– Inaugural Gilead Australia Community Grants Program recognises community organisations working to support people disproportionately impacted by HIV –
– Applications now open for the next round of grant funding –
Melbourne, Australia, 3 April 2024 – Four innovative programs targeting communities at-risk or disproportionately impacted by HIV are among the first recipients of the new Gilead Australia Community Grants Program. Gilead Sciences Australia announced today that it has awarded a total of $260,000 to support the efforts of eight patient and community organisations around Australia dedicated to increasing the health and wellness of people living with blood-borne viruses, including HIV, and various cancers over the next 12 months. This includes $160,000 in grants for four innovative community-led programs in HIV prevention and care.
The four HIV-focused grants are for community-led projects that will have a direct, meaningful and measurable impact on people living with HIV or in the prevention of HIV. They include:
- Undertaking a comprehensive review and analysis of the denial of the provision of insurance for people living with HIV and/or hepatitis and its impact (HIV/AIDS Legal Centre (HALC)).
- Assisting overseas-born people with HIV through the Australian migration and healthcare systems (The National Association of People with HIV (NAPWHA)).
- Distributing and installing HIV-self testing kit vending machines across Queensland (Queensland Positive People).
- Implementing a program to reduce barriers to accessing pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) (Central Adelaide Local Health Network).
Michelle Skehan, Senior Director, Public Affairs, Gilead Sciences Australia and New Zealand says: “We recognise there are people in Australia who experience social or economic obstacles to accessing HIV testing, treatment and care. Gilead Sciences is proud to support NAPWHA, Queensland Positive People, HALC and the Central Adelaide Local Health Network in their efforts to advance equity in access to HIV prevention and care.”
Commenting on receiving funding for their vending machine distribution initiative, Luke Coffey, Rapid Program Manager from Queensland Positive People said: “Our project seeks to improve HIV testing access and address healthcare disparities via the vending machine distribution of HIV self-test kits across Queensland sites. Gilead has funded the first iteration of the project, and we are incredibly grateful for their continued support. This speaks to their commitment to empowering community responses toward the virtual elimination of HIV transmission and genuine care and dedication to improving healthcare outcomes for those living with HIV.”
Ms Skehan added: “In recent decades we have witnessed the power of collaboration in HIV prevention and care. We are committed to building on this by supporting and working with the community, academia and healthcare professionals so that together, we can end the HIV epidemic for everyone, everywhere. These four projects will help address some key remaining challenges for those disproportionately impacted by HIV or underrepresented in existing programs.”
The Gilead Australia Community Grants Program underscores Gilead’s continuing commitment to advancing healthcare, achieving health equity and improving the lives of individuals affected by critical health issues, including HIV. Patient advocacy, community and other not-for-profit organisations with an emphasis on HIV, viral hepatitis, breast, bladder and lung cancers were invited to submit grant requests for innovative and inspiring projects. A grant review committee assessed funding submissions for projects or initiatives that demonstrated an ability to improve health access, eliminate barriers to healthcare, advance education or support local communities. A total of eight grants were awarded.
Applications for the 2024 Gilead Australia Community Grants Program are now open with a total $150,000 available for the first-round of 2024 funding. A second grant round will open later in Q3 2024. Grant applications of up to $50,000 will be considered in the areas of HIV, viral hepatitis, blood and breast cancer. Please visit https://www.gilead.com.au/our-purpose/corporate-giving/grant-funding to apply or contact anzpublicaffairs@gilead.com for more details.
– ENDS –
Issued by SenateSHJ on behalf of Gilead Sciences.
The inaugural Gilead Australia Community Grants Program recipients
The following organisations were awarded a Gilead Australia Community Grant in 2023: BEAT Bladder Cancer Australia, Central Adelaide Local Health Network, The Garvan Institute, Hepatitis Australia, Hepatitis Queensland, HIV/AIDS Legal Centre (HALC), National Association of People with HIV Australia (NAPWHA) and Queensland Positive People.
About Gilead Sciences
Gilead Sciences, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company that has pursued and achieved breakthroughs in medicine for more than three decades, with the goal of creating a healthier world for all people. The company is committed to advancing innovative medicines to prevent and treat life-threatening diseases, including HIV, viral hepatitis and cancer. Gilead operates in more than 35 countries worldwide, with headquarters in Foster City, California.
Based in Melbourne, Gilead Sciences Australia and New Zealand employs over 120 people.
About Gilead | HIV
Gilead Sciences is a pioneer in HIV research and development, and the number one philanthropic funder of HIV contributing USD$240M globally.1 Together with researchers, community organisations and inspirational advocates, their contribution spans the full continuum of HIV care – from prevention to treatment to working toward the ultimate goal: a cure.
Gilead works closely with and listens to the communities most affected by HIV to urgently advance prevention and treatment strategies and advocate for policies that address discrimination and ensure people receive the care and services they need. Through many global and local collaborations, Gilead strives to reduce disparities across HIV care and prevention, advance education among healthcare professionals and support local communities.
About Gilead Sciences Corporate Giving Commitments
Gilead’s funding commitment underscores the company’s efforts to increase health equity. In 2023, Gilead for the second-year running was named the number one private philanthropic funder of HIV globally 1 and works to end the HIV epidemic through robust community partnerships and philanthropy. In 2022 alone, the Gilead Foundation and Gilead Corporate Giving donated a combined nearly $300 million globally. Other corporate giving programs include Zeroing In® the Gilead COMPASS Initiative® and RADIAN®.
For more than two decades, Gilead has worked to improve the lives of people living with viral hepatitis through community partnerships to support innovative programs that address the unmet needs of people affected by viral hepatitis around the world. In 2023 Gilead launched the expanded ALL4LIVER Grant, a grant program with the theme of ‘Test. Link. Prioritize’, designed to support innovative projects that drive testing, improve linkage to care and/or elevate viral hepatitis on the public health agenda. The ALL4LIVER Grant support initiatives around the world (excluding the United States) across hepatitis C, hepatitis B or hepatitis D.
Gilead, the Gilead logo and the Creating Possible tagline are registered trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc. Gilead Sciences Pty Ltd. Level 28, 385 Bourke Street, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. ABN 71 072 611 708. AU-COR-0145. Date of preparation: March 2024.
Reference
1. Funders Concerned About AIDS (FCAA). Annual Philanthropic Support to Address HIV and AIDS report 2023. Available at: https://resourcetracking.fcaaids.org/ Accessed March 2024.
