A federal grant that paid community groups across the country to offer HIV testing, PrEP help and linkage to care has ended, and Texas is feeling it first. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) let the five-year grant, known as PS21-2102, expire on September 30. The Texas Tribune reported on November 12 that the change removes $29.2 million that had gone to 11 Texas community-based organizations over the life of the grant, the most of any state.

If you rely on a free testing van, a walk-in testing night at a community center or a PrEP navigator who helps with paperwork, this story is about you. Here is what happened, who is affected and how to keep testing and prevention on track.

What the CDC grant paid for

PS21-2102 sent money straight from the CDC to community organizations rather than through state health departments. According to a KFF analysis of federal spending data:

• The grant totaled about $239.3 million to 96 community organizations in 31 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
• Each organization received roughly $442,000 a year.
• California, Florida and Texas each had 11 funded organizations, and about half of all the money (49%) went to groups in the South, the region with more than half of US HIV diagnoses.
• Groups used the funds for HIV and other STI testing, linkage to care, PrEP navigation and partner services.

KFF describes the end of direct CDC funding to community groups as a marked change: the agency had funded them directly since the late 1980s.

What replaces it, and why advocates say it falls short

The CDC is instead sending one-time supplemental money to state and local health departments. Health departments are encouraged, but not required, to pass at least 10% of it to community groups (25% in Ending the HIV Epidemic jurisdictions). KFF found that the supplemental awards released on September 3 totaled $91 million, 24% less than the $120 million originally described, and five eligible health departments (Alaska, Arkansas, Idaho, Tennessee and Wyoming) received none.

In Texas, the state health department received just over $5.2 million through May 2027. A department spokesperson told the Tribune that about $1.2 million will go to community organizations. That is well below the more than $3 million a year Texas groups had been receiving directly.

What it means on the ground

The Tribune's reporting gives a sense of the impact:

• Houston: Allies in Hope received about $441,000 a year, covering more than a quarter of the roughly 2,000 HIV tests it runs each year. Its CEO said testing will shrink unless new funding is found.
• Austin: Vivent Health said the grant made up 30% of its HIV prevention funding. It plans to keep STI testing panels free for as long as possible but worries it may eventually need to charge for them.
• San Antonio: BEAT AIDS, the largest single recipient nationally, said the grant covered about 20% of its roughly 5,000 HIV tests last year.

Community groups matter because they reach people who may not walk into a clinic. The Tribune cites CDC-funded testing data from 2012 to 2017 in which community organizations found a new HIV diagnosis in 1.4% of tests, compared with 0.5% for health department tests. An Austin outreach leader told the paper that many clients worry a clinic visit could out them, and outreach lets them test where they feel safe.

Earlier this year we covered an Austin clinic that made sexual health care free as Texas syphilis cases surged. Funding changes like this one put that kind of access under pressure.

Why it matters if you are dating

Regular testing is one of the most practical parts of dating with or without an STI. It lets you share current results with a partner, start treatment early if something comes back positive and make informed choices about PrEP, condoms and other protection. When free community testing gets harder to find, people may test less often, and more infections go unnoticed.

For people living with HIV, the most important prevention tool is unchanged by any funding decision: staying on treatment with an undetectable viral load means HIV is not passed on through sex. Our explainer covers what U=U means for dating and relationships.

How to keep testing and prevention on track

• Find free or low-cost testing near you. The CDC's GetTested locator lists HIV and STI testing sites by ZIP code. Call ahead, since hours and services may change.
• Ask about self-testing. At-home and mail-in HIV and STI tests are another option. See what CDC experts and new data say about HIV and STI self-testing.
• Know how often to test. Our guide to how often to get tested for STDs walks through common screening schedules.
• Keep PrEP going. If your PrEP navigator's program changes, ask your clinic, pharmacy or health department about other ways to stay on it, and remember what PrEP does not cover. Our guide explains what PrEP and doxyPEP do not protect against.
• Check with your local group. Many community organizations are seeking new funding from cities, states and donors, and services may continue in a different form.

What happens next

Texas lawmakers have started discussing replacement funding at the state level ahead of the next legislative session, the Tribune reported, though advocates say state money is not a permanent fix. How much other health departments pass on to community groups will vary by state, and KFF notes that many would need to share far more than the recommended minimum to match what community groups received before. We will keep following how these changes affect testing and PrEP access.

Looking for people who understand what it is like to date with HIV? Explore HIV dating on MeetPositives.

Sources

• The Texas Tribune (Sasha Draeger-Mazer). "CDC eliminates $29 million for HIV prevention in Texas." November 12, 2026.
• KFF (Dawson L, Rouw A, Kates J). "The Future of CDC HIV Prevention Funding for Community Organizations." Published August 4, 2026; updated October 21, 2026.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. GetTested: National HIV, STD and Hepatitis Testing locator.

This article is for general information only and is not medical or legal advice. It does not create a doctor-patient relationship. Talk with a licensed health care provider about your own situation. Laws vary by state; for legal questions, talk with a licensed attorney.