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Since 1998, Positive Impact has received state funding for its HIV and AIDS programs. This year, the agency asked for $181,629 but was awarded nothing in its bid for a contract for testing and community mobilization efforts to stop the spread of HIV.

Positive Impact provides culturally competent mental health and other services to gay and bisexual men and others affected by HIV, including prevention programs. Leaders are at a loss as to why the state decided they deserved no money this year.

"We were really shocked that they listed as our scores not being competitive enough because that's very unlike our agency," said Danny Sprouse, prevention director of Positive Impact, in an interview at the organization's offices in Midtown. "When we looked at our scores further, I was further appalled."