FY27 High-Need Health Care Career Scholarship Program

The FY27 High-Need Health Care Career Scholarship Program, administered by the District of Columbia Department of Health, is a grant initiative designed to address workforce shortages by expanding the capacity of eligible institutions to certify and license DC residents in high-demand healthcare fields. Supported professions include pharmacy technicians, home health aides, certified nurse aides, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, and dental assistants. Awarded providers must train between 10 and 75 residents per grant cycle, and participants are required to commit to full-time employment for two years following their certification or licensure. The program covers tuition, examination fees, and other related costs to ensure successful training completion and employment. The initial budget period is anticipated to run from January 1, 2027, through September 30, 2027, with the possibility of two additional 12-month extensions through September 30, 2028. Applicants must be registered in the federal System for Award Management (SAM) with an active Unique Entity Identifier and the DC Health Enterprise Grants Management System (EGMS). Submission requirements include a project narrative, budget justification, risk self-assessment, and a certificate of clean hands, with a final deadline of November 10, 2026. Awardees must maintain comprehensive insurance, including professional liability and cyber liability, and adhere to strict performance metrics, such as an 80 percent first-attempt NREMT cognitive exam pass rate for EMS programs. Evaluation follows a three-stage process consisting of an eligibility review, an external professional panel review, and a final ranking based on established scoring criteria.