NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESS Newswire / April 28, 2026 / Direct Relief and The Pfizer Foundation today announced the third cohort of the Innovation Awards in Community Health, supporting infectious disease prevention and management in underserved communities. Through $4.5 million in grants over two years, the program will support 16 U.S. safety-net community health organizations across 11 states, expanding access to prevention, education, screening, testing, treatment, and care.
Now in its fifth year, the program has funded efforts that reached more than 1.3 million people and delivered more than 519,000 vaccinations. This new cohort builds on that impact, supporting frontline health providers advancing locally driven solutions to address persistent public health challenges, including HIV, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), hepatitis, tuberculosis (TB), respiratory illness, and vaccine-preventable infectious diseases.
"Advancing community health depends on new, creative ideas and the trusted individuals who put them into action," said Amy Weaver, CEO of Direct Relief. "Through our partnership with The Pfizer Foundation, we're investing in innovation at the local level to expand care in ways that reflect community needs and strengthen the systems that sustain it over time."
The awards, funded by The Pfizer Foundation and implemented by Direct Relief, aim to strengthen the capacity of safety-net providers serving communities facing the greatest barriers to care.
Applications were reviewed, with grantees selected based on community need, patient population, and ability to expand access to care-ensuring support reaches providers best positioned to deliver impact where it is needed most.
"Community health centers play a vital role in helping people stay healthy by bringing trusted health services closer to them," said Darren Back, President, The Pfizer Foundation. "Through our ongoing partnership with Direct Relief, we are proud to support ?health centers across the country as they expand access to lifesaving vaccines and provide culturally responsive education and support, helping more people stay protected and strengthening the health of their communities."
2026 Award Recipients include:
Kachemak Bay Family Planning Clinic, Homer, AK, will expand access to STI prevention, testing, treatment, and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination for residents on the Kenai Peninsula - the region's only dedicated provider for low-income, uninsured, and underinsured patients.
Norton Sound Health Corporation, Nome, AK, will expand access to vaccinations and STI screenings across 16 remote Tribal communities in the Bering Strait Region, strengthening preventive care capacity and countering misinformation in communities with limited health infrastructure.
Cahaba Medical Care Foundation, Centreville, AL, will expand vaccination and infectious disease screening across six central Alabama counties, providing free flu and COVID-19 vaccines for uninsured patients and increasing HIV, Hepatitis C, and STI testing through clinics, dental sites, and school-based centers.
Amistad Y Salud Clínica Amistad, Tucson, AZ, will expand access to a wider range of adult vaccinations and integrate them into women's health screenings and primary care visits, addressing critical preventive care gaps for uninsured patients.
Adelante Healthcare Inc., Phoenix, AZ, will establish a permanent Sexual Health & HIV Care Center in West Phoenix offering comprehensive services - including HIV/STI testing and treatment, pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP/PEP), behavioral health, and care coordination - to reach populations facing the greatest health disparities.
Native Health, Phoenix, AZ, will expand an existing childhood and adult vaccination program to reach underserved and minority populations across Maricopa County, and launch a statewide, multi-modal education campaign to build vaccine confidence among American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
Pocatello Free Clinic, Pocatello, ID, will launch a sustainable immunization program integrating routine vaccination into every clinic visit and outreach event for low-income adults, building a scalable workflow that supports future vaccine additions.
Heartland Medical Clinic Inc., Lawrence, KS, will expand STI testing, treatment, and education to fill care gaps created by major Title X funding cuts, supporting testing and treatment for uninsured patients and ensuring continued, reliable services for vulnerable residents.
Methodist Health System Foundation, Slidell, LA, will increase testing and treatment access for underserved adolescents and young adults by enhancing services at a community college health center and boosting education and awareness at local high school and college sites in St. Bernard Parish.
Tunica Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana, Marksville, LA, will launch a community-driven rural health promoter model to expand access, outreach, and health education in Central Louisiana, integrating clinical care with community-based support to reduce barriers and advance health equity.
Coastal Family Health Center, Gulfport, MS, will expand coordinated infectious disease prevention and care for uninsured, underinsured, and underserved Gulf Coast residents by strengthening the linkage between primary care and social service providers.
North Mississippi Primary Health Care, Inc., Ashland, MS, will expand community-based infectious disease services through a mobile health unit delivering free STI screening, education, and treatment linkage to rural communities with rising syphilis and gonorrhea rates across North Mississippi.
Fundación Manos Juntas, Oklahoma City, OK, will expand and modernize its vaccination program by adding HPV vaccines, upgrading vaccine management systems, developing bilingual education materials, and strengthening outreach to improve vaccine access and confidence for uninsured patients.
The Free Medical Clinic, Oak Ridge, TN, will expand free, mobile infectious disease screening - including TB, STIs, and Hepatitis C - and health education across underserved Appalachian East Tennessee communities, with immediate counseling, referrals, and care navigation for those who test positive.
Neighborhood Health, Nashville, TN, will expand access to integrated hepatitis testing and treatment by offering onsite viral hepatitis diagnosis and care, filling a gap no other safety-net provider in Nashville currently addresses, alongside expanded vaccination and harm reduction services.
Cabell-Huntington Health Department, Huntington, WV, will expand free, community-based HIV, Hepatitis C, and STI testing alongside education, vaccinations, PrEP linkage, and prevention resources for people facing substance use, housing instability, or limited healthcare access.
The Innovation Awards in Community Health program launched in 2020 and has since supported more than 40 safety-net health organizations across the United States.
To read more about the Innovation in Care Awards, click here.
Through $4.5 million in grants over two years, the program will support 16 U.S. safety-net community health organizations across 11 states.
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SOURCE: Direct Relief
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:
https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/direct-relief-and-the-pfizer-foundation-announce-new-grantees-in-1161910
