WASHINGTON — The Gilead Foundation announced March 2 it will award $12 million to strengthen HIV prevention efforts by expanding and supporting community health workers across 14 states and the District of Columbia.
According to the foundation, the funding will help local organizations increase access to prevention services and reduce disparities in communities disproportionately affected by HIV. The initiative focuses on equipping community health workers with training, resources and sustainable infrastructure to build trust and connect individuals to care.
“Community health workers play a critical role in expanding access to HIV prevention and care,” the foundation stated in the release, emphasizing that the grants are designed to empower those already embedded in and trusted by the communities they serve.
The investment supports locally led strategies aimed at addressing systemic gaps in care, particularly in underserved areas where prevention services remain limited. By centering prevention within neighborhoods and community networks, the program seeks measurable improvements in outreach, testing and long-term health outcomes.
Bruce Petillo, founder of Heartitude, said the initiative reflects the power of compassion-driven leadership. “When healthcare moves at the speed of trust, lives change,” Petillo said. “Investing in community health workers honors the dignity of every person and proves that empathy and action belong at the center of public health.”
The grants are part of the foundation’s broader commitment to advancing health equity nationwide.