Service Area Competition HRSA-26-005

The FY 2026 Health Center Program Service Area Competition (SAC), issued by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), aims to improve the health of underserved communities and populations by providing funding to support the delivery of comprehensive, high-quality primary health care services. This grant opportunity, identified by opportunity number HRSA-26-006, is part of the Bureau of Primary Health Care's efforts to ensure continued access to care in areas currently served by expiring Health Center Program awards. The Service Area Competition allows applicants to compete for funding to serve specific service areas listed in the Service Area Announcement Table (SAAT). Funding supports both new and existing health centers that can demonstrate their ability to meet patient targets and service requirements. HRSA anticipates awarding approximately $181 million through up to 47 grants. The amount of funding available for each applicant varies depending on the service area as defined in the SAAT. Awards may cover either a single year (June 1, 2026 to May 31, 2027) or a four-year period (through May 31, 2030). Applicants must propose to serve at least 75% of the patient target in their chosen service area or face automatic reductions in award amounts. Proposed services must be accessible to all populations in the area, and applicants must offer the full range of required services including medical, dental, mental health, substance use disorder treatment, vision, and enabling services, as applicable to the SAAT listing. Eligible applicants include public agencies, nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status), and tribal or urban Indian entities operating in the United States, its territories, or freely associated states. Individuals are not eligible to apply. Eligibility also requires compliance with specific organizational and service delivery standards, including governance, financial management, and care continuity expectations. New or competing supplement applicants must propose at least one new, full-time, permanent, fixed service delivery site and open it within 120 days of award. Additional requirements apply for applicants serving Migratory and Seasonal Agricultural Workers, Homeless Populations, or Residents of Public Housing. The SAC opportunity follows a two-phase application process. Phase 1 applications must be submitted via Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. ET on September 22, 2025. Phase 2 applications, including supplemental information and forms submitted through HRSA’s Electronic Handbooks (EHBs), are due by 5 p.m. ET on December 10, 2025. Applicants are strongly encouraged to ensure their SAM.gov and Grants.gov registrations are active and up to date before applying. No extensions will be granted for registration delays. Applications will be reviewed based on seven merit criteria: need, response, collaboration, capacity, impact/evaluation, governance, and support requested. Applicants may receive up to 100 points in total. Additionally, competing continuation applicants may qualify for up to 10 priority points based on positive patient trends and Patient-Centered Medical Home recognition. Successful applicants are expected to comply with post-award reporting and performance tracking requirements, including Uniform Data System (UDS) reporting and financial documentation through the Federal Financial Report (SF-425). For programmatic questions or eligibility inquiries, applicants may contact Public Health Analysts Ashley Vigil or Julia Tillman via the BPHC Contact Form or at 301-594-4300. For budget or financial questions, the point of contact is Grants Management Specialist Joi Grymes-Johnson at jgrymes@hrsa.gov or 301-443-2632. Full application materials and technical assistance resources are available on the Apply for Service Area Competition (SAC) TA webpage. HRSA strongly encourages all applicants to review the Health Center Program Compliance Manual and attend pre-recorded technical assistance webinars for best practices.

Use the SAC TA page, webinars, and Compliance Manual for guidance; refer to GeoCare Navigator for mapping.