Assistance Listings Grants to States for Loan Repayment
Overview
Objectives
To increase the availability of primary health care clinicians in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) by assisting States in operating programs for the repayment of educational loans of health professionals in return for their practice in HPSAs.
Examples of Funded Projects
Not Applicable.
Financial Information
| Obligation(s) | FY 23 | FY 24 (est.) | FY 25 (est.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Grants Total | $66,757,409 | $0 | $15,000,000 |
| (FY 2023 ARPA) | $66,757,409 | $0 | $15,000,000 |
| Totals | $66,757,409 | $0 | $15,000,000 |
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
FY23 (ARPA) awards (act.) ranged from $17,000 to $1,000,000 with an anticipated award of $669,032 (ARPA forward funding through August 31, 2025). FY24 (ARPA) awards (actual) ranged from $174,000 to $1,000,000 with an average award of $666,116. FY 25 est range from $80,000 to $1,000,000 with an estimated average award of $300,000 (new competitive cycle mandatory funding).
Accomplishments
Fiscal Year 2024: Since its inception in 1972, the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) has worked to support qualified health care providers dedicated to working in underserved communities in urban, rural, and tribal areas. Across the nation, NHSC clinicians serve patients in HPSAs – communities with limited access to health care.. As of September 30, 2024 there were 7,548 primary care HPSAs, 6,912 dental HPSAs, and 6,252 mental health HPSAs. The NHSC seeks clinicians who demonstrate a commitment to serve the Nation’s medically underserved populations at NHSC-approved sites located in HPSAs. NHSC-approved sites provide care to individuals regardless of ability to pay; currently, there are over 22,648 NHSC-approved sites. Eligible sites include Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) and FQHC Look-Alikes, American Indian and Native Alaska health clinics, rural health clinics, critical access hospitals and hospitals managed or owned by the Indian Health Service (IHS), school-based clinics, mobile units, free clinics, community mental health centers, state or local health departments, community outpatient facilities, federal facilities such as the Bureau of Prisons, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, IHS, and private practices. In particular, the NHSC has partnered closely with HRSA-supported FQHCs to help meet their staffing needs. Over 60 percent of NHSC clinicians serve in Health Centers around the nation, and 15 percent of clinical staff at FQHCs are NHSC clinicians. The NHSC also places clinicians in other community-based systems of care that serve underserved populations, targeting HPSAs of greatest need. As of September 30, 2024 there are more than 21,130 primary care medical, dental, and mental and behavioral health practitioners providing service nationwide.
Account Identification
75-0350-0-1-550
Criteria for Applying
Types of Assistance
B - Project Grants
Credentials and Documentation
B - Project Grants. Applicants should review the individual HRSA Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) announcement issued under this assistance listing for any required proof or certifications which must be submitted prior to or simultaneous with submission of an application package. 2 CFR 200, Subpart E - Cost Principles applies to this program.
Applicant Eligibility
Designations
Government - General, State (includes District of Columbia, public institutions of higher education and hospitals), Federally Recognized lndian Tribal Governments, U.S. Territories and possessionsEligible entities include the 50 States, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau.
Beneficiary Eligibility
Designations
Individual/Family, Minority group, Specialized group (e.g. health professionals, students, veterans), Health Professional, Graduate Student, Black, American Indian, Spanish Origin, Asian, Other Non-White, U.S. Citizen, Veteran/Service person/Reservist (including dependents, WomenApplicants for State programs must have completed a course of study required to practice independently without supervision as one of the following health care professionals: Doctor of Allopathic Medicine or Osteopathic Medicine, General Practice Dentist (D.D.S. or D.M.D.), Pediatric Dentist, Primary Care Certified Nurse Practitioner, Certified Nurse-Midwife, Primary Care Registered Nurse, Pharmacist, Primary Care Physician Assistant, Registered Clinical Dental Hygienist, Health Service Psychologist (formerly Clinical or Counseling Psychologist (Ph.D. or equivalent), Licensed Clinical Social Worker (master’s or doctoral degree in social work), Psychiatric Nurse Specialist, Substance Abuse Counselor, Mental Health Counselor, Licensed Professional Counselor (master’s or doctoral degree with a major study in counseling), Marriage and Family Therapist (master’s or doctoral degree with a major study in marriage and family therapy),Registered Nurse and Pharmacist. The primary care specialties approvable for physicians are: family medicine (and osteopathic general practice), internal medicine, including geriatricians, pediatrics, obstetrics/gynecology, and general psychiatry. General practitioners (physicians who have not completed residency training programs) are not eligible for funding under the SLRP. The primary care specialties approval for registered nurses, nurse practitioners and physician assistants are: adult, family, pediatrics, psychiatry/mental health, geriatrics, or women’s health. Participants must provide full-time clinical service for a minimum of two years in a public or non-profit entity located in a federally designated HPSA. Refer to the NHSC SLRP Notice of Funding Opportunity for specific requirements.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
This funding opportunity provides support for a 3-year project period. States are asked to commit the full amount of funding for their loan repayment awards to practitioners in the current fiscal year to avoid out-year commitments for additional Federal funds. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: Recipients drawdown funds, as necessary, from the Payment Management System (PMS). PMS is the centralized web-based payment system for HHS awards.
