The Ferguson Group Blog

'Tis the Season for NIJ Solicitations!

I was pleased to open an email from the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) announcing that they will be releasing many of their Fiscal Year 2013 solicitations for research, development, and evaluation in the coming months.

NIJ has a very user friendly site that includes a forthcoming funding page, which lists the title and descriptions of upcoming grant solicitations. NIJ will continue to update this site with details on more grant programs and future grant solicitations.

Take a minute to review the grant programs listed under the categories of forensic sciences, social sciences, and physical sciences and technology to help you and your agency prepare to apply for these grant opportunities.

In addition, please don’t hesitate to post a comment on this blog if you have a particular question regarding one of the grant programs, and a TFG staff member will get back to you with an answer!

2012 International AIDS Conference: Challenges and Commitments

The 2012 International AIDS Conference closed on Friday, with experts, practitioners and activists at least in agreement that a new dawn in the battle has risen.  Scientists and experts have touted new advances in drug treatments, promising new regimens and protocols that they hope will spell the end of AIDS and the death of HIV. 

Activist and clinic operators, however, have concerns.  Access to treatment around the globe remains a major barrier to ending AIDS.  They argue that in the U.S., criminalization of HIV, lack of access to minority and urban communities, sex workers, and ex-felons keep infection rates high.  Drug costs, political instability, and poverty keep infection rates far too high in the Global South as inadequate funding globally also remains a challenge.  Earlier today, a group of activists interupted a panel on the  congressional response to AIDS, hosted by former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN).

Despite these challenges, new commitments were made by the world's leaders, including the Obama Administration.  Several workshops and plenaries focused on new collaborations that seek to integrate a spectrum of services to help HIV patients address multiple complex issues, from mental health to housing, and stay on their meds, most focusing on the most hard hit areas in Africa, the rural U.S. and Asia.  Interestingly, some of the more dynamic discussions involved lessons that the U.S. is able to apply from the developing world on how to confront their epidemics, with several clinicians and local provider noting how they could apply them back here in the states.  It appears that globally, we are prepared to "Turn the Tide," echoing the conference theme. 

You can reach me at [email protected].

 

2012 International AIDS Conference: Turning the Tide

Over 20,000 official registrants and an estimated 30,000 activists and stakeholders are in Washington this week for the 2012 International AIDS Conference.  This marks the first time since 1990 that the conference has been held in the United States.  The conference theme "Turning the Tide" seeks to take advantage of scientific and medical gains in the battle against HIV and AIDS.  “It’s a special moment,” Jonathan Mermin, CDC director of HIV/AIDS prevention, said last week.  While the scientific community is largely sponsoring the gathering, the Global Village is the hub of activity for practioners, community development organizations, faith-based groups, and people living with HIV. 

I'm attending and will continue to report from the conference during the week.  If you've travelled to DC for the conference, send me a note at [email protected] so that we can connect.