Applications Due: September 28, 2015, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time

Description:

The Health Resources and Services Administration, Bureau of Primary Health Care is accepting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2016 Service Area Competition (SAC) under the Health Center Program. The purpose of this grant program is to improve the health of the Nation’s underserved communities and vulnerable populations by assuring continued access to comprehensive, culturally competent, quality primary health care services. Health Center Program grants support a variety of community-based and patient-directed public and private nonprofit organizations that provide primary and preventive health care services to the Nation’s underserved.

The applicant must request funding to support the operation of a health center that provides required comprehensive primary, preventive, and enabling health care services, either directly or through established arrangements, without regard to ability to pay. An applicant may not propose to provide only a single service, such as dental, behavioral, or prenatal services.

Types of applications sought:

• Competing Continuation – A current Health Center Program award recipient whose project period ends February 29, 2016 that seeks to continue serving its current service area.

• New – A health center not currently funded through the Health Center Program that seeks to serve an announced service area through the proposal of one or more permanent service delivery sites.

• Competing Supplement – A current Health Center Program award recipient that seeks to serve an announced service area, in addition to its current service area through the proposal of one or more new permanent delivery sites.

Funding Title: Service Area Competition, Health Center Program

Agency Name: Health Resources and Services Administration, Health and Human Services

Funding Instrument Type: Grant

Express Language for Legal Aid:  Yes. Form 5A (Services Provided) mentions legal aid in two sections. In the required service of “Eligibility Assistance”, the form states: “Eligibility assistance services are support to health center  patients to establish eligibility for and gain access to appropriate federal, state and local programs that provideor financially support the provision of medical, social, educational, housing, or other related services (e.g., Medicaid, Veteran’s benefits, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Legal Aid).”

Target Population:  Underserved communities and vulnerable populations in need of comprehensive, culturally competent, quality primary health care services

Expected Number of Awards: 104 

Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement: No

How to Apply:  HRSA requires applicants for this funding opportunity announcement to apply electronically through Grants.gov and in HRSA EHB. Applicants must use a two-tier submission process for the Service Area Competition and follow the directions provided at Grants.gov and in HRSA EHB.

• Step 1 – Grants.gov – Required information must be submitted and validated by Grants.gov no later than September 28, 2015 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time

• Step 2 – HRSA EHB – Supplemental information must be submitted via HRSA EHB no later than October 14, 2015 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time

Only applicants who successfully submit and have an application validated in Grants.gov (Step 1) by the due date/time may submit the additional required information in HRSA EHB (Step 2). Within seven business days following successful submission of the required items in Grants.gov, applicants will be notified by HRSA confirming the successful receipt of the application and requiring the Project Director and Authorized Organization Representative to submit additional information in HRSA EHB.

Current Closing Date for Applications:  September 28, 2015, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time

Estimated Total Program Funding:  $152,000,000

Award Ceiling: $0

Award Floor: $0

Eligible Applicants: 1) An applicant must be a public or nonprofit private entity, as demonstrated through the submission of the Evidence of Non-profit/Public Center Status outlined in Section IV.2.vi. Faith-based and community-based organizations, Tribes, and tribal organizations are eligible to apply. 2) The applicant must request funding to support the operation of a health center that provides required comprehensive primary, preventive, and enabling health care services, either directly or through established arrangements, without regard to ability to pay. An applicant may not propose to provide only a single service, such as dental, behavioral, or prenatal services. 3) The applicant must propose to serve an announced service area and its patients identified in the SAAT.

Priority Consideration: This funding opportunity includes a funding priority for competing continuation applicants. A funding priority is defined as the favorable adjustment of review scores when applications meet specified criteria. Applicants do not need to request a funding priority. Prior to final funding decisions, HRSA will assess all SAC applications within the fundable range for eligibility to receive priority points, as demonstrated in the Health Center Profile.

The FY 2016 SAC funding opportunity has one funding priority. To minimize potential service disruptions and maximize the effective use of federal grant dollars, HRSA will award priority points to competing continuation applicants according to the criteria below.

• Program Compliance: HRSA will award 5 points to competing continuation applicants applying to continue serving their current service area and with no Health Center Program requirement conditions (see PAL 2014-08) in 60-day, 30-day, or default status phase of Progressive Action at the time of application.

• Patient Trend: HRSA will award an additional 5 points to competing continuation applicants applying to continue serving their current service area, if they meet the criterion for Program Compliance above AND they have a positive or neutral 3-year patient growth trend (+/- 5 percent). Patient trend points will not be awarded if the Program Compliance criterion is not met.

Policy and Regulations on Use of Funds:   Here

Link to Full Announcement:   Here

Contact Information: Applicants may obtain additional information regarding business, administrative, or fiscal issues related to this funding opportunity announcement by contacting: Donna Marx 301-594-4245 dmarx@hrsa.gov

Additional information related to the overall program issues and/or technical assistance regarding this funding announcement may be obtained by contacting: Beth Hartmayer BPHCSAC@hrsa.gov

Categories: Department of Health and Human Services, Express Language for Legal Aid, Health, Medical-Legal Partnerships, Native American Tribes or Tribal Organizations, Non-profit Organizations, Subgrant Possibilities