ABOUT PROJECT INNOVATE
Project Innovate increases the potential of Black queer cisgender and transgender men who strive to become small business owners to flourish economically and confront HIV stigma through training, mentorship, and micro-grants.
With this dual-purpose, the multiple disparities that contribute to the ongoing HIV epidemic are also addressed. This constitutes progress toward ending the HIV epidemic on both the individual and community levels.
Project Innovate has three specific goals:
Nurture young leaders ages 18 to 29 in their response to HIV stigma, care, and prevention by providing them with mentorship toward growing their skills and confidence.
Encourage youth living with HIV and those vulnerable to see themselves as part of the HIV response and the 2030 plan to get to zero new cases.
Use youth-created and youth-focused initiatives to reduce stigma and increase access and awareness of HIV.
To Apply:
Cohort 3 – Project Innovate (2022)
Joshua
Afro Erotic
Reginald
Gay Couples Collective
Shane
So Intimate
Jauan
Jauan Taylor
Cookie
The Haus of Cookie
Terez
Balboa Multimedia
McKinsey
The Chemistry of Zen
Contact us at:
SUBMISSION DEADLINE
The deadline for submission is Monday, January 17th. No application will be accepted after 8:00 PM Eastern Standard Time (EST).
ELIGIBILITY
Must be 18-29 years of age with an innovative idea or an existing business. Applicants must incorporate an HIV focus or utilize a social/racial justice framework and advance the rights and well-being of youth (between the ages of 18-29) who face dispropportionate structural inequities including, but not limited to: women, people of color, queer people, and people of trans experience.
PROJECT AREAS
Reducing HIV stigma and shame
Creating brave spaces
Artivism
Linkage & retention to HIV prevention/HIV medical care
Respond to a time-sensitive issue or opportunity
PROJECT CRITERIA
Project Innovate exists to identify and support a diverse group of youth, creating new solutions to scalable projects intended for youth created by youth. Applicants must articulate the importance of the issue, the current opportunity to address it, and why the applicant is the appropriate entity to address the stated challenge. The application should also demonstrate what makes the issue being addressed essential to reducing the rates of HIV in their area or amoung a specific coomunity.
