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

CDC’s National Center for State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Public Health Infrastructure and Workforce (Public Health Infrastructure Center) has awarded funding to 108 [PDF – 525 KB] recipients of a two-year, non-research grant—CDC-RFA-OT21-2103: National Initiative to Address COVID-19 Health Disparities Among Populations at High-Risk and Underserved, Including Racial and Ethnic Minority Populations and Rural Communities. This grant is funded through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021. This groundbreaking funding represents CDC’s largest investment to date focusing specifically on reducing health disparities related to COVID-19 and will provide much needed support to directly address these issues in communities that need it most.

OT21-2103 Success Stories

Recipients of the COVID-19 Health Disparities Grant are telling their success stories of how they are addressing COVID-19-related health disparities and advancing health equity through programs and activities funded by the grant.

Purpose

This $2.25 billion grant is funded through the US Department of Health and Human Services. The purpose of this new funding initiative is to address COVID-19 related health disparities and advance health equity by expanding state, local, US territorial, and freely associated state health department capacity and services. The intended outcomes are to 1) reduce COVID-19-related health disparities, 2) improve and increase testing and contact tracing among populations at higher risk and that are underserved, including racial and ethnic minority groups and people living in rural communities, and 3) improve state, local, US territorial and freely associated state health department capacity and services to prevent and control COVID-19 infection (or transmission) among populations at higher risk and that are underserved, including racial and ethnic minority groups and people living in rural communities.

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

Recipients

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 for up to 12 additional months, where needed, was approved for jurisdictions to accomplish proposed activities through May 31, 2024.

COVID-19 Health Equity Resources

COVID-19 Health Equity Resource Library– Discover evidence-based practices and resources related to reducing COVID-19 health disparities in communities across the nation. This resource library is designed to support OT21-2103 grant recipients.

COVID-19 Health Equity Technical Assistance– Browse technical assistance (TA) resources, trainings, and events for OT21-2103 grant recipients.

CDC’s COVID-19 Health Equity web page – To stop the spread of COVID-19 and move toward greater health equity, CDC continues to work with organizations, agencies, and communities to ensure resources are available to maintain and manage physical and mental health, including easy access to information, affordable testing, and medical and mental health care.

For more information

Contact us by email at OT21-2103Support@cdc.gov