A practical guide to grants for FQHCs, the Health Center Program, HRSA discretionary funding, foundations, and how community health centers compete.
2025–2026 STATUS UPDATE: HHS announced restructuring in March 2025 that consolidates SAMHSA, HRSA, OASH, ATSDR, and NIOSH into a new “Administration for a Healthy America (AHA)” as part of a ~25% HHS workforce reduction. Programs and contact pathways may have shifted. Verify at hhs.gov.
Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) operate under a distinctive federal program (HRSA Health Center Program, Section 330) and access additional federal, state, and foundation funding on top of base support. This guide covers the full funding picture for FQHCs.
TL;DR: Quick Answers
- What’s the core FQHC funding source? HRSA Section 330 Health Center Program.
- What else can FQHCs win? HRSA discretionary funding (workforce, telehealth, school-based health, etc.), SAMHSA integration grants, CDC prevention grants, state and foundation funding.
- Who can apply for Section 330? Eligible health centers serving medically underserved populations.
- What gets funded beyond core? Capital, integrated behavioral health, oral health, telehealth, workforce, special populations.
Core Federal Funding
HRSA Section 330 Health Center Program. Base operational funding for FQHCs and look-alikes. Highly regulated and requires meeting all Health Center Program Requirements.
HRSA Service Area Competition (SAC). Periodic competitive renewals of Section 330 funding.
HRSA New Access Points (NAP). Funds new health center sites when funding cycles open.
HRSA discretionary programs:
- Behavioral Health Integration.
- Oral Health.
- School-Based Health Services.
- Telehealth.
- Workforce (NHSC, Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education).
- Capital improvement.
Other Federal Funding
SAMHSA CCBHC, opioid response, integrated care funding.
CDC prevention, REACH, diabetes, cancer screening, vaccination.
USDA Community Facilities for capital.
HUD for housing-as-health and community development.
State Funding
State Medicaid programs, state primary care offices, state health departments, and state-administered federal pass-through funding all flow to FQHCs.
Foundation and Corporate Funders
- Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
- The Commonwealth Fund.
- Health conversion foundations in your region (often a major source).
- Community foundations.
- Direct relief and pharma-linked funders.
- Hospital systems and ACOs (for collaboration funding).
What Gets Funded
- Primary care services.
- Integrated behavioral health and substance use treatment.
- Oral health.
- Telehealth and digital health.
- Workforce development.
- Capital expansion and modernization.
- Special populations (homeless, public housing, agricultural workers, school-based).
- Quality improvement and EHR.
Tips for a Competitive Application
- Use UDS data. UDS is FQHCs’ federal performance reporting; cite it.
- Document patient population and need with HRSA and ACS data.
- Show value-based outcomes (PCMH, HEDIS measures).
- Address health equity explicitly.
- Build partnerships with hospitals, schools, social services.
- Demonstrate Health Center Program Requirements compliance for HRSA programs.
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Read next:
- HRSA Grants: A Guide to Health Resources and Services Administration Funding
- SAMHSA Grants: A Guide to Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Funding
- Health Conversion Foundations
Further Reading
- HRSA Bureau of Primary Health Care (Section 330)
- National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC)
- Grants.gov (federal funding portal)
- Wikipedia: Federally Qualified Health Center
Disclaimer: Grant programs, eligibility rules, deadlines, and policies vary by region and change frequently. The information in this article is for general informational purposes only and may not reflect the current rules in your area. Always consult a local grant writer or qualified expert in your region for advice specific to your organization, project, and jurisdiction.