Making an Impact: The CDC Foundation's COVID-19 Response
Through the support of our donors, the CDC Foundation is actively supporting the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other public health responders as we all work together to combat the spread of COVID-19. We are proud to present to you highlights of this work to date. If you would like a regular breakdown of our activities over time, we encourage you to view our ongoing series of Response Updates.
This page was last updated on August 27, 2021. Check back every month for the latest information.
Priority Areas of Response
8,080,690
personal protective equipment
(PPE) provided
89
states, territories
and countries assisted
217,100
care kits delivered to schools, jails,
first responders and the unhoused
289
total number of COVID-19
projects/response activities
$521 million
total donor funds
committed
134
projects focused on
health equity
17
COVID-19 research
studies supported
1,021
health department surge
staff hired nationwide
Our COVID-19 Response, in Stories:
Our Response Update Series:
2021:
August 27 Update | July 23 Update | June 25 Update | May 28 Update
April 30 Update | March 26 Update | February 26 Update | January 28 Update
2020:
December 11 Update | November 13 Update | October 9 Update | September 25 Update
September 11 Update | August 28 Update | August 14 Update July 31 Update
July 20 Update | July 3 Update | June 19 Update | June 8 Update
May 22 Update | May 8 Update | April 24 Update | April 10 Update
February 21 Update | March 27 Update
Highlights of Our Response Activities:
Highlighted Communications Project: How Right Now Mental Health Campaign
The How Right Now campaign (HRN) provides resources that support mental health during the pandemic and offers ideas for ways to cope with COVID-19 related stress for adults over 65 years of age and their caregivers, people with preexisting mental and physical health conditions, experiencing violence, or economic distress. Within each of these audience groups, HRN focuses on at-risk subpopulations, e.g., racial and ethnic and gender-identity minorities, who are disproportionately experiencing the effects of COVID-19. The HRN initiative reflects a robust research-based effort that focuses on addressing people’s feelings of grief, loss, and worry by increasing individual coping skills and reducing the likelihood of adverse behaviors. The formative research conducted as part of HRN revealed that many of the initiative’s audiences are experiencing feelings of worry, loss of control, isolation, and grief, stemming from inconsistent information and from disruptions in employment, income, education, and health access. Furthermore, research shed light on priority audiences’ needs and sources of trusted information and support related to their emotional health.
Other communications projects include:
"Crushing the Curve" Youth COVID-19 Campaign
Providing support for Crushing the Curve, a youth-led social marketing campaign designed to educate young people in California about staying mentally and physically healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ad Council Collaborations
Produced a series of national digital, TV and radio PSAs as well as a web presence covering a variety of topics around COVID-19 protective measures focused on the general public as well as a number of specific audiences including people of color. Some of the campaigns included “You Will See Me,” “No Time for Flu,” “Coping-19” and “The Power of Us.”
California Communications Campaign
Support COVID-19 mitigation efforts by informing Californians on how to take action to stay healthy and help stop the spread of the virus - and to educate them on available state resources. This media campaign reached an audience of over 200 million, with over 500,000 interactions.
California Connectedness Campaign
Support COVID-19 mitigation efforts by informing Californians on how to take action to stay healthy and help stop the spread of the virus- and to educate them on available state resources. This media campaign reached an audience of over 200 million, with over 500,000 interactions.
California COVID-19 Contact Tracing Campaign
Support COVID-19 mitigation efforts by informing Californians on how to take action to stay health and help stop the spread of COVID-19. Specifically, this campaign focuses on providing information about contact tracing and how it can reduce the spread of COVID-19.
Community COVID Coalition
The focus of the project is the development of strategic communications campaigns, toolkits and messages that states can use to improve the understanding, acceptance and effectiveness of their contact tracing systems.
Handwashing Print Materials
Replenished the CDC's stockpile of printed handwashing materials in support of the agency's COVID-19 handwashing guidance promotion activities.
Healthy Davis Together CA Communications Campaign
Preventing the spread of COVID-19 by using real-time data from frequent, community-wide testing, contact tracing, and environmental monitoring to inform decisions on how to keep community members and students healthy.
HERE for Healthy Schools
Supported The Healthy Habits School Re-Opening, a project that provides signage and messaging for classrooms to promote healthy school re-opening across the US. This includes 9,000 school and 100,0000 teacher activation kits with engagement materials. The project has been able to print, package, and ship approximately 109,000 school kits to the Kids in Need Foundation, including approximately 9,000 kits for use in school hallways and shared areas and 100,000 kits for classroom use in Title I schools. Materials in kits featured messaging focused on hand hygiene, social distancing, wearing cloth face masks, and staying home when sick. Overall, the kits provide educational information to promote behavioral changes to support the decrease of COVID-19 transmission in schools across the country. Project expansion is pending and would reach an estimated 1,500 additional schools.
Message Testing Pilot for Young Travelers
Support the purchase of ad buys on Facebook and Instagram social media platforms for CDC National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases to prevent the introduction and spread of COVID-19 among young adult domestic and international travelers (18-29 years old).
Meteorite Gamers Project, CDC Foundation Support
Meteorite will provide support to CDC Foundation for launch of "Don't be Sus" campaign targeted at gamer community (100M+) with COVID-19 safety messaging.
