Service Area Competition HRSA-26-006

The FY 2026 Health Center Program Service Area Competition (SAC) grant, administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), aims to improve the health of underserved populations by funding the delivery of comprehensive, high-quality primary health care services across the United States and its territories. The SAC funding is part of the Health Center Program managed by HRSA’s Bureau of Primary Health Care and is authorized under Section 330 of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act. The overarching goal is to ensure continued access to essential healthcare for communities currently served by health centers with expiring periods of performance. Through this competitive opportunity, HRSA enables health centers to either maintain or newly provide services in announced service areas as specified in the Service Area Announcement Table (SAAT). The SAC grant supports a wide range of primary health care services, including medical, dental, mental health, substance use disorder, vision, and enabling services. These services must be provided regardless of a patient’s ability to pay and on a sliding fee scale. Health centers may serve general underserved populations or specialize in populations such as the homeless, residents of public housing, and migratory and seasonal agricultural workers. All required services may be delivered directly by the applicant or through contracts or formal referral arrangements. Service areas may be re-competed if there is a downward trend in patient numbers or significant shifts in service needs, and HRSA reserves the right to adjust funding based on patient targets and service area conditions. Eligibility to apply includes public and nonprofit private entities, including tribal and urban Indian organizations, that can demonstrate the capability to provide required services within the geographic area listed in the SAAT. Applicants must serve at least 75% of the SAAT patient target, propose at least one full-time permanent service delivery site (except for MSAW-only applicants), and ensure all services listed in the SAAT for their service area are available. New and competing supplement applicants are required to include an operational plan to open all proposed sites within 120 days of award issuance. Funding is not open to individuals, for-profit entities, or organizations proposing to serve less than 75% of the SAAT target. The application process occurs in two phases: Phase 1 applications must be submitted through Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. ET on September 22, 2025. Phase 2 materials are submitted via HRSA's Electronic Handbooks (EHBs) and are due by 5 p.m. ET on December 10, 2025. Applications must follow strict format and content guidelines and include components such as a project narrative, budget, sliding fee discount schedule, service area map, and organizational attachments. Public agencies must include a Co-Applicant Agreement, and new applicants must provide proof of nonprofit or public status. Applications are evaluated based on merit review criteria, which include demonstrated need, responsiveness, collaboration, organizational capacity, impact/evaluative measures, governance, and the appropriateness of support requested. Additional considerations include compliance with Health Center Program requirements and risk assessment. Priority points may be awarded to applicants with a stable patient trend or Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) recognition. HRSA anticipates awarding up to 47 grants, with total funding estimated at $181,000,000. Awards may be for one or four years, with the expected project start date of June 1, 2026. Key contacts for the SAC grant include Ashley Vigil and Julia Tillman for program and eligibility questions (contacted via the BPHC Contact Form or 301-594-4300) and Joi Grymes-Johnson for financial questions (jgrymes@hrsa.gov or 301-443-2632). Additional resources, including webinars and application guides, are available on HRSA’s Apply for SAC TA webpage.

Attend SAC TA webinar and follow formatting rules carefully. Use HRSA Compliance Manual and GeoCare Navigator.