No new grants will be awarded during the fall of 2013
The Ventura County AIDS Partnership announced this week that it is winding down its operation during 2012, with no new grants to be awarded during the fall of 2013.
The following is the full statement by VCAP:
“Dear Friends of VCAP,
I am writing to share with you a significant change in the future of Ventura County AIDS Partnership (VCAP). This change is the result of several converging sets of local and national circumstances resulting in the winding down of VCAP activities over the course of 2012. We will continue to fund and manage our grant projects for 2012, but will not issue an RFP in the fall for 2013 funding.
In 1995, VCAP formed as a community partner of National AIDS Fund (now AIDS United) co-convened by United Way Ventura County and Ventura County Community Foundation. Donations raised locally by VCAP were matched with funds from NAF. Over the years, VCAP has worked tirelessly to bring attention to unmet needs and fund programs responsive to those needs. VCAP granted over $1.4 million to Ventura County HIV prevention programs and AIDS care services.
AIDS United was created in 2011 from the merger of the National AIDS Fund and AIDS Action with the bold mission of ending HIV/AIDS in America. It has aligned its three-year strategic plan with the goals of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS). NHAS is the nation’s first-ever comprehensive coordinated plan to reduce new HIV infections; increase access to care and improve health outcomes for people living with HIV; and reduce HIV-related health disparities. AIDS United is targeting efforts in highly impacted communities as outlined by NHAS such as large metropolitan areas and southern US.
AIDS United’s evolution on the national level has provided VCAP the opportunity to assess our priorities on the local level. Fundraising for our re-granting model has proven to be challenging the last few years and now the model VCAP was created under no longer exists. Without matching funds, local funders lack the incentive to give through VCAP. After assessing the community’s needs and examining the funding levels VCAP would be able to raise, it became apparent that evolving our model was not possible, and that funding going directly to projects would provide a more effective response.
“The evolution of the AIDS epidemic in our country is an amazing story: a story full of love, sorrow, advocacy, innovation, science, and patience,” said Dr. Erin Quinn, founding Advisory Council member. “The fortunate part of the story is that since VCAP formed 17 years ago, people living with HIV can now expect to live for a long time with state of the art treatment. The unfortunate aspect of the story is that living with HIV is very difficult, requiring a complicated regime of medications and medical management. Although the outlook is brighter, there is a long way to go.”
During the wind down, Ventura County AIDS Partnership remains committed to supporting prevention efforts and people living with HIV. We will work closely with funded partners to help them identify new funding sources. We will facilitate connecting donors, volunteers and advocates interested in HIV work with local programs and opportunities through VCAP’s office until June 30, 2012 and our website www.vcaidspartnership.org through November 30, 2012.
“While change can be stressful and difficult to navigate, the ever changing HIV environment requires change,” said Madhu Bajaj, VCAP Executive Director. “VCAP’s winding down provides great opportunity for a new model of addressing today’s and future HIV/AIDS needs in Ventura County. We are hopeful for new solutions to prevent HIV, support people living with HIV and create compassion.”
With the generosity and grace of our foundation funders, donors, volunteers, advisory council members and grantees, VCAP served Ventura County for 17 years and we are grateful for their support. We thank AIDS United, United Way Ventura County, Ventura County Community Foundation, Kaiser Permanente, Swift Memorial Healthcare Foundation, Ruth Daily Livingston Fund, Wood Claeyssens Foundation, and so many others for supporting VCAP’s work year after year. We also want to thank friends of Doug Halter and Randy Encinas who enthusiastically supported VCAP at the annual after summer luau. We deeply appreciate our broad base of donors who facilitated VCAP’s work, many making an annual $50 donation year after year.
In our 17 year history, VCAP provided over $1.4 million in grants to local AIDS programs, including matched funding from our national partner AIDS United. VCAP also completed a three year project funded by the California Endowment that facilitated local Latino leaders to “Start the Conversation” about HIV and sexual health issues in Latino families. The bilingual, cultural trainings will continue to support HIV education in the Latino community for years to come. When state funding was no longer available for Positively Speaking, VCAP stepped up to fund and Planned Parenthood to facilitate this essential program that brings people living with HIV to schools to educate on prevention, break myths and instill compassion. Over the years many VCAP funded projects have helped incorporate HIV education messages into related projects, such as MICOP’s farmworker health projects and Straight Up’s alcohol prevention work.
“VCAP helped get our community through one of the most tragic eras of the AIDS epidemic,” said Doug Halter, founding Advisory Council member. “Now, the community needs to build upon VCAP’s successes and help find better means to fund education efforts and services in our community until the day there is a cure.”
For more information, please contact the VCAP office at 805-485-6288, ext. 232 or send an email to madhu@vcaidspartnership.org”
— Madhu Bajaj, VCAP Executive Director