SARS-CoV-2 Wastewater Surveillance Pilot Project
Implement a pilot program of generating data on concentrations of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater settled solids and providing this information to inform the response to the pandemic. The pilot program includes the analysis of wastewater settled solid samples with a 24 hour turn-around time, with data posted to a public facing platform on the internet.
Seasonal Flu Campaign
Worked with the Ad Council and American Medical Association to develop and launch an influenza campaign targeted to at-risk individuals, including Black and Latinx audiences, to encourage more people to get their annual influenza vaccination in the time of COVID-19.
The Critical Work of Public Health Professionals at the Federal, State and Local Levels in the time of COVID-19
Ensuring public health departments receive guidance and materials focused on communicating with their key audiences as well as receiving materials to push back against misinformation.
Vaccine Confidence Communication Strategy
Partner with a multisector consortium for COVID-19 New Vaccine Information Communication and Engagement (CONVINCE USA) to develop a strategy to build public trust in vaccines and the COVID-19 vaccine through the development, testing, dissemination and evaluation of new vaccine literacy messages, using a broad array of traditional and new media channels to support health care providers with credible message sources.
Highlighted Data and Technology Project: SARA Alert
Developed a monitoring tool (SARA alert) for COVID-19 and contact tracing that went live to support health departments in early April 2020, built a help desk for users, and educated and onboarded jurisdictions in adoption of SARA Alert. As an automated contact tracing system, SARA Alert allows those under quarantine to enter their symptoms daily using a phone or computer from their own homes, eliminating the time-intensive daily calls or house checks traditionally required of public health professionals. The self-reporting system allows contact tracers to keep tabs on a much larger number of people while focusing on those cases that pose the highest risk. There are over 10 jurisdictions (and 377 sub-jurisdictions) successfully onboarded and using SARA Alert.
Other data and technology projects include:
Advance Digital Technology for Use in COVID-19 Response
Deployment, monitoring, hosting, setup, implementation, and application support for the SARA Alert COVID-19 monitoring tool on the Association of Public Health Laboratories Informatics Messaging Services (AIMS) platform. This included a help desk for users, education, and onboarding for over 10 jurisdictions (and 377 sub-jurisdictions) which have adopted and are utilizing SARA Alert.
SARA Alert Training Grant
Supporting the development of training modules and certificate program for SARA Alert.
COVID-19 Implementation Support and Digital Tools Development for Health Departments
Collaborate with US health departments to rapidly develop and pilot programmatic and technological solutions to facilitate the scale-up of contact tracing to address COVID-19. These include point-of-contact antigen testing best practices and pilots, a landscape analysis of vaccine development and implementation planning, tracking indicators and dashboards, and more.
Precision Population Health Through Virtual Care
Develop and provision a virtual care platform to reduce the health risk and social economic impact on those most vulnerable to the current risks of COVID-19.
Rapid Detection Software Enhancements
Funding for urgently needed software enhancements to facilitate rapid detection and visualization of COVID-19 clusters, with the goal of making the software free and available to the public. This free software will compliment work done in contact tracing to by providing health departments with another tool to quickly detect emerging clusters and to understand current drivers of COVID-19 transmission.
Support Research for COVID-19 Digital Tools
Provide support to the Public Health Informatics Institute to create digital tools for contact tracing in the United States and to produce a white paper and reports on technology, public health and contact tracing.
Supporting the Global Response
Develop website with CDC's internal training repository of IMS/EMSI material, and at least one video introducing the training material and linking it to COVID-19 response, for low-income countries.
Supporting the Public Health Response to COVID-19
Supported organization's COVID-19 response through information quality and public health network improvement.
Supporting the Public Health Response to COVID-19
Verily, a COVID-19 testing company, established and operated testing sites in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties that have conducted tests for thousands of participants since mid-March. Verily’s operation of these sites provided unique insight on operating COVID-19 testing sites, resulting in the publishing of a COVID-19 Community Based Testing Guide to assist the set-up of sites throughout California.
Trust for America's Health (TFAH)
Supported organization's COVID-19 response through information quality and public health network improvement.
Highlighted Global Response Project: Strengthening the Epidemiology Workforce Capacity in Indonesia
Supporting Indonesia Epidemiological Association (PAEI) in launching a project to strengthen the capacity of the surveillance workforce at both the national and the sub-national levels. To do so, PAEI provided training and technical assistance for surveillance officers at the sub-national level and worked with epidemiologists to implement robust data collection and analysis. In addition, PAEI established an epidemiology task force to support provincial and district health offices and conducted infection prevention and control training in selected hospitals.
Other global response projects include:
Africa CDC: Data Assessment and Review
Conduct a systematic review of all cases of COVID-19 in an African country reporting the highest proportions of deaths (either Liberia or Chad) and to retrieve data on their demographics, disease progression (whether they were hospitalized, intubated, the outcomes of hospitalization, etc.), and risk factors (the presence of underlying comorbidities and/or co-infections).
African Society of Laboratory Medicine
Conduct a systematic review of all cases of COVID-19 in an African country reporting the highest proportions of deaths (either Liberia or Chad) and to retrieve data on their demographics, disease progression (whether they were hospitalized, intubated, the outcomes of hospitalization, etc.), and risk factors (the presence of underlying comorbidities and/or co-infections).
