Working Groups

The Black Lives Matter movement and the race-based health disparities laid bare by COVID-19 clearly highlight the need to not only advocate for additional resources, but also to urge philanthropy to increase transparency in racial justice efforts so that grant making can be adequately monitored and improved. To achieve these goals, FCAA formed a Racial Justice Working Group launched in the fall of 2020.

• Read the Racial Justice in HIV Philanthropy Guiding Principles 
• Learn more about the origins of the princples by reading the launch blog, or by watching this 2021 FCAA Summit panel discussion.
• Learn about how this working group illustrates FCAA’s Program Lifecycle in our 2021 Annual report video.

Although the global community has the tools to end the HIV epidemic, HIV is still rising in the Eastern European and Central Asian region (EECA) where an estimated 1.7 million people live with HIV.  While globally new infections have declined by 37% and new deaths have halved, over the last 20 years in EECA new infections have increased by 183% and deaths from related illnesses have risen by 190%.    This picture is further complicated by many countries in the region also having high rates of TB.   TB is the largest cause of death among people living with HIV.   Ukraine as an example has the world’s fifth highest MDR-TB burden.   During the last two years, COVID-19 also hit the region with over 5 million cases being reported in Ukraine resulting in over 100,000 deaths.

At the same time, over the last years private philanthropic funding for HIV-related programming and advocacy in EECA has significantly declined.   Only a handful of private funders currently support HIV-related efforts in the region.   This is particularly worrisome given unaddressed needs of large, marginalized populations such as LGBTI communities, people who use drugs, and sex workers all of whom are disproportionately impacted by the dual epidemics of HIV and TB.

Responding to this picture in late 2021, FCAA, AidsFonds and others began a conversation focused on highlighting and lifting up critical EECA programming and resourcing needs, seeking to engage more donors in support.   The idea of forming an HIV-focused donor working group was proposed.

Then the Ukrainian war broke out in late February 2022.    The impetus around the working group quickly evolved from a focus on filling gaps in the HIV response, to crisis response and the converging stresses particularly on key populations of the HIV, TB, and COVID-19 epidemics with military invasion and mass regional dislocation.

In the first five weeks of the conflict, private donors pledged $1.5 billion in humanitarian response.   While this outpouring of support is a positive sign and much needed, it is noteworthy that less than 5% of these funds include any mention of human rights considerations.   Marginalized populations are not at the center of ongoing humanitarian support, which means that communities who are living with or at greater risk for HIV are particularly vulnerable.

Given the quickly changing landscape and unclear future, the working group will continue to evolve as needs and opportunities surface.

Learn more about this working group’s proposed goals and outcomes.

Please contact Sarah Hamilton if you are interested in participating in monthly calls. 

• COVID-19 Learning Group
  •  Converging Epidemics: COVID-19, HIV & Inequality
  • Making the Case for Greater Investment in Community-Rooted Funders
• Community Based Organizations Working Group
  • Last Mile Funding Report
• Women & Children
• Human Rights
• Southern Funders Working Group