Health centers operate in a very dynamic funding environment (to say the least), and monitoring the right grantmaking institutions is key to sustaining operations and expanding services. Here are the main grant funding institutions and sources every health center should monitor:
- Federal Government (No surprise here)
- Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
- Primary funder of FQHCs through the Health Center Program (Section 330 Grants).
- HRSA also administers targeted initiatives (oral health, behavioral health integration, telehealth, rural health, HIV/AIDS care via Ryan White, etc.).
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
- Grants for substance use disorder, behavioral health integration, and crisis response.
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
- Innovation Center demonstration projects and value-based care pilots.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Funding for population health, immunization, chronic disease management, and public health partnerships.
- Office of Minority Health (OMH)
- Grants supporting health equity initiatives.
- Department of Justice (DOJ) / Office for Victims of Crime (OVC)
- Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funding, which health centers can access for victim support, trauma services, and behavioral health.
- National Institutes of Health (NIH)
- Research partnerships, especially for clinical trials or community-based research.
- State Governments
- State Primary Care Associations (PCAs)
- Often distribute HRSA cooperative agreement funds and provide technical assistance.
- State Medicaid Agencies
- Grants for delivery system reform, workforce development, and supplemental payments.
- State Health Departments
- Federal pass-through funds (CDC, HRSA, SAMHSA) plus state initiatives on maternal health, opioid response, rural health, and workforce.
- State Economic Development or Workforce Agencies
- Funding for health workforce training, recruitment, and infrastructure.
- Local Governments
- County & City Health Departments
- Local public health grants for emergency preparedness, maternal & child health, HIV prevention, etc.
- Community Development Block Grants (CDBG, via HUD pass-throughs)
- Can support capital projects for health center expansions in underserved areas.
- Philanthropic & National Foundations
- Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) – Health equity, population health, social determinants of health.
- Kresge Foundation – Community health, infrastructure, health equity.
- Kaiser Permanente (via Kaiser Foundation Health Plan/Community Health initiatives) – Community benefit grants.
- W.K. Kellogg Foundation – Health equity, children and families, maternal health.
- Commonwealth Fund – Delivery system reform, access to care.
- Local & Regional Foundations – Community-based philanthropy often supports health centers directly.
- Other Key Funding Sources
- Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs)
- Provide low-interest loans and grants for facility expansion and capital projects.
- Private Health Insurers / Managed Care Organizations (MCOs)
- Value-based care pilots and population health grants.
- Hospitals & Health Systems (Community Benefit Dollars)
- Partnerships to fund outreach, social determinants of health, and care coordination
When monitoring various grant funding agencies, it is best practice to set alerts for opportunity notifications after subscribing to their websites. Options for periodic newsletters and funding alerts should also be tracked via your State PCA. Additionally, building relationships with local area hospitals, payers, and foundations for partnership-driven funding should also be considered. Lastly, use a grant calendar that will align deadlines with your health center’s strategic plan (behavioral health, workforce, facilities, etc.).
