Aidsfonds has launched a major funding call to support national community-based organizations in identifying children and adolescents aged 0–14 living with HIV across Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania and Nigeria. The programme focuses on evidence-based interventions that improve early identification, linkage to antiretroviral treatment and long-term retention in care. A total of EUR 2,775,000 is available for catalytic, data-driven paediatric HIV initiatives running from April 2026 to December 2028.

Aidsfonds is offering substantial funding to national community-based organizations to strengthen identification, linkage and retention of children and adolescents aged 0–14 living with HIV in five high-burden African countries. This call prioritizes evidence-based approaches, strong community collaboration and child-centred service delivery.

Programme Purpose

The programme is designed to close critical gaps in paediatric HIV care by identifying children with HIV early and ensuring immediate linkage to antiretroviral therapy (ART). It emphasizes data-driven decision-making, high-impact interventions and alignment with national health strategies.

Key Objectives

• Identify children and adolescents (0–14) living with HIV in underserved, high-prevalence areas

• Use biomedical and demographic data to address gaps in paediatric HIV service coverage

• Ensure child-focused, evidence-based and community-led approaches

• Strengthen linkage to ART, retention in care and viral load suppression

• Promote sustainable, scalable models aligned with national guidelines

Priority Focus Areas

• High-density, high-prevalence communities

• Collaboration with community networks, health facilities and Ministries of Health

• Continuous learning and quality improvement using real-time data

• Evidence-informed advocacy based on programme findings

Funding Details

• Total available: EUR 2,775,000

• Implementation period: April 2026 – December 2028

• Country allocation per year:

  • Nigeria: EUR 125,000

  • Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, South Africa: EUR 200,000 each

• Expected awards: One organization per country (5 total)

Eligible Costs

Budgets must align strictly with paediatric HIV identification and linkage activities. Funding should cover:

• Identification of children with HIV

• Linkage to ART and follow-up care

• Monitoring, evaluation and data management

• Staff time (non-clinical), community outreach, logistics

• Annual audits

• Participation in partner coordination meetings

Non-Eligible Activities

Applications must avoid large-scale health systems work or unrelated expenditures, including:

• Procurement of pharmaceuticals

• Clinical staffing or long-term health worker salaries

• Clinical trials

• Broad community awareness campaigns

• Standalone advocacy projects

• Infrastructure construction

Who Is Eligible?

Applicants must meet all criteria below:

• National, community-based, non-governmental, non-profit organization

• Four to five years of proven experience in paediatric HIV programming

• Strong governance structure aligned with programme objectives

• May apply individually or as a consortium led by a community-based organization
  Not eligible to lead: international NGOs, medical institutions, research institutes or entities that may divert the project from community ownership

Why It Matters

Children remain the most underserved population in the global HIV response, with many undiagnosed until late stages of infection. This programme strengthens early detection, accelerates ART initiation and improves long-term health outcomes. By investing in community-led solutions, Aidsfonds supports models that are culturally grounded, sustainable and able to reach the most marginalized populations.

How to Apply

Follow these steps to submit a competitive application:

1. Review the full call guidelines on the Aidsfonds Good Grants platform.

2. Develop a focused intervention plan centred on HIV identification and linkage for children aged 0–14.

3. Prepare a compliant budget that fits within country-specific limits and includes required cost categories.

4. Demonstrate governance capacity and provide evidence of paediatric HIV experience.

5. Submit the application in English through the Good Grants portal.

6. Submit before the deadline: 30 January 2026.

Selection Process

Eligible proposals will be evaluated on:

• Compliance with guidelines

• Data quality and use of evidence

• Quality of intervention design

• Organizational credibility and governance

• Child-friendliness of activities

• Community engagement mechanisms
  Notifications will be issued in March 2026, and funded projects will run from April 2026 to December 2028.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Proposing large-scale health system reforms rather than targeted identification/linkage

• Submitting a budget exceeding country limits

• Allowing international NGOs or medical institutions to take leadership roles

• Overemphasis on awareness campaigns without clear linkage pathways

• Lack of data-driven rationale or missing demographic/biomedical evidence

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Can an international NGO apply as a lead organization?
No. Only national, community-based, non-profit organizations may lead applications.
2. Are consortium applications allowed?
Yes, but the consortium must be led by a community-based organization.
3. Can funds be used to hire clinical staff?
No. Clinical staffing is a non-eligible cost.
4. Can the programme support purchase of ARVs or medical supplies?
No. Pharmaceutical procurement is not permitted.
5. What age group must the interventions target?
Children and adolescents aged 0–14 living with or at risk of HIV.
6. Can activities include advocacy?
Only if advocacy is evidence-informed and integrated into identification and linkage—not as a standalone activity.
7. Is the programme limited to specific geographic areas?
Yes. Priority is given to high-prevalence, densely populated, underserved communities in the five target countries.

Conclusion

This Aidsfonds funding call provides a critical opportunity for community-based organizations to strengthen paediatric HIV identification and linkage systems in five high-burden countries. By focusing on evidence-based, child-centred and community-led approaches, the programme aims to dramatically increase early HIV diagnosis and ensure sustained access to life-saving treatment for children and adolescents.