Dynamics of the COVID-19 Epidemic, Highlighting the Occurrence of SARS-CoV-2 and its Lethality in the Municipality of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
Study the dynamics of the COVID-19 epidemic, including spatial diffusion patterns, area vulnerability, differences in isolation patterns, and estimation of COVID-19 underreporting, to highlight the occurrence of Severe Respiratory Symptoms (SARS) attributed to SARS-CoV-2 and its lethality in the city of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
Emergency Management Distance Learning
Design and implement training programs to embed evidence-based emergency management processes within existing programs, to strengthen capacity within at least two national or sub-national Emergency Response Centers. Additionally, creates an online information reference repository.
Ensuring Continuity of Maternal and Newborn Health Services with Quality, Equity and Dignity During COVID-19 Through Strengthening Health Facility WASH and Infection Prevention and Control in Aspirational Districts in India
Project studies and reduces maternal and newborn mortality caused by hospital-acquired infections and sepsis, through improved infection prevention and control measures. Project focuses on improving quality, equity and dignity during COVID-19, through strengthening health facility WASH and infection prevention and control in Aspirational Districts in India.
Makeni Lab Enhancements for COVID-19 Response
Supported repairs in the Makeni Laboratory and facilities to support
COVID-19 testing in Sierra Leone.
Namibia Readiness
Increase capacity by scaling up Namibia's readiness and response operations for COVID-19.
Pasteur Institute of Dakar – COVID-19 Molecular Lab External Quality Assurance Program
Supporting the Pasteur Institute of Dakar, Senegal, to establish an external quality assurance program for SARS-CoV-2 molecular testing laboratories and to strengthen the preparedness, evaluation and continuous quality improvement of testing.
PPE for Yellow Fever Vaccination Campaign Project in Ghana
Procured 87,841 bottles of hand sanitizer (250ml each) and 6.2 million vaccination cards to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 for a Yellow Fever vaccination campaign in Ghana. This project allows Ghana to implement the final phase of its nationwide vaccination project and protect over 5.4 million people aged 10-60 years from yellow fever -- this is a milestone as it represents attainment of nationwide protection from yellow fever. Support from the CDC Foundation covered the entire campaign.
Renovations Ethiopia
Supporting the renovation of healthcare facilities in Ethiopia to prepare for influxes of COVID-19 cases.
Research to Understand Global Health COVID-19 Needs and Social Distancing
This effort includes the development of a white paper on funds needed for the COVID-19 global response, lessons learned from other countries’ responses and the development of an advisory group on exploring the relaxation of social distancing. As part of this work, the paper was disseminated to policymakers.
Strengthening Coordination Capacity in Africa
Strengthen surveillance capacity for COVID-19 in Kenya.
Strengthening Coordination Capacity in Africa
Strengthen surveillance capacity for COVID-19 in Sierra Leone.
Supporting the Global Response
Supported the School of Nursing at the University of Sao Paulo to enhance infection prevention and control in response to COVID-19 in Brazil by implementing functional triage, inpatient screening, healthcare worker monitoring, and visitor monitoring in order to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 to healthcare workers and between patients in healthcare facilities.
Supporting the Global Response - Nigeria
Evaluating the effectiveness of CPAP/helmets amongst severe COVID-19 patients in Nigeria.
Supporting the Global Response - Bangladesh
Increased public health capacity through rapid response trainings for COVID-19 in Bangladesh.
Supporting the Global Response - Ivory Coast
Increased public health capacity through rapid response trainings for COVID-19 in Ivory Coast.
Supporting the Global Response - India
Supporting a project with CDC India and UNICEF to strengthen surveillance and development of networks of health care facilities throughout India that have built capacity by promoting infection prevention and control best practices. Project implementation will cover 24 UNICEF programming states across India that reach over 90% of the total annual birth cohort in India, with a focus on high delivery load facilities on improving quality maternal and newborn services.
Supporting the Global Response - Mozambique
Supporting capacity building for COVID-19 response efforts in Mozambique.
Supporting the Global Response - Nigeria
Supporting Infection Prevention and Control priorities in Nigeria and India during the COVID-19 response.
Surveillance Ethiopia
Supplemental hiring for active surveillance and contact tracing in Ethiopia during COVID-19.
Tanzania Lab Support
Preparing laboratories in Tanzania to test for COVID-19 and purchasing lab equipment to support their response.
The Global Health Crisis Coordination Center (GHC3)
Support standing up the Global Health Crisis Coordination Center in response to COVID-19.
Zambia Surveillance
Strengthening surveillance systems in Zambia to detect and prevent spread of COVID-19.
Highlighted Health Equity Project: Project REFOCUS: Racial Ethnic Framing of Community-Informed and Unifying Surveillance
Working with Howard University and the UCLA Center for the Study of Racism, Social Justice & Health to identify key sources of stigma that affect adherence to COVID-19 mitigation strategies, and developing a campaign that aims to reduce stigma and increase resilience and knowledge in communities disproportionately affected by the virus.
Other health equity projects include:
“Thriving Together” Guide
Supported the development and introduction of a new guide titled “Thriving Together: A Springboard for Equitable Recovery & Resilience in Communities Across America,” released by the Well Being Trust. The guide features more than 100 contributors and highlights actions that communities, organizations, businesses, governments and funders can turn to in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic.
