Grants to States to Support Oral Health Workforce Activities (SOHW)

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), under the Department of Health and Human Services, is soliciting applications through the Grants to States to Support Oral Health Workforce Activities (SOHW) program to assist states in developing and implementing innovative initiatives that address oral health workforce shortages in Dental Health Professional Shortage Areas (Dental HPSAs). The funding opportunity, identified as HRSA-26-084, is open to states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, and freely associated states, with a projected performance period beginning September 1, 2026, and ending August 30, 2031, structured across five annual budget cycles. Applicants must demonstrate a clear problem statement rooted in evidence, a well-defined high-level work plan, and robust resources and capabilities to execute the proposed activities, including a staffing plan with one-page job descriptions for key personnel, an organizational chart, and letters of agreement and support from partners and stakeholders. A mandatory non-federal cost share of 40% is required, supported by an official assurance letter verifying cash or in-kind contributions such as equipment, facilities, or services, and applicants must submit a recent negotiated indirect cost rate agreement or elect the de minimis rate of 10%. Compliance with federal regulations including 2 CFR Part 200, the NIST Cybersecurity Framework, and 45 CFR Part 170 for health IT systems is required, along with adherence to HHS evaluation standards and OMB M-20-12. The application must be submitted through Grants.gov no later than July 17, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, using only specified file formats such as PDF, DOCX, XLSX, and VSD, with all attachments combined not exceeding 60 pages in total, excluding required forms like the SF-424. The evaluation process is merit-based, weighted across six criteria—Performance Management (15 points), Impact (15 points), Resources and Capabilities (15 points), Support Requested (15 points), Problem Statement (10 points), and High-level Work Plan (10 points)—for a total of 80 points, with funding decisions made through a trade-off process that considers not only the merit score but also financial and operational risk assessments, alignment with HRSA’s strategic priorities, and the overall diversity of the funded portfolio. Recipients are required to submit progress reports,