CBA is designed to assist in implementing and sustaining science-based and culturally proficient HIV prevention behavioral interventions and HIV prevention strategies. CBA includes:

• technology transfer – the process by which innovations are diffused among HIV prevention providers to improve how intervention effectiveness and scientific research is translated into programs and practice.
• technical assistance – the provision and/or facilitation of culturally relevant and expert programmatic, scientific, and technical advice (mentoring/coaching) and support. CBB members provide assistance to grantees in areas such as organizational infrastructure development, program implementation, adaptation and tailoring of behavioral interventions, and evaluation.
• training – curricula development, delivery of curricula and coordination of training activities to increase the knowledge, skills and abilities of trainers, educators and service providers. Training focuses on the delivery of effective HIV prevention interventions and strategies, such as:
  • prevention counseling
  • partner counseling, testing and referral services (PCRS)
  • prevention case management (PCM) and
  • implementation of rapid testing.

  Training activities also include facilitation skills, recruitment strategies, adaptation and tailoring guidance that increases knowledge, skills, and abilities required to implement HIV prevention interventions, and programs and services.

  Trainings are provided directly to service providers for implementation or to educators/trainers in a Train-the-Trainer (TOT) format for further dissemination. Facilitation of trainings is provided in English and Spanish.

• information dissemination – distribution and sharing of relevant and current HIV prevention information (reviewed by peer materials review committees prior to dissemination) through print materials, presentations, websites, and mass media.

CBB partners with other federal agencies, national and regional non-governmental organizations, and capacity building providers in the private and public sectors. These partnerships provide CBA to HIV prevention planning groups, community-based organizations, health departments and other HIV prevention stakeholders.

In 2005, CBB funded 31 CBA providers through cooperative agreements in four focus areas:

• Focus Area 1: improves the capacity of community-based organizations to strengthen and sustain organizational infrastructure.
• Focus Area 2: improves the capacity of community-based organizations (CBOs) and health departments to design, develop, implement, and evaluate effective HIV prevention interventions.
• Focus Area 3: improves the capacity of CDC funded community-based organizations (CBOs), and other stakeholders to implement strategies that increase access to and utilization of HIV prevention and risk-reduction and avoidance services.
• Focus Area 4: increases the capacity of community planning groups and health departments to effectively involve HIV infected and affected racial/ethnic minority individuals in the community planning group process, and to increase parity, inclusion, and representation on these groups.

CBA providers directed 52% of their services in 2005 to CDC directly-funded CBOs, 30% to health departments, and 14% to indirectly funded-CBOs.

CBB also provided contracts to other technical assistance providers to deliver sustained and coordinated CBA to community-based organizations (CBOs) and health departments that deliver HIV prevention to racial and ethnic minority populations and persons at risk for — or living with — HIV infection.