Southern AIDS Coalition

What Southern AIDS Coalition does

Southern AIDS Coalition (SAC) is a non-partisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2001 and headquartered in Powder Springs, Georgia, that works to end the HIV epidemic in the Southern United States. The organization delivers HIV-focused advocacy, grantmaking, leadership development for people living with HIV (PLHIV), capacity-building trainings, and policy research across 16 southern states and Washington, D.C., with concentrated grantmaking in the 9 Deep South states. SAC's core deliverables include the recurring Southern States Manifesto (four editions: 2002, 2008, 2012, 2024), the annual Southern HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (SHAAD, August 20), the Saving Ourselves Symposium (SOS) conference, the SPARK! Grants program, and a portfolio of training and toolkits covering HIV terminology, state HIV data, PrEP access, and HIV criminalization.

SAC operates a coalition-based go-to-market model: it recruits individual and organizational members (Business, NonProfit, Government, Academic tiers), distributes resources through its website and conferences, and runs grant programs (SPARK! and Transformative Grants) under its Coordinating Center role for the $100 million, 10-year Gilead COMPASS Initiative. Revenue derives primarily from pharmaceutical-sector grants — Gilead Sciences is the dominant funder, including a $5 million Phase II renewal, a $2.4 million Change the Pattern grant, and a $250,000 Ella/Her Project grant — supplemented by membership dues and tax-deductible donations. SAC holds advisory access to federal HIV policy via the White House Office of National AIDS Policy and PACHA, and its executive leadership transitioned in 2024 from Dafina Ward to Danielle Houston.

Name

Southern AIDS Coalition

Legal name

Southern AIDS Coalition

Website

https://southernaidscoalition.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

HIV/AIDS Advocacy Services

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Global Health Advocacy, Policy & Rights Organizations (HLAJAKAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE), Human Rights & Anti-Discrimination Organizations (BPAGAFAB), LGBTQ+ Rights & Advocacy Organizations (BPAGAFAE), International & Local Implementing NGOs (HLAJAKAD)

Keywords

• HIV advocacy services
• HIV policy advocacy
• Community capacity building
• Public health coalition
• HIV awareness education

Headquarters

HQ city

Powder Springs

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Gilead COMPASS Initiative Funding: Major multi-year funding commitment through the Gilead COMPASS Initiative, a $100 million commitment over 10 years. SAC serves as a Coordinating Center and has received $5 million in renewal funding for Phase II.
2. Individual Membership Dues: Individual membership program with annual dues supporting SAC's efforts to improve access to healthcare and resources for people living with HIV.
3. Organizational Membership Dues: Membership categories for Business, NonProfit, Government, and Academic organizations with annual dues.
4. Donations: Tax-deductible donations accepted at any level with benefits including website/social media recognition and invitations to donor-exclusive programs and events.
5. Gilead Sciences Grant (Change the Pattern): $2.4 million grant from Gilead Sciences for the Change the Pattern initiative with National AIDS Memorial.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Southern AIDS Coalition is a non-partisan 501(c)(3) coalition that delivers HIV-focused advocacy, grantmaking, leadership development, and capacity-building trainings across 16 southern states and Washington D.C. As a Gilead COMPASS Initiative Coordinating Center, SAC distributes grants (including SPARK! Grants) and provides technical assistance to community-based organizations in the nine Deep South states. The coalition runs annual programs such as the Saving Ourselves Symposium (SOS), Southern HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, the Southern States Manifesto publication, and the Policy & Advocacy Services program engaging federal, state, and local policymakers.

Product overview

Southern AIDS Coalition is a non-partisan coalition that brings together government, community, and business leaders alongside people living with HIV to end the HIV epidemic in the South. The organization's offerings include advocacy programs (Policy & Advocacy Services, Public Policy Committee), grant programs (SPARK! Grants through the Gilead COMPASS Initiative), awareness events (Southern HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, Saving Ourselves Symposium), publications (Southern States Manifesto, PrEP Access analysis, HIV Terminology Guide), training programs (Southern Policymaker Academy), and membership services. The coalition also partners on the Change the Pattern initiative with the National AIDS Memorial and Gilead Sciences. Resource offerings include tools, fact sheets, and state-specific HIV data materials available through their tools and fact sheets section.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SOS (Saving Ourselves Symposium): Annual conference attended by hundreds from across the South focused on the Black LGBTQ+ community
• SPARK! Grants (Southerners Promoting Awareness, Resources & Knowledge)
• Southern HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
• Southern States Manifesto

