The Philadelphia Department of Public Health announced that they have begun a grant program to support monkeypox vaccinations and are seeking adequate proposals to award these grants to.

This program must expand monkeypox vaccination services and related outreach programs to communities most at risk for transmission, ensure equitable access to the vaccine, and ensure these at-risk communities have timely and accurate information on monkeypox.

Up to ten grants, totalling $50,000, are expected to be awarded to the chosen proposal(s).

The city has specified three goals they wish to achieve. The first is to create an equitable and accessible vaccination network that serves high-risk members or those in under-vaccinated groups.

The second is to create access points for vaccines in high risk geographic areas and communities, specifically those belonging to under-vaccinated demographic groups.

The third is to enact directed vaccine outreach to unvaccinated and difficult to reach individuals who are considered high-risk.

“We’re very excited for this opportunity,” said Deputy Health Commissioner Dr. Frank Franklin in a statement. “As part of our ongoing efforts to make monkeypox vaccine more easily available to those folks that are being disproportionately affected by this outbreak, this grant program is intended to align with all of the great work already happening in the community.”

“By working with partners who know this community best, we hope to get more vulnerable populations vaccinated and communicate the importance of getting vaccinated,” he continued.

Despite the Health Department’s efforts toward ensuring equity, they report that Black residents have lower rates of responding to invitations to vaccination than other groups.

Though estimates of monkeypox cases in the city are below 400, as of Aug. 23, 56% of monkeypox cases have been reported in Black residents with only 23% of vaccinations being administered to Black individuals.

More information about the grant program and the request for program proposals can be found here: https://www.phila.gov/programs/acute-communicable-disease-program/monkeypox/