Viral Hepatitis, Early Identification and Linkage to Care for Persons with Chronic HBV and HCV Infections | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What is this CDC funding opportunity about?

This Fiscal Year 2013 supplemental funding opportunity from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was designed to extend and expand work already underway to find people living with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections and connect them to appropriate medical care and prevention services.

2) What is the main goal of the supplemental award?

The main goal was to increase early identification of chronic HBV and HCV infections (including people who may have both infections) and strengthen what happens after diagnosis: notifying patients, providing counseling, and actively linking people to clinical care, treatment options, and preventive services.

3) Is this intended to start new programs?

No. The CDC stated its intent was not to start brand-new programs from scratch. This was a one-year expansion of an existing viral hepatitis testing initiative, meant to supplement and extend the project period for a defined set of organizations already funded under a prior CDC announcement.

4) What prior CDC award is this supplement tied to?

Eligibility was limited to current awardees funded under the earlier funding opportunity announcement (FOA) CDC RFA PS12 1209PPHF (the Prevention and Public Health Fund-financed version of the same general initiative).

5) Who was eligible to apply?

Eligibility was narrow and specific: only current awardees under CDC RFA PS12 1209PPHF could apply for this supplemental funding. The full announcement referenced a list of eligible awardees and additional eligibility clarifications.

6) What types of infections does the program focus on?

The program focuses on chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) and chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV). It also explicitly includes people who may have both infections.

7) What populations were emphasized for outreach and services?

A central emphasis was reaching medically underserved groups and populations that are disproportionately affected by viral hepatitis, aligning the effort with the broader federal goals in the HHS Viral Hepatitis Action Plan.

8) What does “supplemental funding” mean in this context?

In this context, supplemental funding means an additional, time-limited boost (framed as a one-year expansion) to help existing, already-funded awardees continue and scale work they had already begun, rather than a separate open competition for new organizations.

9) What kind of award mechanism is this?

This was a discretionary cooperative agreement. That means recipients would carry out program activities with substantial CDC involvement and guidance, rather than operating as fully independent grantees.

10) What kinds of activities were the supplemental funds meant to support?

The supplemental award was designed to help existing awardees continue and scale what they were already doing, including expanding testing capacity, improving strategies for identifying undiagnosed chronic infections, and tightening the pathway from diagnosis to care so fewer people are lost to follow-up.

11) What does the opportunity mean by strengthening “steps after diagnosis”?

It refers to strengthening the process after a positive diagnosis by ensuring patients are notified, receive counseling, and are actively linked to clinical care, treatment options, and prevention services (rather than stopping at the testing event).

12) Why is early identification of chronic HBV and HCV a public health priority in this grant?

The opportunity highlights that earlier identification can reduce long-term complications such as cirrhosis and liver cancer by getting people evaluated and treated sooner.

13) How does diagnosing and counseling support prevention according to the announcement?

Diagnosing and counseling infected individuals supports prevention by reducing transmission risk and ensuring people receive recommended preventive services, such as vaccination against hepatitis A and B where appropriate, education on risk reduction, and medical monitoring.

14) Is the program only about counting tests and positive results?

No. The opportunity explicitly reinforces CDC’s commitment that people who are already infected should be tested, informed of their status, counseled, and connected to care and prevention resources, not simply counted as positive tests.

15) How many awards were expected?

The announcement anticipated approximately 32 awards.

16) What was the estimated total funding amount?

The estimated total funding amount was $13.4 million.

17) What was the anticipated funding range for individual awards?

Individual awards were anticipated to range from $50,000 (floor) to $400,000 (ceiling).

18) Was cost sharing or matching required?

No. The opportunity stated there was no cost sharing or matching requirement.

19) What is the CFDA number for this program?

The program falls under CFDA 93.270, Adult Viral Hepatitis Prevention and Control.

20) When was the opportunity posted?

The announcement was posted on June 14, 2013.

21) What was the application deadline?

The application deadline was July 15, 2013 at 5:00 pm Eastern Time.

22) Is this funding opportunity still active?

No. The opportunity was archived on August 14, 2013.

23) Where were applicants directed to find the official application materials?

Applicants were directed to the “Full Announcement” materials referenced in the listing.

24) Who could applicants contact for help accessing the documents?

The listing provided a CDC Procurement and Grants Office technical contact (Technical Information Management Section) for issues accessing the documents.

25) How does this opportunity align with broader national goals?

The effort was described as aligning with broader federal goals laid out in the HHS Viral Hepatitis Action Plan, with particular emphasis on improving identification of chronic infections and strengthening linkage to care in high-need communities.