Federal grant programs / Department of Health and Human Services

Healthy Start Initiative (93.926)

Also known as Healthy Start

• Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$627 million
• Grant awards150
• Typical award$4.7 million
• Awarded in FY 2025$126 million
• Size rank320 of 1,823
• Type of assistanceProject grants

Key findings

• Annual funding rose from $118 million in fiscal 2021 to $126 million in fiscal 2025.
• It is the 320th largest of 1,823 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
• The 20 largest recipients received 24% of the money.
• Awards went to recipients in 38 states and territories.

What the program funds

The purpose of the Healthy Start (HS) program is to improve health outcomes before, during, and after pregnancy, and reduce differences in rates of infant death and adverse perinatal outcomes. The HS program provides grants to high-risk communities with infant mortality rates at least 1.5 times the U.S. national average and high rates of other adverse perinatal outcomes (e.g., low birthweight, preterm birth, maternal morbidity and mortality). The legislation requires HS to work to reduce the disparities in health status between the general population and individuals in various sub-groups (e.g., geographic, racial, etc.).

From the federal Assistance Listing. Read the full listing on SAM.gov.

Open opportunities

No opportunity under this program is open or forecast on Grants.gov right now. Programs often post once a year, so the funding history below shows what to expect.

Rules from the program listing

Who can apply

State (includes District of Columbia, public institutions of higher education and hospitals), Local (includes State-designated lndian Tribes, excludes institutions of higher education and hospitals, Public nonprofit institution/organization (includes institutions of higher education and hospitals), Federally Recognized lndian Tribal Governments, U.S. Territories and possessions (includes institutions of higher education and hospitals), Private nonprofit institution/organization (includes institutions of higher education and hospitals), Quasi-public nonprofit institution/organization, Native American Organizations (includes lndian groups, cooperatives, corporations, partnerships, associations)

What the money can and cannot pay for

The Healthy Start (HS) program continues to reduce high infant mortality rates and disparities in adverse perinatal outcomes by: 1) implementing community-based, direct and enabling services for pregnant, preconception and interconception women, fathers/partners and children from birth through 18 months; and, 2) developing and implementing plans to improve social determinants of health impacting perinatal health outcomes by leveraging partnerships within their Community Consortia comprised of diverse, multi-sector partners (including individuals with lived experience). HS programs offer culturally competent services for enrolled HS participants that increase access to screening and referrals, case management and care coordination, health and parenting education and linkage to clinical care. Additionally, HS grantees work to improve infant and maternal health outcomes for the entire service area by partnering with other organizations, agencies and families to promote systems integration, coordination, and collaboration to advance community change and increase access to services and supports. HS grantees also coordinate and align with State Title V Maternal and Child Health Block Grant programs to promote cooperation, integration, and dissemination of information with statewide systems and with other community services funded under Title V.

Matching requirements

This program has no statutory formula. Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

Deadlines

Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines

Award range and average, in the agency's words

(Cooperative Agreements) FY 23 act. $471,633 - $4,179,250. Average award $897,944 FY 24 act . $478,551 - $4,300,000. Average award $912,160 FY 25 est. $400,000-$3,500,000. Average award $792,697 (Grants) FY 23 act. $664,356 -$1,159,121. Average award $1,103,692 FY 24 act . $95,343 - $1,103,676. Average award $1,066,576 FY 25 est. $783,868-$1,144,121. Average award $1,071,254

Quoted from the program's federal Assistance Listing. The notice of funding opportunity is the official source for each competition's rules.

Who usually wins

Colleges and universities received less than 0.1% of the money, nonprofits less than 0.1%.

By state

Each state below has its own page for this program, with its recipients and yearly totals.

Award amounts are federal obligations reported to USAspending.gov for fiscal 2021 to 2025; see how our data works.