Grant Readiness Guides

State-by-state guides for healthcare and community service organizations navigating federal, state, and foundation funding. Eligibility, readiness checklists, deadlines, and more — all in one place.

What each guide covers

Every state guide includes six sections covering the full grant readiness lifecycle — from understanding who funds what to submitting your first application.

Funding Landscape

Federal agencies, state departments, and private foundations active in your state — and how money flows from source to provider.

Eligibility Requirements

What each major funder requires before you can apply — registrations, organization type, and compliance prerequisites.

Readiness Checklist

The foundational items every organization needs in place before submitting a grant application. Legal, financial, governance, and capacity.

Calendar & Deadlines

Key federal and state funding cycles, upcoming deadlines, and seasonal patterns so you can prepare months ahead.

Common Disqualifiers

The structural blockers that kill grant applications before reviewers ever read your proposal — and how to fix them.

First-Time Applicant Guide

Key terms, the application process, realistic timelines, and common mistakes for organizations new to federal grants.

Federal Program Guides

Deep-dive compliance guides for specific federal programs. Eligibility, applications, reporting requirements, budgets, and the mistakes that trip up experienced grants managers.

HRSA 330 Health Center Program

Section 330 program guide for FQHCs — eligibility, NOFO applications, compliance, UDS reporting, budgets, and common mistakes.

CFDA 93.224FQHCsHealth Centers

ISDEAA 638 Contracts

Title I self-determination contract guide for tribal health programs — eligibility, proposals, compliance, GPRA reporting, CSC, and common mistakes.

P.L. 93-638Tribal HealthIHS

Community Services Block Grant (CSBG)

CSBG program guide for community action agencies — eligibility, state plans, organizational standards, ROMA reporting, budgets, and common mistakes.

CFDA 93.569CAAsOCS

Head Start / Early Head Start

Head Start program guide — eligibility, OHS applications, compliance with HSPPS, PIR reporting, budgets, and common monitoring findings.

CFDA 93.600Early ChildhoodOHS

CCBHC

Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic guide — certification criteria, SAMHSA applications, PPS compliance, quality reporting, and common mistakes.

CFDA 93.829Behavioral HealthSAMHSA

Title V Maternal & Child Health

Title V MCH Block Grant guide for state and local health departments — eligibility, needs assessment, compliance, performance reporting, and budgets.

CFDA 93.994Health DepartmentsMCHB

LIHEAP

Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program guide — eligibility, state model plans, compliance, LIHEAP performance reporting, and budgets.

CFDA 93.568CAAsEnergy Assistance

Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP)

WAP guide for grantees and subgrantees — eligibility, DOE applications, Davis-Bacon compliance, production reporting, and common monitoring findings.

CFDA 81.042Energy EfficiencyDOE

Older Americans Act (OAA)

OAA program guide for Area Agencies on Aging — eligibility, area plans, compliance with ACL requirements, NAPIS reporting, and budgets.

CFDA 93.044Aging ServicesACL

CDC Cooperative Agreements

CDC cooperative agreement guide for health departments and tribal health organizations — eligibility, NOFOs, compliance, performance reporting, and budgets.

Various CFDAsPublic HealthCDC

CCDF (Child Care)

Child Care and Development Fund guide — eligibility, state plans, health and safety requirements, quality spending benchmarks, and common compliance findings.

CFDA 93.575Child CareACF

Title IV-E (Foster Care)

Title IV-E foster care and adoption assistance guide — eligibility determination, FFPSA prevention services, AFCARS reporting, judicial requirements, and common mistakes.

CFDA 93.658Child WelfareChildren's Bureau

SNAP-Ed

SNAP Education and Training guide — implementing agency eligibility, state plan process, evidence-based programming, EARS reporting, and PSE change documentation.

CFDA 10.561Nutrition EducationUSDA/FNS

Rural Health Grants

HRSA rural health grant portfolio guide — FORHP programs, rural designation requirements, network development, telehealth grants, and common application mistakes.

Various CFDAsRural ClinicsFORHP

Tribal Behavioral Health

SAMHSA tribal behavioral health grant guide — tribal set-asides, culturally adapted EBPs, data sovereignty, GPRA/NOMS reporting, and common compliance findings.

CFDA 93.243Tribal HealthSAMHSA

Homeless Assistance (CoC & ESG)

HUD homeless assistance guide — Continuum of Care program, Emergency Solutions Grants, HMIS requirements, housing-first compliance, and CoC competition tips.

CFDA 14.267HousingHUD

Organization Portals

Tailored guides for specific organization types. Each portal covers the funding landscape, compliance requirements, and growth opportunities relevant to your org type.

Why grant readiness matters

Most grant applications don't fail because of weak proposals. They fail because of preventable structural issues — an expired SAM.gov registration, a missing audit, an organization type that doesn't match the funder's requirements. These guides help you identify and fix those blockers before you invest time in an application.

Information about grant funding is fragmented across dozens of federal agencies, state departments, and foundation portals. Our guides bring it together in one place, organized by state, so you can find what applies to your organization without digging through multiple websites.

Subscribe to grant alerts

Get notified when new grant opportunities post and deadlines approach — free forever, no account required.