National Infrastructure for Mitigating the Impact of COVID-19 within Racial and Ethnic Minority Communities | MP CPI 20 006

Opportunity Information: Apply for MP CPI 20 006

The National Infrastructure for Mitigating the Impact of COVID-19 within Racial and Ethnic Minority Communities grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number: MP CPI 20 006) was issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, through the Office of Minority Health (OMH). Structured as a cooperative agreement under the Disaster Prevention and Relief activity category (CFDA 93.137), the program was designed to rapidly strengthen COVID-19 communication, coordination, and service connections for communities that were experiencing disproportionate harm from the pandemic, especially racial and ethnic minority populations, rural communities, and other disadvantaged groups. The central idea is to build a durable, coordinated infrastructure that can move accurate information and practical support through trusted channels, while also capturing what works and spreading those approaches across jurisdictions.

At the core of the project is the creation and coordination of a national-to-local network that links national organizations with state, territorial, tribal, and community-based partners, including State Offices of Minority Health. OMH sought a lead applicant capable of organizing this network so that COVID-19 public health messaging, guidance, and resources could be delivered through organizations that communities already rely on and trust. This includes building the relationships, workflows, and communication pathways needed for timely dissemination of information and for connecting people to concrete services such as testing, healthcare, and social supports.

The funded work was expected to cover several connected tasks. First, the awardee would develop a strategic information dissemination network spanning national, state, tribal, territorial, and local organizations that serve as regular information sources for the target communities. Second, the awardee would produce and distribute culturally and linguistically appropriate, multi-media outreach and education materials, using multiple communication methods (for example, community channels, faith-based networks, local media, digital platforms, and other formats that match how people in high-impact areas actually receive information). Third, the project would identify states, tribes, and territories containing geographic high-impact areas where racial and ethnic minority, rural, and disadvantaged individuals faced substantially higher risk of infection and severe outcomes. The opportunity explicitly notes risk drivers such as higher prevalence of underlying conditions (including hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, asthma, and COPD or other lung disease), as well as structural and systemic barriers like crowded living or work conditions, limited ability to physically distance, and obstacles to accessing healthcare and social services.

A major emphasis was partnering directly with community-based organizations (CBOs) that function as trusted local voices in these high-impact areas. The goal was not only to broadcast messages, but to make those messages actionable by ensuring service linkages, meaning the network should help people move from information to access: where to get tested, how to reach care, and how to obtain supportive services that reduce barriers to isolation, treatment, and recovery. In addition to immediate response efforts, OMH wanted the project to identify, document, and disseminate successful strategies used by states, tribes, territories, and local communities to support response, recovery, and longer-term resilience for the populations most affected. That learning component was meant to accelerate adoption of effective practices across the country rather than leaving solutions siloed within individual jurisdictions.

Accountability and continuous improvement were built into the design. The awardee was expected to develop and implement a monitoring, evaluation, and quality improvement plan, and to document and share project findings, including both successes and lessons learned. Performance measurement was not optional: recipients would be required to meet metrics developed in collaboration with OMH and agreed to as part of the cooperative agreement, reflecting the hands-on nature of this funding mechanism and the need for consistent reporting and measurable outcomes.

Funding was highly concentrated: OMH anticipated making a single award (Expected Awards: 1). The notice states support for one award annually with a project period of up to three years and references a total project budget of up to $40,000,000, while the listing also shows an award ceiling of $22,000,000, indicating that specific budget limits may depend on the particular award year, available appropriations, or how OMH structured annualized funding within the broader multi-year effort. The opportunity was created on May 1, 2020, with an original closing date of May 11, 2020, reflecting an urgent, early-pandemic timeline intended to stand up national coordination quickly. Eligibility was broadly described as "Others" with additional eligibility details referenced in the full announcement.

The rationale for the program was grounded in early evidence that COVID-19 was causing disproportionate infection, hospitalization, and mortality in racial and ethnic minority groups, echoing patterns seen in prior public health emergencies such as H1N1 and Zika. OMH highlighted that these disparities are magnified when higher baseline rates of chronic conditions intersect with inequities in resources, healthcare access, and social supports. Rural communities were also recognized as vulnerable due to constrained local capacity and fewer healthcare and social service resources. Overall, the grant was meant to reduce disparities during COVID-19 by coordinating trusted messengers, tailoring communication to culture and language, targeting the places at greatest risk, and connecting people to the services that make public health guidance possible to follow.

• The Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health in the disaster prevention and relief sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "National Infrastructure for Mitigating the Impact of COVID-19 within Racial and Ethnic Minority Communities" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.137.
• This funding opportunity was created on May 01, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by May 11, 2020. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $22,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

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