Products and services

• SAC Individual Membership Annual individual membership with dues supporting SAC's HIV advocacy efforts; members receive action alerts, advocacy opportunities, event invitations, and discounted registration at SAC conferences.
• Organizational Membership Membership for government, community, and business partners working to prevent new infections and build a better South for people living with HIV; includes Public Policy Committee participation, technical assistance, networking, and recognition on SAC's website and social media.
• SPARK! Grants Southerners Promoting Awareness, Resources & Knowledge grants supporting community-led campaigns and education initiatives across the Deep South to address HIV-related stigma.
• Saving Ourselves Symposium (SOS) Annual conference attended by hundreds from across the South featuring workshops, AIDS Memorial Quilt displays, and advocacy training focused on the Black LGBTQ+ community.
• Southern HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (SHAAD) Annual awareness day observed on August 20th that advocates for new and necessary resources and solutions to stem the tide of HIV/AIDS in the Southern United States.
• Policy & Advocacy Services Direct federal, state, and local advocacy in partnership with southerners living with HIV and the organizations that serve them, including action alerts, sign-on letters, petitions, and technical assistance to state-based advocacy groups.
• Change the Pattern Initiative Partnership with the National AIDS Memorial and Gilead Sciences bringing AIDS Memorial Quilt displays, educational forums, advocacy, and quilt-making workshops to communities throughout the South to raise awareness.
• Southern Policymaker Academy Program Educational program providing policy training and resources for southern policymakers on HIV-related issues and healthcare access.
• Southern States Manifesto Comprehensive policy report informing policymakers, activists, advocates, and academics on the current state of HIV in the South; fourth edition released in 2024 with English and Spanish versions, one-pagers, and Latinx supplements.

Quantifiable outcome

• In 2022, the South accounted for more than half (52%) of estimated new HIV diagnoses in the U.S.
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• National AIDS MemorialflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 August 2022Multi-city initiative called 'Change the Pattern' bringing sections of the AIDS Memorial Quilt to Southern communities to raise awareness. Funded by $2.4 million Gilead Sciences grant. First major display in Jackson, Mississippi September 28-October 4.
• White House Office of National AIDS PolicyflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 August 2021Partnership to call attention to the southern HIV epidemic and gather community input for the HIV National Strategic Plan. SAC volunteered to lead effort to capture input from southern communities.
• Center for Health Policy and Inequalities Research at Duke UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 August 2021Released updated report 'HIV in the U.S. Deep South: Trends from 2008-2019' documenting HIV epidemiological trends. Also partnered on COVID-19 impact survey of HIV service organizations.
• AIDS UnitedcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2021Long-standing partnership with AIDS United supporting the coalition's efforts to end the HIV epidemic in the South.
• Emory UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2021COMPASS Initiative Coordinating Center partner working together to address HIV/AIDS in the Southern United States.
• University of HoustoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2021COMPASS Initiative Coordinating Center partner collaborating on HIV/AIDS initiatives in the South.
• Wake Forest University School of DivinitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2021Newest COMPASS Initiative Coordinating Center partner (Phase II) bringing faith-based perspective to HIV advocacy in the South.
• GLAADminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 March 2021Joined COMPASS Initiative efforts in Phase II to support communications and media engagement around HIV stigma reduction.
• Gilead COMPASS Initiative (COVID-19 Partnership)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Conducted survey examining effects of COVID-19 pandemic on stability and functioning of southern community-based organizations serving people living with HIV. Report found 96% of organizations impacted by pandemic.
• North Carolina AIDS Action NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Partner in Ella/Her Project supporting Black and Latina women in North Carolina with $250,000 Gilead Sciences grant for HIV stigma reduction.
• Latinos in the SouthminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Regional program of Latino Commission on AIDS partnering on Ella/Her Project to address HIV among Latina women in North Carolina.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Broad incumbents

• amfAR (Foundation for AIDS Research): Well-established national HIV/AIDS foundation funding research, advocacy, and policy; broader in scope than SAC and not regionally focused, but operates in the same HIV advocacy and policy ecosystem.

Direct peers

• AIDS United: National HIV advocacy and grantmaking organization that is both a long-standing SAC partner and a direct peer in HIV policy, capacity-building, and community-based grantmaking for the U.S. HIV response.
• NASTAD: National Association of State and Territorial AIDS Directors - peer association working on HIV/AIDS policy, surveillance, and program support across U.S. states and territories, with overlapping federal/state advocacy remit.
• Black AIDS Institute: Black-focused HIV advocacy and mobilization organization with overlapping mission around Black communities, policy, and PrEP/ending-the-epidemic work that mirrors SAC's Southern HIV focus.
• Latino Commission on AIDS: National HIV organization with Latinx-focused programs; SAC partners with its regional arm 'Latinos in the South' on the Ella/Her Project, making it a directly comparable peer in Latinx HIV advocacy.
• National AIDS Memorial: SAC's flagship 'Change the Pattern' partner bringing AIDS Memorial Quilt displays to the South; both organizations operate HIV remembrance, education, and advocacy programs nationally.
• National Minority AIDS Council (NMAC): National organization leading HIV advocacy, leadership development, and capacity building for communities of color - directly comparable to SAC's focus on Black, Latinx, and LGBTQ+ populations disproportionately impacted by HIV.

Others

• GLAAD: National LGBTQ+ media advocacy organization that recently joined the COMPASS Initiative and awarded SAC a 2024 GLAAD Media Award; adjacent rather than directly competing, given GLAAD's broader LGBTQ+ media remit.

Regional players

• APLA Health: HIV/AIDS healthcare, prevention, and advocacy organization serving Los Angeles; comparable integrated services-plus-advocacy model, though serving a different region than SAC.
• San Francisco AIDS Foundation: Long-standing regional HIV services, advocacy, and PrEP navigation organization on the West Coast; comparable organizational model but different geographic focus from SAC's Southern scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SouthernAIDSCo
• Instagraminstagram.com/southernaidscoalition
• Xx.com/SouthernAIDSCo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/southern-aids-coalition

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Southern AIDS Coalition