In partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), NACCHO is pleased to announce the Advancing Equitable Harm Reduction Outreach (AEHRO) program. AHERO (pronounced “arrow”) offers a six-month funding opportunity to organizations sustaining or expanding harm reduction services to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color who use drugs. Through this funding opportunity, NACCHO will provide up to $85,000 to up to 15 organizations that currently distribute safer use supplies (this must include syringes or pipes in states where this is legal) to support their efforts to reduce drug-related health inequities at the local level.

Please note that funds for this opportunity may not be used to purchase naloxone, syringes, or pipes. While we recognize these are critical harm reduction tools, they are not allowable under the terms and conditions of NACCHO’s federal award. Examples of potentially allowable costs include (but are not limited to):

• Materials for participants such as injection and smoking supplies other than syringes and pipes, wound care kits, test strips, store gift cards and snacks for participants (requires additional approval);
• Services such as holistic wellness programs and transportation; and
• Staff time for non-clinical services.

Please see Section V, Step Four, of the Request for Proposals (RFP) for further details on budget constraints.

The project period will begin February 1^st, 2024, and run through July 31^st, 2024. Applications must be submitted using NACCHO’s online application portal no later than Friday, December 8^th at 11:59 PM ET and selections will be made by Friday, January 5^th, 2024.

NACCHO invites interested applicants to participate in an optional informational webinar on Friday, November 17^th at 1:00 PM ET to review the RFP and respond to questions. Interested participants can register for the live webinar here. Please note that no new information will be shared during the webinar and applicants do not need to wait for this optional webinar to begin or submit applications.

Applicants may pose individual questions to NACCHO at any point during the application process by emailing the Injury Violence and Prevention Team at [email protected] with subject line “AEHRO RFP Question.”