Centers of Excellence

 

The goal of this program is to assist eligible schools in supporting programs of excellence in health professions education for underrepresented minority (URM) individuals. The Centers of Excellence (COE) program is a catalyst for institutionalizing a commitment to underrepresented minority (URM) students/faculty and to serve as a national resource and educational center for diversity and minority health issues. Additionally, the COE program will help to strengthen the national capacity to produce a culturally competent healthcare workforce whose diversity is representative of the United States population.

Active 93.157 Health Resources and Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services B - Project Grants Fiscal Year 2018 The COE Program supported 168 training programs and activities designed to prepare individuals either to apply to a health professions training program or to maintain enrollment in such programs during the academic year. These programs supported 1,191 trainees across the country with stipend support. Over 97 percent of the trainees were considered underrepresented minorities (URMs) in the health professions. In addition, 69 percent of the trainees were from financially and/or educationally disadvantaged backgrounds. Additional students participated in COE Programs throughout the academic year increasing total participation to 5,045 students of whom 3,025 completed their programs. Grantees partnered with 271 health care delivery sites, to provide 3,935 clinical training experiences to health professions trainees. Nearly 44 percent of training sites used by COE grantees were primary care settings and 58 percent were in medically underserved communities.
Fiscal Year 2020 In Academic Year (AY) 2019-2020, the COE program supported 141 training programs and activities designed either to prepare individuals to apply to a health professions training program or maintain enrollment in such programs. In partnership with 216 health care delivery sites, COE grantees provided 3,728 clinical training experiences to health professions trainees. These clinical experiences are designed to help prepare health professions students to provide quality health care to diverse populations. The training emphasizes the importance of cultural competency and the impact of health disparities on overall health outcomes. Approximately 30 training sites used by COE grantees were primary care settings and 43 were in medically underserved communities. Award recipients provided stipend support to 1,359 trainees across the country, of whom 99% were considered URMs in the health professions. In addition, 72% of the trainees were from financially and/or educationally disadvantaged backgrounds.
Fiscal Year 2021 In Academic Year (AY) 2020-2021, the COE program supported 142 training programs and activities designed either to prepare individuals to apply to a health professions training program or maintain enrollment in such programs. In partnership with 200 health care delivery sites, COE grantees provided 3,590 clinical training experiences to health professions trainees. These clinical experiences are designed to help prepare health professions students to provide quality health care to diverse populations. The training emphasizes the importance of cultural competency and the impact of health disparities on overall health outcomes. Approximately 48 percent of training sites used by COE grantees were primary care settings and 45 percent were in medically underserved communities. Award recipients provided stipend support to 1,534 trainees across the country, of whom 99% were considered URMs in the health professions. In addition, 69% of the trainees were from financially and/or educationally disadvantaged backgrounds.
Fiscal Year 2022 In Academic Year (AY) 2021-2022, the COE program trained 4,027 students to apply to a health professions training program or maintain enrollment in such programs. A total of 1,958 students completed a COE program. Eighty-nine percent of these program completers were underrepresented minorities.. In partnership with 183 health care delivery sites, COE grantees provided 2,888 clinical training experiences to health professions trainees. These clinical experiences are designed to help prepare health professions students to provide quality health care to diverse populations. The training emphasizes the importance of cultural competency and the impact of health disparities on overall health outcomes COEs developed or enhanced 485 courses, reaching 16,213 people. COEs provided in-depth support to a subset of 1,854 students through structured training programs (e.g., summer programs, high school academies). The subset of trainees received additional academic, social, and financial support, such as academic advising (82 percent), counseling (73 percent), and stipends (71 percent) to help them progress through the health professions pipeline. Over 99 percent of COE structured program trainees were underrepresented minorities and 72 percent were from disadvantaged backgrounds. Public Health Service Act, Title VII, Section 736, 42 U.S.C. 293. Eligible applicants include designated HBCUs and health professions schools that are accredited schools of allopathic medicine; osteopathic medicine; dentistry; pharmacy; or a graduate program in behavioral or mental health; or other public and nonprofit health or educational entities that meet the required conditions regarding: underrepresented minorities as described in Section 736 of the Public Health Service Act. Native American Centers of Excellence are eligible, as specified in statute. Eligible applicants must also have: (1) a significant number of underrepresented minority individuals enrolled in the schools; (2) been effective in assisting underrepresented minority students of the schools to complete the program of education and receive the degree involved; (3) been effective in recruiting underrepresented minority individuals to enroll in and graduate from the school, including providing scholarships and other financial assistance to such individuals and encouraging underrepresented minority students from all levels of the educational pipeline to pursue health professions careers; and (4) made significant recruitment efforts to increase the number of underrepresented minority individuals serving in faculty or administrative positions at the school. Designated HBCUs and eligible health professions schools must recruit and train a significant number of underrepresented minority students in medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy; recruit, train, and retain underrepresented minority faculty recruitment; and facilitate faculty and student research activities. Applicants should review the individual HRSA Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) issued under this assistance listing for any required proof or certifications which must be submitted with an application package. Preapplication coordination is not applicable. 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. HRSA requires all applicants to apply electronically through Grants.gov. All eligible, qualified applications will be forwarded to an objective review committee. Based on the advice of the objective review committee, the HRSA program official with delegated authority is responsible for final selection and funding decisions. Notification is made in writing by a Notice of Award. Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines From 120 to 180 days. Approximately 120 to 180 days after receipt of applications. Not applicable. Depending on Agency priorities and availability of funding, during the final budget year of the approved project period competing continuation applications may be solicited from interested applicants. Procedures for assessing the technical merit of grant applications have been instituted to provide an objective review of applications and to assist the applicant in understanding the standards against which each application will be judged. Critical indicators have been developed for each review criterion to assist the applicant in presenting pertinent information related to that criterion and to provide the reviewer with a standard for evaluation. Competing applications are reviewed by nonfederal reviewers for technical merit recommendations. Applications will be reviewed and evaluated against the following criteria: (1) Purpose and Need; (2) Response to Program Purpose; (3) Impact; (4) Organizational Information, Resources and Capabilities; and (5) Support Requested. See the most recent Notice of Funding Opportunity for detailed review criteria. Health professions schools awarded a COE grant are required to use funds to offer programming that will meet the following seven legislative purposes of the program: (1) Increase the competitive applicant pool for health professions schools; (2) Expand programs to enhance underrepresented minority student academic performance; (3) Improve recruitment, training and retention of underrepresented minority faculty; (4) Improve information resources curriculum, clinical education and cultural competency of graduates as it relates to minority health issues; (5) Facilitate faculty and student research on health issues affecting underrepresented minority groups; (6) Engage students in practice-based training in community-based settings serving significant numbers of underrepresented minority individuals; and (7) Provide stipends, as appropriate. In addition, the four designated HBCU institutions must also propose activities to carry out the following purposes: (1) Develop a plan to achieve institutional improvements, including financial independence, to enable the school to support programs of excellence in health professions education for underrepresented minority individuals; and (2) Provide improved access to the library and informational resources of the school. Restricted Uses: Indirect costs under training awards to organizations other than State, local or American Indian tribal governments will be budgeted and reimbursed at 8 percent of modified total direct costs rather than on the basis of a negotiated rate agreement, and are not subject to upward or downward adjustment. Not applicable. Not applicable. Recipients are required to maintain grant accounting records 3 years from the date they submit the FFR. If any litigation, claim, negotiation, audit or other action involving the award has been started before the expiration of the 3-year period, the records shall be retained until completion of the action and resolution of all issues which arise from it, or until the end of the regular 3-year period, whichever is later. Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing.

Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

This program has MOE requirements, see funding agency for further details. Additional Information: The recipient must agree to maintain non-federal funding for grant activities at a level which is not less than expenditures for such activities during the fiscal year prior to receiving the award. This funding opportunity provides support for a 5-year project period. Recipients draw down funds, as necessary, from the Payment Management System, the centralized web-based payment system for HHS awards. None/Not specified. LCDR Lorener Brayboy, Health Careers Pipeline Branch
Division of Health Centers and Financial Support,
Bureau of Health Workforce
Rockville, MD 20857 US
LBrayboy@hrsa.gov
Phone: (301) 443-0827 https://bhw.hrsa.gov/grants/healthcareers 75-0350-0-1-550 (Project Grants) FY 22$22,615,050.00; FY 23 est $25,976,757.00; FY 24 est $36,711,000.00; FY 21$22,338,755.00; FY 20$22,303,590.00; FY 19$22,415,585.00; FY 18$22,385,267.00; FY 17$20,464,265.00; FY 16$20,552,091.00; - Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs): FY 2022 est.: $2,753,487 to $3,000,000; Average est.: $2,876,743 FY 2023 est:$3,000,000 to $3,168,266; Average est: $3,084,133 FY 2024 est $2,986,653 to $3,000,000; Average: $2,993,326 Non-HBCUs: FY 2022 : $556,775 to $686,000; Average: $669,980 FY 2023 : $503,475 to $686,000; Average $594,738 FY 2024 est. $503,475 to $686,000; Average est: $594,738 All administrative and audit requirements and the cost principles that govern Federal monies associated with this activity will be subject to the Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200 as codified by HHS at 45 CFR 75. HRSA awards are also subject to the requirements of the HHS Grants Policy Statement (HHS GPS) that are applicable based on recipient type and purpose of award. The HHS GPS is available at http://www.hrsa.gov/grants/hhsgrantspolicy.pdf. Not applicable.