October 28th, 2021

Dear ICAD Members,

It is with a heavy heart that we share this communication in advance of our AGM next week on November 4, 2021.

With the onset of Covid-19, ICAD, and the HIV sector at large in Canada and globally, has felt the knock-on impacts of this new pandemic, especially with regards to resource mobilization. The focus on HIV has fallen even further to the margins of the political agenda despite Canada and the world. This has occurred despite having rallied behind the launch of the new Global AIDS Strategy and the new UN Political Declaration on HIV (2021) just months ago at the United Nations. While we have been successful in renewing much of ICAD’s project-base, changes to and the tightening of eligible project costs have rendered it near impossible to cover in-direct project costs. As a result, operational costs that allow an organization to function in a way that facilitates project implementation cannot be recovered. In other words, while we have done well in winning bids for projects, core organizational costs remain ineligible and render the organization unable to effectively host its projects.

After much deliberation, the ICAD Board of Directors has taken the difficult but necessary decision that ICAD cease its operations on or by March 31, 2022. This decision is to be ratified by our members at our AGM next week.

Networks are a critical part of a healthy and vibrant civil society; however, the funding available is inadequate to support them in a meaningful way. Without operational support, civil society networks (and organizations) working on complex health and human rights related issues, such as HIV and sexual and reproductive health and right (SRHR), are not viable. Therefore, networks are not able to play their ever-important roles of convening, advocating and supporting our communities.

It has been a tremendous privilege to work together over the last 30 years and with and for communities living with and affected by HIV in Canada and globally. We urge our members to continue to make the lived experiences of communities central to all work. As priorities shift within Canada and globally, we are hopeful that our members will continue to ensure that HIV remains on the political agenda and to hold our duty bearers and partners to account for the commitments they have made. As individual staff and board members of ICAD, you can count on to us continue this work alongside you well beyond March 31st.

Please join us on November 4 at our Annual General Meeting (3:00pm – 5:00pm EDT) where we will reflect on our impressive footprint made over the last year together, review the financial update for the organization, and discuss our plans forward for the closure of the Interagency Coalition on AIDS and Development.

In solidarity,

Judy Mill, ICAD Board President

Robin Montgomery, Executive Director