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Wits RHI

Community and Civil Society Engagement (CCSE) Pilot for Lenacapavir

Applications are Now Open

Expression of Interest Deadline: 28 August 2026, 23:59hrs SAST

Download Applicant Guidelines, Download Expression of Interest (EOI)

About the CCSE Pilot

Unitaid is funding a Community and Civil Society Engagement (CCSE) Pilot for lenacapavir (LEN) a groundbreaking long-acting HIV prevention innovation with the potential to expand choice and transform access for communities most affected by HIV. Implemented in partnership with Wits RHI University of the Witwatersrand and the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), the pilot aims to strengthen the role of communities and civil society organisations as key partners in the introduction and scale-up of new HIV prevention technologies.

The CCSE Pilot builds on the strong foundation of community engagement established through Wits RHI’s Project PrEP, which has supported community consultation, prevention literacy, demand generation, civil society participation and the integration of community perspectives into HIV prevention programmes and decision-making. Through this work, community organisations have helped identify barriers to access, inform implementation approaches and advocate for more person-centred prevention services.

The CCSE Pilot seeks to build on this foundation by testing new ways to directly support community-based and civil society organisations, enabling them to play an even more active role in supporting the successful and equitable introduction of lenacapavir.

Learn more about Project PrEP 

Why Community Leadership Matters

For new health technologies to achieve their full impact, they must be trusted, understood and accessible to the people who need them most.

Community and civil society organisations play a critical role in:

  • Building awareness and prevention literacy
  • Generating demand and fostering trust
  • Identifying and addressing barriers to access
  • Holding programmes accountable to community needs
  • Amplifying the voices of populations most affected by HIV

By strengthening community leadership and engagement, the CCSE Pilot will generate practical lessons on how best to resource and partner with communities to support equitable and sustainable access to new HIV prevention options.

What Is the CCSE Pilot Looking For?

The CCSE Pilot is looking for organisations with strong community connections, relevant experience and ideas that can make a meaningful difference.

We are seeking organisations with:

  • Strong ties to the communities they serve
  • Practical and innovative ideas
  • A demonstrated commitment to community leadership and participation
  • The ability to contribute to equitable lenacapavir introduction and uptake

Pilot Objectives

The CCSE Pilot has two complementary objectives.

1. Strengthen Community-Led Action

Support community and civil society organisations to lead advocacy, accountability, community engagement, prevention literacy and demand-generation efforts during the early introduction of lenacapavir.

2. Generate Learning

Generate practical, decision-relevant learning on how to more effectively fund and support community-led action within Unitaid-supported health innovations.

The pilot will test approaches that:

  • Directly resource community and civil society actors
  • Expand access to funding for grassroots organisations
  • Simplify funding processes and reduce barriers to participation
  • Support community-led advocacy, accountability, engagement and demand generation during LEN introduction

Available Funding

A total funding envelope of up to USD 200,000 is available through the CCSE Pilot. To maximise learning across diverse settings and approaches, funding may be awarded to multiple organisations. Applicants should therefore not assume that the full funding amount will be awarded to a single project.

Who Can Apply?

We welcome applications from organisations that are deeply connected to the communities they serve and are committed to advancing equitable access to HIV prevention.

Eligible applicants include:

  • Community-based organisations (CBOs)
  • Civil society organisations (CSOs)
  • Networks
  • Coalitions
  • Intermediary organisations that are legally registered or formally recognised

Organisations should also:

  • Have strong, meaningful relationships with and accountability to affected communities.
  • Be working in a Sub-Saharan African country that has introduced lenacapavir or has confirmed plans to introduce it through national programmes in the near future.
  • Demonstrate experience in areas such as community engagement, advocacy, accountability, HIV prevention, sexual and reproductive health, or related health fields.

Application Process

The application process has been designed to be accessible and manageable, particularly for smaller organisations.

Stage 1: Expression of Interest (EOI)

Interested organisations are invited to submit a short Expression of Interest outlining their proposed idea and approach. EOI Submission Deadline: 28 August 2026, 23:59hrs SAST

Stage 2: Concept Note — Invitation Only

Organisations shortlisted through the EOI stage will be invited to submit a more detailed Concept Note. Shortlisted applicants will receive templates, guidance materials and submission instructions.

Applicant Information Webinar

The Applicant Information Webinar was held on 24 August 2026 and provided an overview of the CCSE Pilot and the EOI application process.

The webinar covered:

  • The objectives of the CCSE Pilot
  • Eligibility requirements
  • The application and assessment process
  • An introduction to lenacapavir and its role in HIV prevention
  • The role of community and civil society organisations in supporting equitable product introduction, accountability, prevention literacy and community engagement

Participation in the webinar was optional and did not influence the assessment of applications.

Webinar Resources

Applicants who were unable to attend the webinar can access the following resources:

Ready to Apply?

Before submitting your application, please read the Applicant Guidelines carefully. DOWNLOAD APPLICANT GUIDELINES 

Complete the Expression of Interest (EOI) document and follow the submission instructions provided. DOWNLOAD EXPRESSION OF INTEREST 

Have questions?

If you still have questions after reviewing the Applicant Guidelines, prospective applicants are encouraged to submit their questions to: CCSEproposals@wrhi.ac.za

Please submit questions by 17 August 2026. Responses to frequently asked questions may be shared with all prospective applicants to promote transparency and ensure equitable access to information.

Important Dates

17 August 2026: Deadline for submitting questions

28 August 2026: Expression of Interest submission deadline

Submit your Expression of Interest by 28 August 2026 and help shape the introduction of one of the most significant innovations in HIV prevention.

