Department of Defense HIV/AIDS Prevention, Care and Treatment Program | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What is the DHAPP grant opportunity?

The Department of Defense HIV/AIDS Prevention, Care and Treatment Program (DHAPP) is a discretionary federal grant opportunity focused on strengthening HIV prevention, care, and treatment efforts within foreign military populations and their families.

2) What is DHAPP trying to achieve?

DHAPP aims to maximize public health impact by targeting the specific drivers of HIV transmission and the barriers to care that exist in military settings. The program emphasizes approaches tailored to issues such as mobility, deployment patterns, high-risk locations, and occupational culture that can affect both HIV risk and access to services.

3) Who manages DHAPP and where is it based?

DHAPP is managed through the U.S. Department of Defense and is operationally based at the Naval Health Research Center (NHRC) in San Diego. DHAPP provides funding administration and program support to participating partner-country militaries.

4) What types of support does DHAPP provide beyond funding?

DHAPP provides a mix of funding administration, technical assistance, training, program management, and performance monitoring. It functions as both a funder and a technical partner.

5) Who is the program intended to serve?

The opportunity focuses on foreign military populations and their families, with programming designed around the unique conditions and service contexts found in military environments.

6) How is DHAPP programming designed and tailored for each country or military?

DHAPP uses a structured, collaborative process with in-country stakeholders. Work typically begins with meetings with key partners to identify appropriate focus areas and technical assistance needs. DHAPP then adapts prevention, care, and treatment support based on assessments of the local epidemic and the military's existing response, rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach.

7) Does DHAPP emphasize sustainability and local ownership?

Yes. A major emphasis is building the capacity of the partner military to plan, implement, and sustain its own HIV programming over time. DHAPP also encourages countries and their militaries to increase and leverage financial and other resources to support long-term continuity.

8) How does DHAPP coordinate with other HIV efforts and donors?

DHAPP aims to improve program effectiveness by coordinating with other donors and national partners, drawing on proven approaches already working in-country, and aligning military-focused activities with national HIV implementation plans and broader public health priorities.

9) How does DHAPP relate to PEPFAR?

The opportunity highlights alignment with PEPFAR (the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) as an important characteristic of strong military HIV programs. DHAPP staff participate in PEPFAR Technical Working Groups and Core Teams through the Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, signaling that DHAPP activities are intended to fit into the broader U.S. government global HIV response architecture.

10) What characteristics does DHAPP associate with strong military HIV programs?

Examples listed in the opportunity include visible leadership support from the military sector, clear plans of action and supporting policies, strong alignment with PEPFAR and national strategies, increased HIV awareness and engagement in the military community, military ownership of HIV activities, and accountability and sustainability through structured monitoring and evaluation.

11) What prevention activities may DHAPP support?

DHAPP supports comprehensive prevention approaches tailored to sexual transmission risk and related co-factors. Activities may include voluntary counseling and testing, prevention and management of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), behavioral interventions, efforts to reduce multiple concurrent partnerships, and prevention and care for opportunistic infections.

12) Does DHAPP include male circumcision as a prevention intervention?

Yes. The opportunity notes male circumcision as a prevention intervention where appropriate.

13) Does the program address harmful male norms and behaviors?

Yes. DHAPP includes initiatives aimed at changing harmful male normative behaviors that can increase HIV risk.

14) How does DHAPP prioritize prevention resources within military settings?

Prevention campaigns are expected to focus on higher-risk personnel and high-prevalence areas, consistent with DHAPP's goal of concentrating resources where they can produce the greatest impact.

15) Does DHAPP address stigma related to HIV?

Yes. DHAPP includes efforts to reduce stigma associated with HIV infection, recognizing stigma as a major obstacle to testing, disclosure, and treatment adherence in many environments, including military settings.

16) Does DHAPP include prevention of mother-to-child transmission?

Yes. The opportunity specifically notes attention to preventing mother-to-child transmission.

17) What care and treatment-related elements are included in the DHAPP description?

The opportunity emphasizes strengthening HIV prevention, care, and treatment efforts and notes prevention and care for opportunistic infections as part of comprehensive programming.

18) What surveillance and data systems does DHAPP support?

DHAPP supports strengthening surveillance and health infrastructure so militaries can make data-driven decisions and track results. This includes support for HIV, STI, and tuberculosis (TB) surveillance, prevalence surveys, laboratory capacity, training, monitoring and evaluation systems, and strategic information management.

19) How does DHAPP approach monitoring and evaluation?

DHAPP emphasizes structured monitoring and evaluation as a foundation for accountability and sustainability. DHAPP also provides performance monitoring as part of its operational support.

20) What is the funding instrument type for this opportunity?

The instrument type is a grant.

21) What is the activity category for this opportunity?

The activity category is health.

22) Is there a cost sharing or matching requirement?

No. The announcement states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.

23) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is listed as unrestricted (open broadly to entity types), subject to any additional eligibility clarifications in the full announcement text.

24) What are the key identifiers for this funding opportunity?

The funding opportunity number is DHAPPBAA09-002. The CFDA number is 12.350 (Department of Defense HIV/AIDS Prevention Program).

25) When was the opportunity posted and what are the closing and archive dates?

The opportunity was posted March 11, 2009. The closing date is September 30, 2010, and the archive date is October 30, 2010.

26) Which agency issued this opportunity?

The issuing agency is listed as Naval Supply Systems Command.

27) Where can applicants get help with access issues?

The point of contact for access issues is Maria Papet, Grants Officer, at 619-532-2559.

28) How does DHAPP work with in-country stakeholders at the start of an engagement?

The program typically begins by meeting with key in-country partners to identify the most appropriate focus areas and define technical assistance needs before adapting prevention, care, and treatment support to the assessed context.

29) Does DHAPP encourage alignment with national strategies and plans?

Yes. DHAPP emphasizes that military-focused activities should align with national HIV implementation plans and broader public health priorities, and it highlights alignment with national strategies as a hallmark of strong programs.

30) What role does leadership play in DHAPP-supported programs?

The opportunity notes that visible leadership support from the military sector is an important characteristic of strong military HIV programs, alongside clear plans of action and supporting policies.