Part A: Grants to Eligible Metropolitan and Transitional Areas

The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Part A funds grants to Eligible Metropolitan Areas (EMAs) and Transitional Grant Areas (TGAs) that are most affected by the HIV epidemic.

Which areas receive Part A grants?

We award Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) Part A grants to the city or county chief elected official (CEO). The CEO may choose a lead agency to manage the grants.

How are areas eligible for Part A grants?

The U.S. Census selects Metropolitan Statistical Areas. These form the boundaries of EMAs and TGAs and may span more than one state.

How areas qualify for EMA status

• At least 2,000 AIDS cases in the most recent five years
• The population of at least 50,000

How areas qualify for TGA status

• Between 1,000 to 1,999 AIDS cases in the most recent five years
• The population of at least 50,000

What services must grant recipients provide?

Part A grant recipients must ensure that the following core medical and support services are available to people with HIV. Part A grant recipients must use at least 75% of their funding on core medical services and no more than 25% on support services. You need approval to waive these requirements.

What’s the role of HIV Planning Councils?

Each HIV Planning Council sets HIV-related service priorities for their EMA or TGA. More specifically, the Planning Council carries out many complex planning tasks to assess the service needs of people with HIV living in the EMA/TGA, and specify the kinds and the amounts of services required to meet those needs.

Each Planning Council must follow these legislative guidelines:

• Membership must reflect the demographics of the local epidemic
• Membership must include representation from required membership categories outlined in legislation
• At least 33 percent of voting members must be people with HIV who receive RWHAP Part A services who are “unaffiliated” or “unaligned” (i.e., they do not have a conflict of interest) 

TGAs do not have to follow the legislative requirements related to planning councils but must provide a process for obtaining consumer and community input. TGAs that have currently operating planning councils are strongly encouraged by the HIV/AIDS Bureau to maintain that structure.