Use of Assistance
Designations
Health/MedicalFunds under this grant must only be used to repay the qualifying educational loans of health professionals who have entered into a SLRP contract with the States.
Applying for Assistance
Deadlines
Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines
Preapplication Coordination
Preapplication coordination is not applicable. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.
Application Procedures
2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFO) for this listing will be posted on Grants.gov (opens in new window) (opens in new window). HRSA requires all applicants to apply electronically through Grants.gov.
Criteria for Selecting Proposals
Procedures for assessing the technical merit of grant applications have been instituted to provide an objective review of applications and to assist the applicant in understanding the standards against which each application will be judged. Critical indicators have been developed for each review criterion to assist the applicant in presenting pertinent information related to that criterion and to provide the reviewer with a standard for evaluation. Competing applications are reviewed by non-Federal expert consultant(s) for technical merit recommendations. Applications will be reviewed and evaluated against the following criteria: (1) Purpose and Need; (2) Response to Program Purpose; (3) Impact; (4) Organizational Information, Resources and Capabilities; and (5) Support Requested. See the most recent Notice of Funding Opportunity for detailed selection criteria.
Award Procedure
Notification is made in writing by Notice of Award
Date Range for Approval/Disapproval
From 120 to 180 days. Approximately 120 to 180 days after receipt of application.
Renewals
Not Applicable. Depending on Agency priorities and availability of funding, during the final budget year of the approved project period competing continuation applications may be solicited from interested applicants.
Appeals
Not Applicable.
Compliance Requirements
Policy Requirements
Subpart B, General provisions
Subpart C, Pre-Federal Award Requirements and Contents of Federal Awards
Subpart D, Post Federal; Award Requirements
Subpart E, Cost Principles
Subpart F, Audit Requirements
Not Applicable
Additional Information: 45 CFR 75 applies to this award and selected sections of 2 CFR 200. See notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) and notice of award (NOA) for details.
Reports
Program Reports: Both program and financial reports are required. The recipient will be required to submit annual performance and progress reports, as well as Quarterly Progress Updates. A Federal Financial Report (SF-425) is required according to the schedule in HRSA’s Application Guide. A final report is due within 120 days after the project period ends. If applicable, the recipient must submit a Tangible Personal Property Report (SF-428) and any related forms within 120 days after the project period ends. New awards (“Type 1”) issued under this Notice of Funding Opportunity are subject to the reporting requirements of the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA) of 2006 (Pub. L. 109–282), as amended by section 6202 of Public Law 110–252, and implemented by 2 CFR Part 170. Grant and cooperative agreement recipients must report information for each first-tier subaward of $30,000 or more in federal funds and executive total compensation for the recipient’s and subrecipient’s five most highly compensated executives as outlined in Appendix A to 2 CFR Part 170. (The FFATA details are available online at http://www.hrsa.gov/grants/ffata.html). Competing continuation recipients may be subject to this requirement and will be so notified in the Notice of Award.
Audits
https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-F
Additional audit requirements:
In accordance with the provisions of 2 CFR 200, Subpart F - Audit Requirements, nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $1,000,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Non-Federal entities that expend less than $1,000,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in 2 CFR 200.503.
Records
Recipients are required to maintain grant accounting records 3 years after the date they submit the Federal Financial Report (FFR). If any litigation, claim, negotiation, audit or other action involving the award has been started before the expiration of the 3-year period, the records shall be retained until completion of the action and resolution of all issues which arise from it, or until the end of the regular 3-year period, whichever is later.
Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature
All administrative and audit requirements and the cost principles that govern Federal monies associated with this activity will be subject to the Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200 as codified by HHS at 45 CFR 75. HRSA awards are also subject to the requirements of the HHS Grants Policy Statement (HHS GPS) that are applicable based on recipient type and purpose of award. The HHS GPS is available at https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/hhs-grants-policy-statement-october-2024.pdf.
Formula and Matching Requirements
Matching requirements are mandatory.
Contact Information
Regional or Local Locations:
None.Headquarters Office:
Quality Assurance Branch, Division of National Health Service Corps, Bureau of Health Workforce, Health Resources and Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services,
5600 Fishers Lane
Rockville, MD 20857
odaramola@hrsa.gov
(301) 443-1882