Cloth Masks for Puerto Rico Youth
Supported the Puerto Rico Department of Health by purchasing 15,000 cloth masks for a youth competition with ASPIRA PR (a community-based organization dedicated to comprehensive training and leadership development) to promote the use of masks when in public.
Coloring Books for Tribal Children and Youth
Develop and implement a 20-page booklet with text on the left and a coloring book graphic on the right on each page to inform children about the virus, illustrate social distancing, wearing masks, washing hands or using hand sanitizer, and other steps they can take to protect themselves and their community. In addition, provide a printable online version of the booklet as well.
COVID-19 Mitigation Strategies Using Evidence-Based Public Health Practices in African American Communities
Conduct a health education campaign to education African American community in New Orleans called "The Skin You're In," activate text message health information network, and leverage network of CBOs and FQHCs with state and local health department.
Developing Accessible COVID-19 Materials
Develop accessible materials and culturally relevant messages for individuals with disabilities around existing CDC COVID-19 guidance, including conducting assessments to enhance and adapt modes of communication and evaluation of impact in partnership with Georgia Tech Center for Inclusive Design and Innovation.
Economic Assistance for Individuals Testing Positive for COVID-19 in Baltimore
Provided a one-time disaster relief payment to Baltimore immigrant families with at least one child in residence, who faced economic hardship and were unable to work due to positive COVID-19 diagnosis.
Handwashing Stations for Individuals Experiencing Homelessness
Providing handwashing and shower stations for individuals experiencing homelessness in the Las Vegas, Nevada, Orlando, Florida, and San Juan, Puerto Rico communities.
Health Equity Task Force
In partnership with the Satcher Health Leadership at Morehouse School of Medicine establish a COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force, devoted to monitoring and assessing the disparate impacts on vulnerable populations, including, but not limited to: racial/ethnic minorities, people living with disabilities, and those of lower socioeconomic status by focusing on health systems transformation, resource development and management, and social and cultural determinants of health.
Health Equity: Guidance Toolkit for Essential Frontline Workers
Develop appropriate guidance and supportive components for essential frontline (non-healthcare) workers. The essential workforce, which includes retail workers (including grocery workers), restaurant workers and other food service workers, public transit employees, and custodial staff is disproportionately comprised of individuals from Black and Brown communities.
Houston COVID-19 Response: Wastewater Sampling, Telehealth, and Mobile Testing
Supporting the Houston Health Department to conduct wastewater sampling, communications, telehealth, and at home/mobile testing for COVID-19 response.
Improving Availability of Respite Facilities for People Experiencing Homelessness Upon Hospital Discharge
Discharging people who are experiencing homelessness from the hospital can be complex and is sometimes delayed because of the lack of housing where these patients can safely convalesce. The objective of this project is to provide post-discharge care for patients with COVID-19 or conditions that increase their risk of COVID-19 who are experiencing homelessness. National Health Care for the Homeless Council (NHCHC), in partnership with the CDC Foundation and with technical assistance from the CDC, will deliver emergency grant funding over 2 years to up to nine medical respite care programs in response to their COVID-19 needs in the areas of: (1) daily supplies and equipment; (2) space modification/additions; and (3) staffing.
Kansas City COVID-19 Testing
Providing free COVID-19 testing for asymptomatic individuals in Black and Brown Kansas City neighborhoods, administering 5,018 tests among 4,857 unique individuals. Collaboration with Wyandotte County Health Equity Task Force and other community partners.
Lost Wages Support
Provided financial support for individuals with lost wages due to quarantine from COVID-19 exposure.
Maryland PPE
Purchased PPE (over 4,800 cloth face masks) for LatinX community at the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Many of these community members are unable to access federal assistance programs or other relief efforts.
Maryland Masks – Manna Food Center PPE
Provided PPE (12,000 masks) to the Manna Food Center, a community-based food distribution center that serves under-resourced communities in Maryland, helping an estimated 4,000 families.
PPE for Tribal Health Departments in MO and WY
Providing approx. 50,000 PPE products to RMTLC, which serves 10 Tribes on 8 reservations in Montana and Wyoming, with a total number of American Indian population at more than 75,000. Each Tribal Health Department has shipments of PPE being sent directly to them and will work within their communities to distribute the PPE to help reduce the number of COVID-19 cases in the reservations. PPE products include: lab coats, face shields and masks, gloves, disinfectant, thermometers, etc.
Pregnancy Coronavirus Outcome Registry (PRIORITY)
Supported research for a nationwide registry of pregnant and postpartum women with known or suspected COVID-19, building national infrastructure to collect information from patients.
Providing PPE for Frontline Workers in DeKalb and Fulton counties in Georgia
Provided PPE for first responders, frontline workers, and Health Equity in DeKalb and Fulton counties in Georgia.
Providing Quarantine Assistance in New York City
Remove barriers to self-isolation and quarantine by providing assistance to individuals impacted by COVID-19.
Quarantine Support for Under Resourced Individuals in San Mateo, CA
Provide direct financial assistance as well as essential supplies and items to eliminate barriers low-income individuals have in quarantining, in order to increase likelihood of successful quarantining.
