Sickle Cell Disease Regional Care Excellence (SoRCE) Program

The Sickle Cell Disease Regional Care Excellence Program (SoRCE) is a federal funding opportunity administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This program is designed to address persistent gaps in care for individuals living with sickle cell disease (SCD), a genetic blood disorder affecting approximately 100,000 people in the United States. Despite early identification through newborn screening, many patients do not receive consistent or adequate treatment throughout childhood and into adulthood. The program reflects a national effort to improve outcomes by strengthening systems of care and enhancing provider capacity to deliver evidence-based treatments. The primary purpose of the SoRCE program is to improve access to high-quality care, enhance care coordination, and monitor health outcomes and quality of life for individuals with SCD. The program operates through a regional model, dividing the country into seven regions, with one awardee in each region serving as a Regional Coordinating Hub. These hubs are responsible for collaborating with clinical providers, community-based organizations, and other stakeholders to implement continuous quality improvement initiatives. These efforts aim to expand access to treatment, increase utilization of disease-modifying therapies, and ensure smoother transitions from pediatric to adult care systems. Funding is provided through cooperative agreements, indicating substantial involvement from the federal agency in program implementation. Awardees are expected to use funds to support regional coordination, quality improvement activities, partnership development, and data tracking related to patient outcomes. While specific allowable costs are not fully detailed in the forecast, activities are clearly centered on improving care delivery systems, enhancing provider education, and supporting patient-centered outcomes tracking. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement associated with this opportunity. Eligible applicants include a wide range of organizations such as public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status, and healthcare providers including hospitals, clinics, and health centers. This broad eligibility framework is intended to ensure that organizations with the capacity to coordinate regional care systems can participate. Applicants must demonstrate the ability to serve as a regional hub and engage effectively with both clinical and community partners. The application process is expected to be conducted electronically through Grants.gov, with submissions required by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the specified due date. While detailed application components are not outlined in the forecast, applicants should anticipate standard federal grant requirements such as project narratives, budgets, and partnership descriptions. There is no indication of a pre-application requirement such as a letter of intent at this stage. The timeline for this opportunity indicates an estimated application posting date of May 1, 2026, with applications due by June 1, 2026. Awards are expected to be announced by August 1, 2026, with project activities beginning on September 1, 2026. As a forecasted opportunity, these dates are subject to change upon release of the official notice of funding opportunity. No recurrence pattern is specified, suggesting this may be a one-time or irregularly issued program. Program oversight and inquiries are managed by the Health Resources and Services Administration, with a dedicated contact email and phone number provided for applicant support. Overall, the SoRCE program represents a targeted federal investment in improving healthcare delivery systems for a vulnerable population through coordinated, regional approaches.