RADx-UP CDCC Community Collaboration Mini-Grant Program

RADx-UPMiniGrant-PilotProgramAdmin@dm.duke.edu

Duke University in partnership with the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, is serving as the Coordination and Data Collection Center (CDCC) for the National Institutes of Health (NIH)-supported Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics- Underserved Populations (RADx-UP) program. The program goal is to improve access to and uptake of diagnostic COVID-19 testing in communities of underserved and vulnerable populations. The Community Collaboration Mini-Grant Program will provide grants to support community partners working to advance capacity, training, support, and community experience with COVID-19 testing initiatives.

Mini-grant funds may be used to support personnel, contracted service, and non-personnel costs to:

• Remove barriers to COVID-19 communication and outreach, COVID-19 testing and diagnosis, and COVID-19 data collection and dissemination testing
• Develop communities of practice between community collaboration CDCC mini-grant sub-awardees and current RADx-UP awardees which will extend communication and outreach, expand testing availability, and enhance data collection and dissemination capacities
• Evaluate strategies for the communication of test results and follow-up measures to underserved and vulnerable populations
• Provide training and education for community members around COVID-19 testing topics of interest to the community
• Provide funding to increase capacity for COVID-19 testing activities in the community
• Generate communication materials related to COVID-19 testing
• Provide funding for community personnel training on specific aspects of COVID-19 related research including informatics, data collection methods, and standardized survey administration

In the context of this program, underserved communities are defined as NIH-designated health disparity and socially vulnerable populations known to experience barriers to accessing health coverage and basic healthcare services as well as disparities from COVID-19, including:

• Residents of rural and remote communities
• Residents of tribal lands and reservations
• Residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities
• Community-dwelling older adults
• Individuals with intellectual, developmental, sensory, or physical disabilities, cognitive impairment, dementia, or communication disorders
• Homeless populations
• Individuals involved with the criminal or juvenile justice systems
• Individuals with medical comorbidities known to increase risk of severe COVID-19
• Pregnant and post-partum women
• Children and adolescents
• Individuals living in congregate, overcrowded, or public housing
• Individuals with substance use disorders or serious mental illness
• Migrant and immigrant communities
• Communities exposed to high rates of air pollution or other toxic exposures

Eligible applicants include community serving organizations, faith-based organizations, community-based clinics, and tribal nations and organizations.

Award ceiling: $50,000
Project period: 12 months

Links to additional guidance and the application instructions are available on the program website.

While not required, applicants are requested to submit a letter of intent through the online application system by April 7, 2023.