HPV Roundtable: Creating a National Network of Partners to Promote Cancer Prevention through Human Papillomavirus Vaccination- Financed in Part by 2016 Prevention and Public Health Funds | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is this funding opportunity?

This is a CDC discretionary cooperative agreement: Funding Opportunity Number CDC RFA IP16 1602PPHF16. It is focused on building a coordinated, national effort to prevent HPV-associated cancers by improving how HPV vaccination is delivered and promoted across the United States.

What is the main purpose of the award?

The purpose is to create and administer a national network of cancer prevention organizations that work closely with immunization partners to increase HPV vaccination uptake. The emphasis is on coordination, education, outreach, training, and aligned strategies rather than direct clinical service delivery.

Is this funding intended to pay for direct clinical services like giving vaccines?

No. The award is not designed to fund direct clinical services. The focus is on creating national infrastructure and coordinated action (network development, convening stakeholders, and running targeted pilot projects) that can improve HPV vaccine delivery and promotion.

Why is the CDC linking HPV vaccination with cancer prevention in this program?

The opportunity is built on the idea that HPV vaccination is a cancer prevention tool. By strengthening collaboration between cancer prevention groups and immunization systems, the program aims to reduce knowledge gaps, missed vaccination opportunities, and hesitancy among providers and families.

What are the core activities the recipient is expected to carry out?

Based on the information provided, the core activities include: (1) standing up and sustaining a national network of cancer-prevention stakeholders; (2) actively coordinating with immunization stakeholders to align messaging and share best practices; (3) convening a national meeting that brings cancer prevention and immunization stakeholders together; and (4) funding and managing targeted pilot projects chosen based on network priorities.

What does "standing up and sustaining a national network" mean in this context?

It means building and maintaining an organized group of cancer-prevention stakeholders that already have strong communication channels and the ability to conduct education, outreach, and training for key audiences (the public, parents/adolescents, and health care providers). The network is expected to operate across national, regional, state, tribal, territorial, jurisdictional, and local levels so approaches can be adapted to different communities and settings.

Who are the main audiences for education, outreach, and training under this award?

The information provided highlights three key audiences: (1) the general public, (2) parents and adolescents, and (3) health care providers who recommend and administer vaccines.

How is coordination with immunization partners expected to work?

The network is expected to not operate in isolation. It must actively coordinate with existing immunization stakeholders to align messaging, share strategies, and reinforce best practices. The intent is consistent, coordinated communication and implementation across systems and partners.

What is the national meeting deliverable, and why is it required?

A major deliverable is convening a national meeting that brings together cancer prevention organizations and HPV immunization stakeholders. The meeting is meant to be practical and strategy-driven, with participants identifying concrete ways to reduce missed opportunities in clinical practice and to address acceptance challenges among parents and adolescents.

What are "missed opportunities" for HPV vaccination as described here?

Missed opportunities are situations where adolescents are already in care but the provider does not recommend or administer the HPV vaccine. A key goal of the convening is to identify ways to reduce these situations in clinical practice.

What kinds of challenges related to vaccine acceptance does this opportunity focus on?

The meeting and broader network work are intended to develop approaches that improve confidence and willingness among parents and adolescents. The overall aim is to address hesitancy and improve understanding that HPV vaccination prevents multiple cancers.

What is the pilot project component of the award?

The award includes programmatic funding for targeted pilot work. The recipient is expected to fund and manage either several small projects (up to seven) or a smaller number of larger pilot projects (roughly one to three). These pilots are to be selected based on priorities identified by the network stakeholders and should directly tackle major barriers to HPV vaccine uptake.

Are the pilot project topics pre-defined in the information provided?

No. The excerpt does not list pre-set pilot topics, but it explains that pilots should focus on high-impact obstacles to HPV vaccine uptake, such as provider recommendation practices, workflow barriers in clinics, communication challenges, and community outreach needs, or other factors that contribute to delayed or incomplete vaccination.

How many awards did the CDC expect to make?

The posting anticipated a single award (Expected Awards: 1).

What is the maximum budget mentioned for this opportunity?

The budget ceiling listed was $500,000.

Which CDC/HHS office administered this opportunity?

The opportunity was administered by HHS-CDC-NCIRD, and it was tied to Prevention and Public Health Funds (PPHF) for 2016.

What does it mean that this is a "cooperative agreement" instead of a standard grant?

The description indicates it is a discretionary cooperative agreement, meaning CDC is likely to have substantial involvement through collaboration, guidance, and oversight compared with a standard grant.

Who was eligible to apply, based on the information provided?

Eligibility was listed as unrestricted, open to any type of entity as allowed by the notice's detailed eligibility language.

What were the key dates for the posting?

The posting was created and posted on March 29, 2016, and the closing date was May 30, 2016.

What is the overall strategy behind this opportunity?

The overall strategy is to create national infrastructure for coordinated HPV cancer-prevention action by combining: a managed national network, a national stakeholder convening to align strategies and reduce missed clinical opportunities, and pilot projects to test and advance practical solutions that increase HPV vaccination coverage over time.