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HISTORY & Strategic Plan

  • The California HIV/AIDS Research Program (CHRP) was founded in 1983 in response to the AIDS epidemic
  • CHRP’s 2020 budget is $8.75 million
  • Since its founding, the program allocated more than $320 million in grants
  • Our current strategic plan can be viewed here

About us

CHRP's mission is to support scientists in California to develop, evaluate, and disseminate innovative research for (a) eliminating new HIV infections, (b) optimizing treatment uptake and outcomes for all persons living with HIV, and (c) addressing the comorbidities and social determinants that threaten the health and well-being of persons at risk for or living with HIV.

There were an estimated 135,000 people living with HIV/AIDS in California in 2012, a number that has grown faster than for any other state.  To help impact and curb the California epidemic, CHRP launched several innovative and unique research initiatives.  These included three initiatives to reduce the number of new HIV infections by testing and evaluating the HIV prevention pill, commonly called “PrEP” (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis), in three key, at-risk populations.  CHRP also launched initiatives to evaluate innovative new ways to provide HIV care services and developed initiatives to evaluate innovations in reducing HIV-related racial/ethnic and other disparities. 

The organization has received strong support from advocates and the CA legislature, enabling CHRP-based research to impact state policy for HIV/AIDS care and services.  

CHRP is located at the University of California Office of the President and administered by the Research Grants Program Office within the Office of Research & Innovation.