Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students (SDS)
Closed Posted
- Opportunity number
- HRSA-26-096
- Agency
-
Health Resources and Services Administration
Department of Health and Human Services
- Applications due
- Award size
- Up to $650,000
Opportunity facts
- Assistance listings
- Funding instrument
- Grant
- Category
-
- Health
- Eligible applicants
-
- Higher Education Inst. (Private)
- Higher Education Inst. (Public)
- Other
- Tribal Organizations (Not Federally Recognized)
- Tribal Governments (Federally Recognized)
- Points of contact
-
- Tamara Barbee sdsprogram@hrsa.gov (301) 443-6752
Opportunity details come from Grants.gov. Updated .
About this opportunity
The Health Resources and Services Administration seeks applicants for the Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students program to fund health professions schools awarding scholarships to students from disadvantaged backgrounds, with applications due July 28, 2026. Eligible applicants are accredited schools of medicine, osteopathic medicine, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, podiatric medicine, optometry, veterinary medicine, public health, chiropractic, and allied health; schools offering graduate programs in behavioral and mental health; and entities providing physician assistant training. Schools must demonstrate enrollment and graduation of at least 20 percent students from disadvantaged backgrounds during academic years 2022–2025. Student eligibility requires full-time enrollment, disadvantaged background status (economically, educationally, or geographically vulnerable), financial need documented on FAFSA, and U.S. citizenship or qualified alien status.
Total fiscal year 2026 funding is $51,079,900 for approximately 80 grants, with individual awards ranging from $1 to $650,000 per year over a five-year period from September 1, 2026, to June 30, 2031. Student scholarships are capped at $50,000 annually for dental students and $40,000 for other health professionals, must represent at least half of annual tuition, and cannot exceed students' financial need. Project Director salary and fringe benefits are limited to 25 percent FTE, with indirect costs not exceeding 8 percent of modified total direct costs.
Merit review uses six criteria totaling 100 points: Need (20), Response (35), Performance Management (15), Impact (10), Resources and Capabilities (10), and Support Requested (10). Four funding priorities award up to 2 points each for schools meeting thresholds in primary care graduate placement, rural/Tribal/medically vulnerable community placement, underrepresented minority enrollment, or location in a Health Professions Shortage Area. Statutory allocations mandate 16 percent minimum to nursing schools, at least $5,000,000 to nursing and midwifery programs, no more than 30 percent to mental/behavioral health programs, and no more than 15 percent to allied health programs.
CFDA 93.925.
Synopsis
Grant for health professions schools to offer scholarships to students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| R and R SeniorKey Person Profile (Expanded).pdf | ||
| FOA Content HRSA-26-096 Final.pdf | ||
| FOA Content HRSA-26-096 Final.pdf |
On GovTribe
Work this opportunity
- Track it in your pipeline
- Find teaming partners
- Similar grant opportunities
- Ask GovTribe AI about this opportunity