Funding cuts are devastating Black HIV prevention work. But activists say pressure is working. - LGBTQ Nation

"For decades, Black HIV activists have filled the gaps left by public systems that failed to adequately fund prevention, treatment, and long-term care. From peer education and harm reduction to policy advocacy that expanded health care access nationwide, these Black-led organizations have often functioned as both first responders and architects of survival."

"Facing the Trump administration's massive federal funding cuts, HIV prevention and care organizations across the country are scrambling to prevent service disruptions for clients. The cuts have reshaped the day-to-day reality of HIV work in ways that are deeply destabilizing for both nonprofit organizations and the communities they serve."

"Policy analyses of the FY2026 budget request show tens to hundreds of millions of dollars in potential reductions to testing, surveillance, and outreach infrastructure for HIV prevention programs through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The administration moved to terminate roughly $600 million in CDC grants tied to HIV and STD prevention and surveillance programs."

Black HIV activists and organizations have provided critical prevention, treatment, and care services for decades, functioning as both first responders and architects of survival when public systems failed to adequately fund these efforts. These Black-led organizations developed peer education, harm reduction, and policy advocacy that expanded health care access nationwide. Currently, this carefully constructed infrastructure faces severe threats from federal funding cuts. The Trump administration's budget reductions include potential tens to hundreds of millions in cuts to CDC-funded HIV testing, surveillance, and outreach programs. Approximately $600 million in CDC grants for HIV and STD prevention have been terminated, directly affecting state health departments and community-based service providers. Public health experts warn these reductions could significantly disrupt HIV prevention systems nationwide, particularly in regions dependent on federal funding.

Read at LGBTQ Nation