Reducing Racial/Ethnic Disparities by Improving Participation of Minorities in COVID-19 Surveillance Studies
Supporting Emory University to conduct qualitative research with persons residing in metro Atlanta counties, all with substantial African American and Hispanic/Latinx populations, to gain an understanding on low participation in COVID-19 research and identify opportunities to increase engagement.
Rosebud Sioux Tribe Youth Masks
Provided 10,000 multi-layer youth size cloth face masks for Rosebud Sioux youth. The masks have designs on them with Lakota sayings meaning: “Lakota Standing Strong” and “Children are Sacred”. One of the recipients of the masks, the Boys and Girls Club of Rosebud-Antelope Site in Mission, SD was able to provide appropriately sized masks to younger members to help them stay safe, with one first grade club member saying, “Finally, I have a mask that fits!”
Sacramento Steps Forward- Encampment Outreach
Supporting the response and development of best practices for helping bring unsheltered residents into permanent housing in Sacramento, CA, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Social Isolation of Older Adults
Supporting the physical and mental well-being of older adults during times of public health emergencies, like COVID-19. Five topics of concern will be explored: deconditioning, deferral of medical care, older adult abuse, management of chronic conditions, and social isolation.
Southern Alliance - Addressing COVID-19 Among African American Communities in Albany, GA
Increase awareness and feasibility of COVID-19 prevention strategies among African Americans with underlying conditions and other social risk factors in the south through a robust program of community engagement.
Southern Alliance - Addressing COVID-19 Among African American Communities in Jackson, MS
Increase awareness and feasibility of COVID-19 prevention strategies among African Americans with underlying conditions and other social risk factors in the south through a robust program of community engagement.
Southern Alliance - Addressing COVID-19 Among African American Communities in New Orleans, LA
Increase awareness and feasibility of COVID-19 prevention strategies among African Americans with underlying conditions and other social risk factors in the south through a robust program of community engagement.
Strengthening Puerto Rico's Inland Community Health Centers
Partnering with Afya Foundation to deliver supplies to Puerto Rico’s inland Federally Qualified Health Centers just as the island hit their all-time high in number of cases and deaths from COVID-19 in early December. Two containers of durable medical equipment (syringes, oxygen masks, IV poles, exam tables, wheelchairs), consumable supplies and PPE (gowns, masks, and gloves) have been packed and are en route to Puerto Rico for distribution to 17 health center networks. In addition, 2,000 KN95 masks and other donated supplies from hospitals and private practices are being sorted and packed into a third container that will be shipped later in December.
Support for Individuals in Isolation/Quarantine
Gift funds to support households in isolation/quarantine with the highest needs and the fewest prospect for accessing other types of aid in Alameda County during COVID-19 pandemic.
Supporting a Santa Clara Community Health Center with COVID-19 Testing
Supporting a community health center with a focus to uplift those impacted by systemic inequities and poverty by providing COVID-19 testing to Black/African Americans and other community members.
Supporting Communities: Cambridge, MA
Address needs of most vulnerable residents, including: temporary housing support for individuals experiencing homelessness, support meal deliveries, environmental cleaning of surfaces, emergency supplies, testing kits.
Supporting Communities: Hartford, CT
Supporting efforts in the City of Hartford (a majority-minority community) to partner with community-based organizations to raise awareness in neighborhoods about how to prevent and limit the spread of SARS-COV2, with a specific focus in reaching LatinX communities.
Supporting Communities: Imperial County, CA
Supporting local nonprofit organizations that primarily serve Health Equity in Imperial County that have been disproportionately impacted by unemployment and other economic hardship during COVID-19. Imperial Valley Wellness Foundation worked with 4 nonprofit organizations (Cody’s Closet, House of Bread Ministries, Cancer Resource Center of the Desert, and Imperial Valley Food Bank) to serve the following groups in over 10 communities: Children, Farmworkers, Homeless, LGBTQ, Seniors, Veterans, Uninsured and under insured cancer patients. This included food, clothing, and hygiene care distribution; Halloween Drive Thru for cancer patients and their families including PPE bags and goodies; and weekly grocery delivery to senior families. So far, over 72,000 people have been positively impacted by this project.
Supporting Communities: Imperial Valley, CA
Support the Imperial Valley Health Department laboratory to purchase equipment and test kits to expand capacity for COVID-19 testing. This includes tests that screen for 22 viral/bacterial pathogens from a single sample among at-risk and symptomatic patients in acute care and ambulatory clinic settings, as well as regular COVID-19 testing for asymptomatic residents in the same settings. The project is also working to expand testing through mobile site opportunities that are currently being advertised to residents to increase awareness of testing sites.
Supporting Communities: Manchester, NH
Supported the health department in Manchester, NH, for case investigations and contact tracing using school nurses. During the spring and early summer, a staff of 21 school nurses conducted 13,000 calls, 700 case investigations, and triaged over 1,675 hotline calls. This project is serving as a model for other communities.
Supporting Communities: Richmond, VA
Supporting the COVID-19 response in Hispanic/Latino communities in Richmond, VA, where COVID-19 cases have spiked. This support includes an income replacement program, support for quarantine, and meeting needs of undocumented individuals who are COVID-19 positive, regardless of eligibility for government benefits or services.
Supporting Communities: Trenton, NJ
Supporting the operation of two isolation shelter facilities for the homeless population in Trenton, New Jersey including three shower/toilet truck units and additional PPE support for staff.
