National Initiative to Address COVID-19 Health Disparities Among Populations at High-Risk and Underserved, Including Racial and Ethnic Minority Populations and Rural Communities Funding

Key points

  • This funding was provided to address COVID-19 related health disparities and advance health equity by expanding health department capacity and services.
  • CDC awarded funding to 108 recipients including state, local, US territorial, and freely associated state health departments.
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Background

The intended outcomes of this $2.25 billion grant are to:

  • Reduce COVID-19-related health disparities.
  • Improve and increase testing and contact tracing among populations at higher risk and those that are underserved, including racial and ethnic minority groups and people living in rural communities.
  • Improve health department capacity and services to prevent and control COVID-19 infection among populations at higher risk and those that are underserved, including racial and ethnic minority groups and people living in rural communities.

CDC's Initiative to Address COVID-19 Health Disparities: Lessons Learned‎

Explore the latest articles on the CDC's Initiative to Address COVID-19 Health Disparities in the American Journal of Public Health (AJPH).

Funding

  • Funding and period of performance: $2.25 billion – 2 years
  • Award date: June 1, 2021
  • Project start date: June 1, 2021
  • Project end date: May 31, 2023*

*A No Cost Extension, where needed, was approved. Recipients may accomplish proposed activities through May 31, 2026.

Program Strategies

  1. Expand existing and/or develop new mitigation and prevention resources and services to reduce COVID-19 related disparities among populations at higher risk and that are underserved.
  2. Increase/improve data collection and reporting for populations experiencing a disproportionate burden of COVID-19 infection, severe illness, and death to guide the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  3. Build, leverage, and expand infrastructure support for COVID-19 prevention and control among populations that are at higher risk and underserved.
  4. Mobilize partners and collaborators to advance health equity and address social determinants of health as they relate to COVID-19 health disparities among populations at higher risk and that are underserved.

Eligible Applicants

  • All 50 States
  • Counties serving a county population of 2,000,000 or more
  • Cities serving a population of 400,000 or more
  • Counties and cities based on US Census 2019 estimates
  • US Territories and freely associated states

List of Eligible Applicants and Estimated Funding Award Amounts by Category [PDF – 83 KB]

Recipients

CDC's Public Health Infrastructure Center has awarded funding to 108 Awardees [PDF – 525 KB].

Read success stories from recipients of the COVID-19 Health Disparities grant here.