Service Area Competition ‒ Additional Areas grants (SAC-AA) are announced outside of the annual SAC schedule 
for health centers that were unable to get a service area competition grant turned in properly through their regular Service Area Competition (SAC) application or for a service area where a grantee is no longer in service or eligible for HRSA funding to serve the area.
For grantees that need to resubmit their application, the fix may be simple or complex. For a new applicant wishing to compete for a service area the application requires tremendous work. Applicants should review their SAC grant application against a checklist found on this page to ensure compliance the next time via the SAC-AA funding opportunity.
What is the Health Center program?
The Health Center Program has a proud 50+ year history with centers located in 9,200 rural and urban communities across America. They are a lifeline to more than 25 million of our most vulnerable citizens, including 305,000 veterans, providing needed medical, dental, behavioral health and pharmacy services that help people to live healthfully. One in every 13 Americans relies on a health center funded by HRSA for preventative and primary health care. The program uses a system of federal grants to supply the necessary funds to operate nonprofit health care clinics that provide patient-directed primary and preventive health services to America’s medically underserved.
What is the Health Center Program’s Service Area Competition ‒ Additional Area(s) (SAC-AA) funding opportunity?
The service area competition funding opportunity solicits Health Center Program applications with the purpose of ensuring ongoing access to a full scope of culturally relevant, quality primary, preventative and enabling health care services for communities and vulnerable populations served by the Health Center Program. The SAC-AA serves the same purpose but at a different application time than the SAC.
SAC-AA applicants must demonstrate the following criteria to qualify for funding through SAC-AA:
- Serve the general population and/or one of the following special populations: :
- Migrant
- Homeless
- Public housing residents
- Are a public or nonprofit private entity (tribes, tribal organizations, faith-based and community based organizations are eligible).
- Provide comprehensive health care services either directly or through a specific arrangement without regard for ability to pay.
- Serve an announced service area and at least 75 percent of its population (found in the Service Area Announcement Table – SAAT).
Where do health centers apply for SAC-AA?
SAC-AA applications are submitted in a two-step process on Grants.gov and then through the HRSA Electronic Handbooks (EHB).
Getting help with your SAC-AA application
Submitting a competitive SAC-AA grant application can be challenging and time-consuming. Successful applications are built on a foundation of solid research while providing ample documentation and cross-references within the forms.
Health Center Solutions may be able to assist with all or part of your SAC-AA application, depending on your needs. We have extensive experience with new grantees, and have submitted many successful applications on behalf of our clients.
Our health care grant writing consultants will make the process easier by guiding your health care center through the process of complying with program requirements, understanding the revenue cycle, developing reasonable financial budgets based on your local market, and clinical performance objectives for your patients.
Health Center Solutions’ dedicated professionals are focused on providing outcome-focused, customer-driven solutions. To schedule a meeting, or to request more information about our solutions, please contact us today!