, with program activities slated to start by September 30, 2025.