Deadline: 10-Jul-2026
The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program is seeking to improve nutrition service delivery for people with HIV through implementation science approaches. The opportunity supports medical nutrition therapy, food bank services, home-delivered meals, and other nutrition-related services that contribute to better health outcomes and HIV viral suppression. The estimated total funding available is $2,500,000, with an award ceiling of $2,500,000.
Overview
The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program is supporting efforts to improve the delivery of nutrition services for people with HIV who are eligible for the program.
The opportunity focuses on using implementation science to replicate, adapt, sustain, and evaluate effective nutrition service models.
The goal is to strengthen nutrition-related services within the broader HIV care system and improve health outcomes for people living with HIV.
Key Focus Areas
The funding opportunity focuses on nutrition services, HIV care, and improved health outcomes.
Key focus areas include:
- Nutrition services for people with HIV
- HIV viral suppression
- Implementation science
- Replication of effective nutrition service programs
- Adaptation of nutrition interventions to different settings
- Sustainability of successful nutrition service models
- Evaluation of program effectiveness
- Medical nutrition therapy
- Food bank services
- Home-delivered meal services
- Other applicable nutrition-related service categories
- Reduction of metabolic chronic disease burden
- Comprehensive HIV care
- Health and wellbeing of people with HIV
Purpose of the Funding Opportunity
The purpose of this opportunity is to improve access to and delivery of nutrition-related services for people with HIV.
The project aims to strengthen the comprehensive system of HIV care provided through the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program.
By improving nutrition services, the initiative seeks to support viral suppression, reduce health risks, and improve overall wellbeing among people living with HIV.
Funding Available
The estimated total program funding available is $2,500,000.
The award ceiling is $2,500,000.
Applicants should design proposals that clearly show how the requested funding will support implementation science, nutrition service delivery, evaluation, and improved health outcomes for people with HIV.
Who is Eligible?
Eligible applicants include a wide range of government, nonprofit, Tribal, and education-based entities.
Eligible applicants include:
- State governments
- County governments
- City governments
- Township governments
- Special district governments
- Independent school districts
- Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education
- Federally recognized Native American Tribal governments
- Native American Tribal organizations
- Nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status
- Nonprofit organizations without 501(c)(3) status
- Private institutions of higher education
Individuals are not eligible to apply.
What the Funding Can Support
The funding can support activities that improve nutrition services for people with HIV.
Supported activities may include:
- Strengthening medical nutrition therapy services
- Expanding food bank services
- Improving home-delivered meal services
- Adapting nutrition service models to different communities
- Replicating successful nutrition interventions
- Evaluating nutrition service effectiveness
- Integrating nutrition services into HIV care systems
- Supporting other applicable service categories linked to nutrition and HIV care
- Developing strategies to sustain effective nutrition service delivery
- Reducing metabolic chronic disease risks among people with HIV
Implementation Science Approach
Applicants are expected to use implementation science methods.
Implementation science focuses on how proven or promising practices can be effectively adopted, adapted, delivered, evaluated, and sustained in real-world settings.
Under this opportunity, applicants should use implementation science to:
- Identify effective nutrition service models
- Replicate proven approaches
- Adapt services for different populations or settings
- Evaluate what works and why
- Sustain successful models over time
- Improve service delivery within HIV care systems
Nutrition Services in HIV Care
Nutrition services are an important part of comprehensive HIV care.
People with HIV may face nutritional challenges, food insecurity, chronic disease risks, medication-related needs, or barriers to accessing healthy meals and nutrition counselling.
Supported nutrition services may help improve:
- Treatment adherence
- Overall health
- Viral suppression
- Food security
- Management of metabolic chronic disease
- Quality of life
- Access to appropriate care and support
Focus on HIV Viral Suppression
The opportunity places strong emphasis on supporting HIV viral suppression.
Effective nutrition services can contribute to viral suppression by helping people with HIV maintain better health, manage chronic conditions, and stay connected to care.
Applicants should explain how their proposed nutrition service model will contribute to improved HIV-related health outcomes.
Reducing Metabolic Chronic Disease Burden
The initiative also seeks to reduce the burden of metabolic chronic disease among people with HIV.
This may include conditions or risks related to nutrition, diet, weight, cardiovascular health, diabetes, or other long-term health concerns.
Projects should show how nutrition services can support prevention, management, or improved care for these health challenges.
Why It Matters
Nutrition is closely connected to health outcomes for people living with HIV.
When people with HIV have access to nutrition counselling, healthy food, meal support, and related services, they may be better able to manage their health and remain engaged in care.
This funding opportunity matters because it supports practical, evidence-informed approaches to improving nutrition service delivery within the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program.
