Enhancing STI and Sexual Health Clinic Infrastructure (ESSHCI) | CDC RFA PS 23 0011

Opportunity Information: Apply for CDC RFA PS 23 0011

The Enhancing STI and Sexual Health Clinic Infrastructure (ESSHCI) funding opportunity (CDC RFA PS 23 0011) is a CDC cooperative agreement designed to help clinics improve their underlying systems and day-to-day operations so they can deliver broader, higher-quality sexual health services and reach more people who need care. In practical terms, the program is about building stronger clinic infrastructure (the staffing, workflows, partnerships, data use, and patient-centered processes that make services accessible and effective) while expanding access to comprehensive sexual health services in the community. It is administered by the Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), through NCHHSTP, and is listed under CFDA 93.977 in the health funding category.

The work is organized into three strategies. Strategy A is required and serves as the core focus in Year 1. It centers on community engagement and strategic partnerships, with the goal of making clinic expansion plans reflect real community needs, especially among priority populations. Activities under this strategy emphasize building and strengthening relationships with community members and organizations, mobilizing public health partners, and producing a community-informed, clinic-level plan that lays out how the clinic will increase access to quality comprehensive sexual health services. The idea is that clinics do better when they are not planning in isolation; they coordinate with public health agencies and trusted community partners, use local input to guide decisions, and design services that are easier to find, easier to use, and more acceptable to the people most affected by STIs and related conditions.

Strategy B is also required and runs across Years 1 through 5, making it the long-term backbone of the award. This strategy is focused on strengthening clinic infrastructure and improving the actual provision of comprehensive sexual health services. Key activities include conducting an infrastructure assessment to identify gaps and barriers, implementing the clinic-level plan created through Strategy A, adding evidence-based approaches to improve sexual health services, and systematically assessing and improving the patient experience. Taken together, Strategy B pushes clinics beyond simply offering services and toward building reliable systems that support consistent quality, efficient patient flow, appropriate testing and treatment, stronger prevention services, and a more respectful and responsive clinic environment.

Strategy C is optional and can be pursued in Years 1 through 5. It is intended to fund a subset of short-term, targeted activities each budget period that expand access to STI prevention and other sexual health services using a syndemic approach, meaning clinics are encouraged to address overlapping and interconnected health issues rather than treating STI services as a standalone silo. This optional component supports adding or scaling practical enhancements that can be implemented relatively quickly and that broaden prevention and supportive services in ways that reflect real-world patient needs and co-occurring conditions.

The NOFO sets out outcomes that reflect both process improvements and public health impact. On the process side, it aims to increase meaningful community involvement in clinic-level planning and deepen engagement with public health partners, which should translate into better coordination, stronger referral networks, and more aligned service delivery. On the service side, it expects increased access and greater clinic capacity to provide comprehensive sexual health services, along with measurable improvements in the patient clinic experience. In terms of health impact, the NOFO anticipates increased identification of new STI cases (reflecting improved screening, testing, and detection) and stronger linkage to prevention and care services for co-occurring conditions, which is critical for people who may need wraparound support beyond a single test or visit.

The program uses a broad definition of sexual health services, covering both prevention and treatment. Examples described in the opportunity include taking a sexual history and conducting risk assessments, providing education and counseling, testing and treatment for HIV and other STIs, hepatitis B and C screening, HIV prevention options such as PrEP and nPEP, contraception services, condoms, and recommended vaccinations. Overall, ESSHCI is structured to help recipients build durable clinic systems that improve access, quality, and patient experience while expanding prevention and treatment services across the sexual health spectrum.

Eligible applicants are wide-ranging and include state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; and nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education where specified). The opportunity is categorized as discretionary, uses a cooperative agreement funding instrument (indicating substantial federal involvement and collaboration during implementation), and anticipated making about 25 awards. The original posting date was April 17, 2023, with an original closing date of June 5, 2023, and electronic submissions due by 11:59 pm ET on the due date. The listed award ceiling is shown as 0 in the provided source data, which typically means applicants should rely on the NOFO’s full text or related budget guidance for award amount details rather than treating that field as a true cap.

• The Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control - NCHHSTP in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Enhancing STI and Sexual Health Clinic Infrastructure (ESSHCI)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.977.
• This funding opportunity was created on Apr 17, 2023.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 05, 2023 Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 1159 pm ET on the listed application due date.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 25 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification), Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.

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