Community and Civil Society Engagement (CCSE) Pilot for Lenacapavir

Applications are Now Open

Expression of Interest Deadline: 28 August 2026, 23:59hrs SAST

Download Applicant Guidelines, Download Expression of Interest (EOI)

About the CCSE Pilot

Unitaid is funding a Community and Civil Society Engagement (CCSE) Pilot for lenacapavir (LEN) a groundbreaking long-acting HIV prevention innovation with the potential to expand choice and transform access for communities most affected by HIV. Implemented in partnership with Wits RHI University of the Witwatersrand and the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), the pilot aims to strengthen the role of communities and civil society organisations as key partners in the introduction and scale-up of new HIV prevention technologies.

The CCSE Pilot builds on the strong foundation of community engagement established through Wits RHI’s Project PrEP, which has supported community consultation, prevention literacy, demand generation, civil society participation and the integration of community perspectives into HIV prevention programmes and decision-making. Through this work, community organisations have helped identify barriers to access, inform implementation approaches and advocate for more person-centred prevention services.

The CCSE Pilot seeks to build on this foundation by testing new ways to directly support community-based and civil society organisations, enabling them to play an even more active role in supporting the successful and equitable introduction of lenacapavir.

Learn more about Project PrEP 

Why Community Leadership Matters

For new health technologies to achieve their full impact, they must be trusted, understood and accessible to the people who need them most.

Community and civil society organisations play a critical role in:

  • Building awareness and prevention literacy
  • Generating demand and fostering trust
  • Identifying and addressing barriers to access
  • Holding programmes accountable to community needs
  • Amplifying the voices of populations most affected by HIV

By strengthening community leadership and engagement, the CCSE Pilot will generate practical lessons on how best to resource and partner with communities to support equitable and sustainable access to new HIV prevention options.

What Is the CCSE Pilot Looking For?

The CCSE Pilot is looking for organisations with strong community connections, relevant experience and ideas that can make a meaningful difference.

We are seeking organisations with:

  • Strong ties to the communities they serve
  • Practical and innovative ideas
  • A demonstrated commitment to community leadership and participation
  • The ability to contribute to equitable lenacapavir introduction and uptake

Pilot Objectives

The CCSE Pilot has two complementary objectives.

1. Strengthen Community-Led Action

Support community and civil society organisations to lead advocacy, accountability, community engagement, prevention literacy and demand-generation efforts during the early introduction of lenacapavir.

2. Generate Learning

Generate practical, decision-relevant learning on how to more effectively fund and support community-led action within Unitaid-supported health innovations.

The pilot will test approaches that:

  • Directly resource community and civil society actors
  • Expand access to funding for grassroots organisations
  • Simplify funding processes and reduce barriers to participation
  • Support community-led advocacy, accountability, engagement and demand generation during LEN introduction

Available Funding

A total funding envelope of up to USD 200,000 is available through the CCSE Pilot. To maximise learning across diverse settings and approaches, funding may be awarded to multiple organisations. Applicants should therefore not assume that the full funding amount will be awarded to a single project.

Who Can Apply?

We welcome applications from organisations that are deeply connected to the communities they serve and are committed to advancing equitable access to HIV prevention.

Eligible applicants include:

  • Community-based organisations (CBOs)
  • Civil society organisations (CSOs)
  • Networks
  • Coalitions
  • Intermediary organisations that are legally registered or formally recognised

Organisations should also:

  • Have strong, meaningful relationships with and accountability to affected communities.
  • Be working in a Sub-Saharan African country that has introduced lenacapavir or has confirmed plans to introduce it through national programmes in the near future.
  • Demonstrate experience in areas such as community engagement, advocacy, accountability, HIV prevention, sexual and reproductive health, or related health fields.

Application Process

The application process has been designed to be accessible and manageable, particularly for smaller organisations.

Stage 1: Expression of Interest (EOI)

Interested organisations are invited to submit a short Expression of Interest outlining their proposed idea and approach. EOI Submission Deadline: 28 August 2026, 23:59hrs SAST

Stage 2: Concept Note — Invitation Only

Organisations shortlisted through the EOI stage will be invited to submit a more detailed Concept Note. Shortlisted applicants will receive templates, guidance materials and submission instructions.

Applicant Information Webinar

The Applicant Information Webinar was held on 24 August 2026 and provided an overview of the CCSE Pilot and the EOI application process.

The webinar covered:

  • The objectives of the CCSE Pilot
  • Eligibility requirements
  • The application and assessment process
  • An introduction to lenacapavir and its role in HIV prevention
  • The role of community and civil society organisations in supporting equitable product introduction, accountability, prevention literacy and community engagement

Participation in the webinar was optional and did not influence the assessment of applications.

Webinar Resources

Applicants who were unable to attend the webinar can access the following resources:

Ready to Apply?

Before submitting your application, please read the Applicant Guidelines carefully. DOWNLOAD APPLICANT GUIDELINES 

Complete the Expression of Interest (EOI) document and follow the submission instructions provided. DOWNLOAD EXPRESSION OF INTEREST 

Have questions?

If you still have questions after reviewing the Applicant Guidelines, prospective applicants are encouraged to submit their questions to: CCSEproposals@wrhi.ac.za

Please submit questions by 17 August 2026. Responses to frequently asked questions may be shared with all prospective applicants to promote transparency and ensure equitable access to information.

Important Dates

17 August 2026: Deadline for submitting questions

28 August 2026: Expression of Interest submission deadline

Submit your Expression of Interest by 28 August 2026 and help shape the introduction of one of the most significant innovations in HIV prevention.