IHS Granted Sixth Year of SDPI Grant Cycle

On May 20, 2020, the Indian Health Service (IHS) released a Dear Tribal and Urban Organization Leader Letter to provide updates about the Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI). The letter stated that In the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. SDPI was allocated $150 million for fiscal year (FY) 2020 and $25 million for FY 2021. With the additional FY 2020 funds, all current SDPI grants have now been authorized up to their full annual grant amounts.

The letter also noted that the current authorization for SDPI expires on November 30, 2020, ending the SDPI 5-year grant cycle. However, IHS stated that with the “high volume of demands related to the COVID-19 pandemic” IHS anticipated that this would be a difficult time to have grantees prepare a competitive application. “Accordingly, the IHS requested and the Department of Health and Human Services granted us an exception to allow FY 2021 to be added as a sixth year to the current SDPI grant cycle extending it through FY 2021.” This means that IHS is able to employ a continuation application process for FY 2021, which is a less demanding application process for grantees.