The Healthcare Grant Landscape
Health-focused organizations have access to one of the richest grant ecosystems of any sector. Federal agencies—HRSA, CDC, NIH, SAMHSA, CMS—collectively award tens of billions of dollars annually to hospitals, community health centers, public health departments, nonprofits, research institutions, and tribal health programs. State health departments and private foundations add additional layers of funding. The challenge is not a shortage of money; it's navigating the complexity to find programs that match your organization's specific work.
This guide covers the major federal sources, foundation funding, and what distinguishes successful applications from unsuccessful ones.
Federal Healthcare Grant Programs
HRSA (Health Resources and Services Administration)
HRSA is the primary federal agency for primary care, rural health, maternal and child health, and health workforce programs. Key programs include:
- Health Center Program (Section 330): Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) funding for community health centers serving underserved populations. New access point grants open periodically; existing FQHCs can apply for supplemental funding for specific programs. FQHCs also receive enhanced Medicaid and Medicare reimbursement rates, which function as a de facto grant subsidy.
- Rural Health Care Programs: The Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) within HRSA funds rural health network development, rural health outreach, small rural hospital improvement, and rural hospital flexibility programs. Awards range from $100K to $1M+. If your organization is in a rural area, these programs should be at the top of your list.
- Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB): Funds programs supporting maternal, infant, child, and adolescent health. Title V block grants flow to states; competitive programs fund home visiting, early intervention, and health systems development.
- Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program: Funding for HIV/AIDS care, treatment, and support services across a tiered grant structure (Parts A–F) that reaches from metropolitan areas to rural communities.
CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
CDC awards grants to state and local health departments, universities, and nonprofits for disease prevention, surveillance, and public health programs. The CDC Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs) are listed on Grants.gov. Current priority areas include:
- Chronic disease prevention (heart disease, diabetes, obesity, cancer screening)
- Infectious disease surveillance and response
- Immunization programs
- Injury prevention and violence prevention
- Public health workforce development
CDC grants are primarily available to government entities (state and local health departments) and research institutions. Community nonprofits often access CDC funding through subgrant agreements with state health departments.
SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
SAMHSA funds prevention, treatment, and recovery services for substance use disorders and mental health conditions. Key programs include:
- Community Mental Health Services Block Grant: Formula grants to states, which fund community mental health centers and programs.
- Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant: Formula grants supporting state-administered substance use treatment and prevention systems.
- Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC): Competitive grants to community behavioral health clinics expanding access to comprehensive behavioral health services.
- Strategic Prevention Framework: Grants to states and communities for data-driven substance use prevention.
NIH Grants for Community Organizations
NIH is primarily a research funder, but it runs several programs relevant to community health organizations:
- Community-Based Participatory Research: NIH funds research partnerships between academic institutions and community organizations. As a community partner, your organization may be eligible to receive funding as a subcontractor.
- Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR): Health-focused companies developing new medical technologies, diagnostics, or interventions can apply to NIH SBIR programs.
- National Cancer Institute Community Cancer Centers: NCI programs engaging community health systems in cancer research and care delivery.
State and Local Health Grants
State health departments receive federal block grant funds and also appropriate state general revenue for health programs. Common state grant programs include:
- Tobacco cessation and prevention programs
- Maternal and child health home visiting programs (often Medicaid-funded)
- Behavioral health integration grants
- Health equity and minority health programs
- School-based health programs
Your state health department's grants office or community health division is the starting point. Many states also have dedicated rural health programs through their Office of Rural Health.
Foundation Grants for Health Organizations
Private foundations represent a significant source of health funding outside the government system:
- Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: The largest U.S. health-focused foundation, with a current emphasis on health equity, health systems change, and policy. Awards range from $50K to several million dollars.
- Commonwealth Fund: Focuses on health system performance, access, and equity. Primarily funds health policy research and system improvement.
- California Endowment: Significant funder of community health, particularly in California, with a focus on health equity and building healthy communities.
- Kresge Foundation: Health program focuses on access to care, social determinants of health, and health equity.
- Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation (state-level): Most BCBS plans have foundations that fund health programs in their service states. These are often accessible to smaller organizations and have faster turnaround than federal programs.
What Makes Healthcare Grant Applications Competitive
- Population data: Quantify who you serve—income levels, insurance status, geographic access barriers, disease burden. Health grant reviewers expect data-driven need statements.
- Clinical evidence: Reference evidence-based practice models, clinical guidelines, or peer-reviewed research supporting your approach. Health funders are skeptical of untested interventions.
- Partnerships: Sustainable health programs rarely operate in isolation. Letters of support from hospitals, health departments, school districts, or social service organizations signal organizational legitimacy.
- Evaluation plan: Health funders expect you to measure health outcomes, not just process metrics. "Served 500 people" is a process metric; "80% of participants achieved controlled blood pressure at 6-month follow-up" is a health outcome.
- Sustainability: Explain how the program continues after grant funding ends—through Medicaid billing, sliding-scale fees, state contracts, or other grants.
Finding Health Grants for Your Organization
Health grant opportunities are dispersed across HRSA, CDC, SAMHSA, NIH, state agencies, and dozens of foundations. Rather than manually tracking all of these sources, FindGrants.io aggregates health grants from federal agencies, state programs, and foundations and matches them to your organization's profile. You can filter by health focus area, geographic eligibility, and organization type to surface the programs most relevant to your work.