Supporting Equitable Response
Support the hiring of a director of resilient communities for a nonprofit organization to lead work in pushing hard for the types of systemic changes required to build a more equitable and resilient society as we both respond to, and rebuild from, the COVID-19 pandemic.
Supporting Hawaii by Providing Outreach and Education to Populations Disproportionately Impacted by COVID-19
Collaborating with the Hawaii Public Health Institute and community health workers to provide outreach and education to populations that have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, including Pacific Islanders, Native Hawaiians and Filipinos.
Supporting Local Communities in Georgia
Funded supplies and equipment, contractual nurses, epidemiologists and communications staff necessary to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 among Cobb and Douglas County communities.
Supporting Native American Elders
Supporting community agencies to deliver customized health and medical supplies to Native American elders in high COVID-19 incidences and under-resourced settings in four tribes spanning 5 states (including: Navajo, Oglala, Lakota, and Yurok Tribes in AZ, SD, CA, UT, NM). Over 80 pallets of customized supplies have been provided; these included PPE and durable medical goods such as canes, walkers, and 200 mattresses. Additional funding will deliver 160 more pallets including durable medical goods and winter gear such as blankets, scarves and gloves.
Supporting Rural Communities: Dodge City, Kansas
This project is increasing testing capacity within the local health department.
Supporting Rural Communities: Fort Morgan, CO
This project is increasing testing capacity and providing wrap-around services to families impacted by COVID-19.
Supporting Rural Communities: Hazelton, PA
Establishing a public health education campaign to promote CDC guidelines and mitigation strategies, called "Driving Better Health," which includes a mobile testing unit, educational materials in English and Spanish a tracking system within the Wright Center for Community Health's clinical dashboard.
Supporting Rural Communities: Marshall, MO
This project is providing PPE, wrap-around services, educational materials for families impacted by COVID-19, supporting the purchase of handwashing stations and supporting staffing within the local health department.
Turning Point COVID-19 Response Funding
Support staffing for Turning Point, a rehabilitation clinic that serves disproportionately impacted population, also providing equipment and PPE for staff.
Veteran Support Through Gaming Platform
Partnering with Stack Up, a veteran charity organization, to promote veteran mental health during the coronavirus pandemic by providing support from trained staff through online gaming community digital platforms. At the conclusion of the project a research article on communication platforms as a public health intervention will be published.
Water Delivery to High-Risk Individuals in Tribes and Alaska Native Villages
Increasing access to potable water solutions in Alaska Native Villages by providing increased water delivery and other activities to at least 100 households withs individuals at heightened risk for complications related to COVID-19: elders over the age of 65; elders with secondary health risks, and families living in crowded multi-generational housing without piped water.
Wellness Kits for Individuals Experiencing Homelessness in US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico
Providing 16,000 wellness kits for homeless individuals in USVI and Puerto Rico that contain face masks, thermometers, insect repellent, hand sanitizer, pads, wipes, facial tissues, granola bars, toothbrush, toothpaste, soap- all in a drawstring bag.
Highlighted Lab and Research Project: University of Washington Research Network—Clinical Gaps in COVID Studies
Supporting the University of Washington in a clinical research network that will investigate the standards of care for COVID-19 patients. The findings will inform the development of COVID-19 clinical treatment protocols.
Read about more of our work with the University of Washington.
Other lab and research projects include:
ELIMS Staff Request
Support to part time staff for six months for COVID-19 response.
Enhancing Local Public Health Capacity - New York Counties
Supporting the purchase of laboratory equipment to expand COVID-19 testing capacity for essential healthcare workers in rural New York counties.
Enhancing Local Public Health Capacity - Worcester, Massachusetts
Provide employees and associated supplies to manage public health response in Worcester, MA.
Evaluation of Nasal Swabs
Evaluation of self-collected anterior nasal swabs and saliva compared to nasopharyngeal swabs collected by healthcare personnel in diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection, as of October 2020 over 692 patients have been enrolled and 40 have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 PCR.
Increasing Lab Capacity in New Jersey
Funding the New Jersey Public Health and Environmental Laboratory to purchase reagents and supplies needed to expand capacity to perform nucleic acid amplification testing.
New York State Population-Based Seroprevalence COVID-19 Project
Assess the seroprevalence of the SARS-CoV2 virus in New York population by testing newborn screening specimens for antibodies.
Social and Behavioral Health Impact Survey
Providing support for the 4th, 5th, and 6th waves of the COPE Initiative survey, which focuses on evaluating public attitudes and beliefs about COVID-19.
Support for COVID-19 Studies
Incentivizing community participation in COVID-19 research interviews and response studies.
Supporting a Study to Improve Patient Outcomes for COVID-19 Treatment
Investigate the current standards of care for patients with Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) to determine which treatments and patient characteristics will lead to improved patient outcomes.
Supporting CDC's Emergency Outbreak Response in Arkansas
Gift cards for participants in COVID-19 response studies. Studies gathered knowledge, attitudes, and practices in the ethnic communities where COVID-19 is spreading rapidly, to aid in effective response.
Supporting State Public Health Labs
Provided support to public health laboratories for the purchase of lab supplies for COVID-19 testing in four state public health labs.