By using implementation science, the initiative can help identify models that work, adapt them to different settings, and sustain them for long-term impact.
How to Apply or Prepare a Strong Application
Applicants should prepare a clear proposal that explains the nutrition service model, implementation science approach, target population, evaluation plan, and expected health outcomes.
Step 1: Confirm Eligibility
Applicants should first confirm that they are an eligible government entity, Tribal organization, nonprofit organization, or institution of higher education.
Individuals should not apply under this opportunity.
Step 2: Define the Nutrition Service Need
The application should clearly explain the nutrition-related needs of people with HIV in the target community.
This may include:
- Food insecurity
- Limited access to nutrition counselling
- Gaps in medical nutrition therapy
- Need for home-delivered meals
- Barriers to healthy food access
- Metabolic chronic disease risks
- Challenges affecting HIV viral suppression
Step 3: Describe the Proposed Nutrition Service Model
Applicants should explain what nutrition service model they will replicate, adapt, sustain, or evaluate.
The model may involve:
- Medical nutrition therapy
- Food bank services
- Home-delivered meals
- Integrated nutrition counselling
- Nutrition-related case support
- Linkages between HIV care and food support services
- Other relevant Ryan White service categories
Step 4: Explain the Implementation Science Strategy
Applicants should describe how implementation science will guide the project.
The proposal should explain:
- Why the selected model is effective or promising
- How it will be adapted to the target setting
- How implementation barriers will be addressed
- How service delivery will be monitored
- How results will be evaluated
- How successful practices will be sustained
Step 5: Show Connection to HIV Outcomes
A strong application should clearly show how the project will improve HIV care outcomes.
Expected outcomes may include:
- Improved access to nutrition services
- Increased use of medical nutrition therapy
- Improved food security
- Better engagement in HIV care
- Improved viral suppression
- Reduced metabolic chronic disease burden
- Stronger integration of nutrition services into HIV care
Step 6: Prepare an Evaluation Plan
Applicants should include a strong evaluation approach.
The evaluation plan should measure:
- Program reach
- Service delivery quality
- Participant outcomes
- Implementation effectiveness
- Sustainability potential
- Impact on nutrition-related and HIV-related health outcomes
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Applicants should avoid weak or unclear proposals.
Common mistakes include:
- Not clearly explaining the nutrition service model
- Failing to use an implementation science approach
- Not linking nutrition services to HIV viral suppression
- Ignoring metabolic chronic disease risks
- Providing a vague evaluation plan
- Not explaining how the model will be adapted or sustained
- Submitting without clear target population details
- Not showing how services fit within Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program care
- Applying as an individual
- Providing an unclear budget or implementation plan
Tips for a Strong Application
A strong application should be evidence-informed, practical, and focused on measurable health outcomes.
Useful tips include:
- Clearly define the population of people with HIV to be served.
- Explain the nutrition service gap being addressed.
- Use implementation science language clearly and practically.
- Identify the service model to be replicated, adapted, or sustained.
- Show how nutrition services support viral suppression.
- Include medical nutrition therapy, food support, or meal delivery where relevant.
- Address metabolic chronic disease risks.
- Build a strong evaluation and learning plan.
- Explain how successful models can continue beyond the funding period.
- Keep the budget aligned with service delivery, evaluation, and sustainability goals.
FAQ
1. What is this Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program funding opportunity about?
This opportunity supports efforts to improve nutrition service delivery for people with HIV through implementation science approaches.
2. What is the main goal of the funding?
The main goal is to improve access to nutrition services, support HIV viral suppression, and enhance health outcomes for people with HIV.
3. How much funding is available?
The estimated total program funding available is $2,500,000, with an award ceiling of $2,500,000.
4. What types of services may be supported?
Supported services may include medical nutrition therapy, food bank services, home-delivered meals, and other applicable nutrition-related service categories.
5. Who can apply?
Eligible applicants include state, county, city, and township governments, special district governments, independent school districts, Tribal governments and organizations, nonprofit organizations, and public or private institutions of higher education.
6. Can individuals apply?
No. Individuals are not eligible to apply under this funding opportunity.
7. Why is implementation science important for this project?
Implementation science helps applicants replicate, adapt, evaluate, and sustain effective nutrition service programs in real-world HIV care settings.
Conclusion
This Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program funding opportunity provides support to strengthen nutrition services for people with HIV and improve health outcomes through implementation science.
With an estimated $2,500,000 available, the initiative supports medical nutrition therapy, food bank services, home-delivered meals, evaluation, adaptation, and sustainability of effective nutrition service models. Strong applications should clearly demonstrate the nutrition service need, implementation science strategy, connection to viral suppression, evaluation plan, and potential to reduce metabolic chronic disease burden among people with HIV.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
