STD/HIV Disease Intervention Services Training Centers (DISTC) | CDC RFA PS14 140803CONT16

FAQs: STD/HIV Disease Intervention Services Training Centers (DISTC) (CDC Cooperative Agreement Continuation)

1) What is the STD/HIV Disease Intervention Services Training Centers (DISTC) opportunity?

It is a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) funding action that supports Disease Intervention Services (DIS) training infrastructure connected to STD and HIV public health practice. The focus is on maintaining and strengthening the training capacity used to build a skilled DIS workforce, including standardized training, skill-building, and capacity development that can be used by state and local health departments.

2) Is this an open grant competition for new applicants?

No. This is described as a continuation award intended only for organizations that were already funded under the earlier CDC program announcement CDC-RFA-PS14-1408. In practical terms, it is not a competitive opportunity for new applicants.

3) Who is eligible to receive funding under this opportunity?

The intent is to provide continuation funding to current members of the CDC-funded DISTC network that were previously selected and funded under CDC-RFA-PS14-1408. Even if a general eligibility label appears broad, the description indicates the continuation funds are meant for prior awardees under that earlier funding announcement.

4) What does it mean that this opportunity is a continuation award?

A continuation award is designed to extend or continue financial support for work that is already underway rather than start a new, openly competed program. Here, the purpose is to keep existing DISTC training center activities going by continuing support for previously funded grantees.

5) What type of funding mechanism is being used?

This opportunity is issued as a cooperative agreement. Cooperative agreements typically involve CDC having substantial involvement in the funded work beyond simply providing money.

6) What does CDC "substantial involvement" usually imply in a cooperative agreement?

It generally implies close collaboration between CDC and the funded organizations, which can include ongoing technical guidance, shared planning, and performance monitoring. The intent is that CDC is engaged in the work and implementation alongside the recipient organizations.

7) What is the main purpose of the DISTC program activity described here?

The stated purpose is to support DIS training infrastructure tied to STD and HIV public health practice. The emphasis is on strengthening the workforce responsible for key field-based interventions by improving training quality, consistency, and capacity.

8) What are Disease Intervention Services (DIS) in this context?

DIS programs are commonly associated with core public health functions such as partner services, case investigation, linkage to testing and treatment, and other field-based interventions that help interrupt transmission and connect people to care.

9) What kinds of activities does the DISTC model generally focus on?

The DISTC model generally focuses on workforce development through standardized training, skill-building, and capacity development. The goal is to strengthen the DIS workforce and support state and local health departments in improving the quality and consistency of DIS activities.

10) What is the activity area for this funding action?

The activity area is categorized under Health.

11) What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity, and what does it relate to?

The opportunity is associated with CFDA number 93.977, which aligns with CDC public health program funding related to sexually transmitted diseases and HIV-related prevention and control activities.

12) When was this listing created, and what was the original closing date?

The listing was created on October 8, 2015, and the original closing date was December 8, 2015.

13) How many awards were expected under this continuation action?

The expected number of awards is listed as 50, suggesting the continuation action may have been structured to support a broad set of existing training center-related recipients or components under the prior funding arrangement.

14) What does it mean that the award ceiling is listed as 0?

An award ceiling of 0 can appear in continuation or administrative listings where individual award amounts are handled through internal continuation processes rather than being published as a new competed maximum amount for applicants.

15) What is the overall intent of this funding action?

The overall intent is to maintain and continue an established CDC-funded network of STD/HIV DIS training centers, ensuring ongoing workforce training and technical support capacity, rather than launching a new initiative for new organizations to apply to.

16) Does this opportunity primarily support training infrastructure or direct service delivery?

Based on the description provided, the stated purpose emphasizes DIS training infrastructure and workforce development (standardized training, skill-building, and capacity development) to strengthen public health practice related to STD and HIV.

17) What prior funding announcement is this continuation tied to?

It is specifically tied to the earlier program announcement CDC-RFA-PS14-1408.

18) Why is this best understood as a maintenance mechanism rather than a new initiative?

Because it is explicitly described as a continuation award for previously funded organizations and is intended to extend ongoing work for the existing network of CDC-funded DISTC grantees, not to solicit new applications through an open competitive process.