By Leanne Cardwell, CLC Consultant and Grant Specialist
HRSA’s FY2022 Service Area Competition (SAC) grant calendar and Notice of Funding Opportunity will post in May, 2021.
To support a focus on COVID-19 emergency response, HRSA extended periods of performance for SAC grants last year and will carry forward that extension into this year. Those health centers that received an extension on their SAC deadline last year completed a BPR/NCC instead and will complete a full SAC grant this year.
For organizations that received a FY2019 SAC award that would normally have a SAC grant deadline this FY, HRSA will provide a one-year extension, and these health centers will complete a BPR/NCC in 2021.
Here are two tips to help your SAC process go well:
Many health centers update their needs assessments annually – build into your operating calendars recurring annual meetings to incorporate and update key need data as it is published, such as census data and UDS data. Even if you don’t have a SAC due, updating your needs annually and sharing this with organization leadership, including the board, will help in assessing the need to make critical adjustments to services in real time and trigger the filing of any necessary changes in scope or service agreement updates.
When drafting the project narrative of your SAC grant, focus on the overall structure of the document and try to align content of each section so that needs, services addressing needs, and evaluation of programs are presented in a parallel structure across section. To strengthen connections within this parallel structure, don’t be afraid to be direct - add opening or closing sentences that summarize key takeaways and connect ideas between sections.
Are you struggling with a heavy workload already and can’t imagine adding a SAC to your list? Good news! Community Link Consulting offers diverse and customizable SAC support to help your health center submit a strong application for continued funding.
From grant writing to budget support, to general project management and form design, to reviewing contracts and submitting changes in scope in preparation for filing your SAC, let Community Link Consulting support your needs as you prepare for SAC season.
If you are planning to get started on your SAC soon and would like CLC support, please contact leannec@communitylinkconsulting.com.