Concept Paper: EmpowHER: Strengthening Women's Sexual Health Through HIV Prevention and Community Collaboration

This contract involves the selection of two community-based organizations (CBOs), one serving Latina women and the other serving Black women, to serve as subrecipients in a project focused on enhancing women's sexual health and HIV prevention efforts. The chosen organizations will be responsible for establishing a collaborative Women’s Sexual Health Network (W-SHN) composed of diverse CBOs that support women in sectors such as housing, domestic violence, LGBTQIA+ issues, and legal services, many of which have limited experience in HIV prevention. Each subrecipient will provide capacity-building assistance to their respective W-SHN through training on HIV and biomedical interventions, engaging women in sexual health discussions, and developing partnerships with other organizations. Additionally, they will create three women-centered sexual health materials with input from their networks, aiming to improve outreach and education on HIV prevention. The project is funded through a solicitation posted by Public Health Solutions NY, with a contract value ranging from $500,000 to $1,500,000. The initiative emphasizes strengthening community engagement and capacity building among organizations that traditionally do not focus on HIV prevention, fostering collaboration across sectors to improve sexual health outcomes for women of color. The response deadline for proposals is June 23, 2025, and the project aligns with efforts to expand HIV prevention services and community partnerships in New York.