Supporting the Massachusetts Department of Public Health's Response to COVID-19
Purchasing lab equipment to expand capacity for MA public health lab COVID-19 testing.
The Effective Use of Respirators
Support National Academies study to develop recommendations on how to best protect general public from respiratory hazards, convene experts across the nation to form committee to develop guidance and recommendations.
Highlighted Local Response Project: Providing PPE for Frontline Workers Across America
As COVID-19 began spreading in the United States, hospitals, first responders and public health agencies across the country scrambled to acquire enough personal protective equipment (PPE) to keep their staff and the public safe, despite limited supplies and surging demand. To meet that need, the CDC Foundation teamed up with various corporate donors looking to provide in-kind or financial support. Working with partners like Google, T-Mobile, and PPE manufacturer Magid Glove & Safety, the CDC Foundation served as a link between corporations looking to help and frontline workers around the country in desperate need of PPE. Over 8,000,000 have now been provided nationwide.
Other local response projects include:
Afya Foundation - PPE for NYC First Responders
Procurement of face shields for NYC first responders and frontline workers during COVID-19.
American Public Health Association (APHA)
Supported organization's COVID-19 response through information quality and public health network improvement.
ASTHO
Supported organization's COVID-19 response through information quality and public health network improvement.
Broad Multi-Sector COVID-19 Movement
This project builds a multi-sector partnership of organizations that work together to coordinate and engage the public in COVID-19 prevention and control. It also builds a national contact tracing recruitment effort, referring recruits to local public health agencies for training and management. Additionally, this project designs and executes a public information campaign which will bring many communications resources to bear at low cost, ensuring coordinated messaging and enabling the public to receive information from trusted sources. Finally, it creates a non-governmental fund coordination committee.
Care Kits for First Responders
The CDC Foundation was able to provide over 77,000 care kits to first responders across the country, and particularly to areas with high rates of COVID-19. The care kits included cleaning and sanitizing supplies for first responders.
Combatting Coronavirus Through the Community COVID Coalition
Strategic collaboration and coordination across states in bridging community-driven contact tracing with communities' efforts for re-opening and recovery. Through long-standing relationships with their members, this association will be an important partner for ensuring strong connections to state public health data, core public health services, and trusted community partnerships.
Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE)
Supported organization's COVID-19 response through information quality and public health network improvement.
County Health Executives Association of California (CHEAC)
Supported organization's COVID-19 response through information quality and public health network improvement.
COVID-19 Seminars for Reopening Key Sectors
In collaboration with Leavitt Partners, hosted a series of online seminars for the retail, childcare and K-12 educational sectors as those industries began looking toward reopening and recovery. The seminars were designed to provide insights into existing resources and tools, as well as share a risk analysis framework to help leaders make key operational decisions.
Enhancing Local Public Health Capacity - Santa Clara Staffing
Public health support with staffing for Santa Clara to prepare public health lab capacity for surge testing for COVID.
Flu Prevention in Puerto Rico
Flu vaccination campaign in Puerto Rico.
Frontline Support - PPE Procurement Project for California
Providing support to a non-profit purchasing agent for the State of California that procured and delivered over nine million PPE products to frontline health workers. This included PPE such as N95 and KN95 respirators, surgical masks, protective goggles, and more. This project assisted the state in procuring PPE early in the COVID-19 response when PPE was difficult to obtain.
Frontline Worker Support PPE in DC
Provided PPE respirator masks for staff at St. Elizabeth's Hospital in DC during their COVID-19 response, (SCJ) donation of hand sanitizer to support the St. Elizabeth's Hospital Staff during the COVID-19 pandemic, donation of masks, gowns, gloves, and non-contact thermometers to St. Elizabeth's Hospital to support staff in performing their duties during COVID-19 pandemic.
Health Officers Association of California (HOAC)
Supported organization's COVID-19 response through information quality and public health network improvement.
Hennepin Healthcare Expanding Community Testing for COVID-19
Support purchase of 50,000 COVID-19 testing swab kits in Hennepin, MN. This allowed for over 50,000 tests to be performed on patients, employees, and community-based partners including homeless service sites, long term care facilities, group homes, local correctional facilities, and large open community events targeting populations hardest hit by COVID-19. Of the more than 50,000 tests completed, over 10,600 tests were positive.
Laboratory Support for NC State Public Health Laboratory
Supplied equipment for COVID-19 testing kits for the North Carolina Public Health Laboratory to increase testing capacity.
NACCHO Rapid Response Support
Providing funding to the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) to support COVID-19 rapid response efforts including resource and tool development, public health information support, and a rapid investigation and dissemination center.
National Association of County and City Health Officials
Supported organization's COVID-19 response through information quality and public health network improvement.
National Health Law Program, Inc.
Supported organization's COVID-19 response through information quality and public health network improvement.
Nursing: University of Washington and Seattle-King County Public Health
Assist the University of Washington to deploy nursing students in the COVID-19 response by supporting 600 students’ participation in clinical learning opportunities safely, with adequate supervision from faculty and clinical preceptors as well as PPE and other resources. The clinical learning opportunities available to students include the provision of direct care to clients at the Downtown Emergency Services Center, the Clinical Simulation Laboratory and in the future, permanent supportive housing in the county and the interprofessional clinical learning with the UW Medical Mobile Van. The provision of high-quality PPE has enabled our students to stay safe while working with COVID-positive patients in outpatient and in-patient settings. Approximately 12 individuals in need of health care have been impacted per student thus far, which equals around 7,200 individuals impacted. The learning opportunities have been evaluated very positively by faculty and students.
Offering Services to Health Departments
The Public Health Foundation (PHF) has assisted 80 state, local, tribal, and territorial health departments, non-profit organizations, and educational institutions, through the COVID-19 Contact Tracing Service. To date, PHF has constructed 24 customized contact tracing curricula for health departments using the TRAIN Learning Network to meet specific agency needs, and directed other organizations such as hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies, universities, and ministries of health to a curated set of courses on TRAIN focusing on COVID-19 and contact tracing.
PPE for California
Partnership with a California PPE storage, packing, and distribution center, to prepare and distribute PPE to first responders nationwide.
PPE for Gurwin Jewish Nursing & Rehabilitation Center
Purchasing personal protective equipment (PPE) for frontline staff and residents of a senior care facility in New York.
Providing Access to Risk Solutions for Assisting Contact Tracing During the COVID-19 Pandemic
The Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists provided support to 64 jurisdictions for contact tracing with access to LexisNexis Risk Solutions for five months to assist in collecting information for contact tracing or in completing an incomplete case report form during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Providing PPE and IT Security for the Oklahoma City Department of Public Health
Supported the purchase of IT and PPE security for the Oklahoma City Health Department to support them in their response to COVID-19 .
Providing PPE for Frontline Workers Across the United States
Provided over 7.7 million PPE products ranging from protective face covers to KN95 masks, gloves, surgical gowns, isolation gowns, face shields and more for the domestic COVID-19 response. This PPE was sent to frontline workers at local health departments, essential workers, hospitals, senior care facilities and first responders.
Providing PPE for Frontline Workers in New Jersey
Provided supplies for first responder personnel combatting COVID-19 through the purchase of equipment including technology, personal protective equipment (PPE), and air purification systems to protect first responders from COVID-19 as well as protecting the township's senior population residing in long-term care and assisted living facilities. The equipment received kept first responders healthy and protected them in the performance of their duties. As a result of the CDC funding, absentee sick time was held to an absolute minimum, with work schedules being fully staffed and equipped. The township responded to COVID-19 calls for service with no delay in patient care because of the equipment they received, and if a township employee had to be quarantined, the laptops and computers kept the employee working from home, which alleviated staffing problems within the departments.
Providing PPE for Midland, TX: Children's Facemasks
Provided 2,000 children's masks to the Midland, Texas Health Department.
Providing PPE for Nursing Students
Supported Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing returning students by providing surgical masks and face shields.
Public Health Institute
Supported organization's COVID-19 response through information quality and public health network improvement.
Public Health STEM Education
Rapidly develop and disseminate public health 101 virtual trainings and preparedness resources to equip K-12 Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) educators to teach epidemiology and public health concepts related to COVID-19. A field employee has been hired to drive the project forward and curriculum development is underway.
Rapid Monitoring and Evaluation of School Mitigation Measure Implementation
Analyses of near real-time data on school mitigation strategies; including social media, crowd-sourced data, web panels, and qualitative data captured via specialized surveys.
Santa Clara Strategic Communications Support
Provided communication support for Santa Clara Public Health Officer- including strategic communications, messaging, and media training support. This has allowed for stronger comprehensive communications approach, more effective strategic approaches, messages, and tactical plans for numerous public health communications initiatives and priorities, including COVID-19 testing, school re-openings, pandemic fatigue, public health guideline enforcement and compliance, vaccine distribution, and more.
Seattle-King County Staffing
Staffing and deploying an incident management team for COVID-19 response efforts in Seattle-King County, an area that was significantly impacted by COVID-19 cases early in the response.
Supporting Communities: Houston
Providing PPE (10,000 KN95 masks; 10,000 face shields; 10,000 disposable lab coats; and 2,500 gloves) to the Houston Health Department facing a rising surge of COVID-19 cases.
Supporting Technology for Health Departments
Providing support for the purchase of technological equipment, including 21 laptops and 4 Wi-Fi hotspots, needed by healthcare workers on the frontlines in Oklahoma City, OK and in Elizabeth and Newark, NJ.
Third Sector New England, Inc. (TSNE)
Supported organization's COVID-19 response through information quality and public health network improvement.
Training Educators About Emergency Preparedness
The purpose of this project is to develop, evaluate, and disseminate an interactive, web-based training promoting hygiene behaviors in in K-12 schools and in early childcare education settings (ECEs). The training will focus on increasing knowledge, attitudes, and skills related to hygiene-related behaviors which includes, but is not limited to: handwashing, use of hand sanitizer, cleaning, disinfecting and sanitizing surfaces, safe storage and use of cleaning chemicals/supplies, selection of appropriate cleaning materials and supplies, safe preparation of cleaning products, tips on promoting hygiene behaviors, and tips on overcoming challenges implementing hygiene practices in schools and ECE facilities. As part of the COVID-19 pandemic, K-12 schools and ECEs are encouraged to promote hand hygiene behaviors (handwashing and use of hand sanitizers) and frequent cleaning and disinfection of a range of surfaces and materials in educational facilities.