Nonprofit healthcare organizations provide essential services to communities, yet securing grant funding may seem like an afterthought for busy healthcare entities.
In this article, we’ll break down key funding sources, highlight grant opportunities, and provide actionable insights to streamline your search for healthcare grants for nonprofits. Whether you manage a community health clinic or a nonprofit healthcare initiative, this guide will equip you with the tools to secure funding effectively.
Grants for Clinical vs. Research-Based Health Organizations
Before diving into grant opportunities, it’s crucial to distinguish between two primary types of healthcare nonprofits:
Clinical Healthcare Organizations: These include community health centers, nonprofit clinics, and healthcare service providers that focus on delivering medical care directly to patients. For example, Orlando Family Health Centers in Florida have multiple locations offering primary healthcare services to the community.
Research-Based Healthcare Organizations: These nonprofits conduct studies and research, such as the Alzheimer’s Association.
This guide is focused on funding opportunities for clinical healthcare organizations that provide direct care to communities. However, Instrumentl also allows users to filter matches specifically for research grants; so, if you fall into that camp, you should check out this guide.
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Healthcare grants for nonprofits come from a variety of sources.
Using grant search platforms like Instrumentl can help streamline your search by allowing you to filter grants based on focus areas, geography, eligibility criteria, and funding size.
By signing up for an Instrumentl free trial, you can create projects specific to your exact funding needs and priorities. Instrumentl will then sweep its database of grants from private, public, and government funding sources to match you with the most relevant funding.
Instrumentl matches organizations with good-fit grant opportunities
While this will vary based on organization, we recommend covering all your bases in your search by including keywords specific to your services, like “Obstetrics,” “Oncology,” or “Children’s Health and Pediatrics,” but also keywords describing your services and/or organization like “Health Disparities and Social Determinants of Health” and ”Rural Community Health”.
This guide on selecting keywords will help you choose the right ones to find the best-fitting healthcare grants for your organization.
Now, let’s go over a few of the most common sources of healthcare grants for nonprofits.
Federal Government Healthcare Grants for Nonprofits
HRSA (Health Resources & Services Administration): HRSA offers funding for community health centers, maternal and child health programs, and healthcare workforce development. Through the Health Center Program, HRSA supports Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and FQHC-Look-Alikes, which must meet HRSA compliance standards and receive financial incentives such as grant funding and enhanced Medicaid reimbursement. HRSA also funds rural health initiatives, telehealth expansion, and programs to address health disparities in underserved communities.
SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration): SAMHSA funds programs addressing mental health, substance abuse treatment, and behavioral health integration within healthcare settings. Grants from SAMHSA focus on expanding access to mental health services, supporting medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder, and strengthening crisis intervention programs. Many community health centers and nonprofit clinics rely on SAMHSA funding to implement behavioral health initiatives, particularly in underserved and high-need areas.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): The CDC funds programs focused on disease prevention, public health preparedness, chronic disease management, and health promotion. Through initiatives such as the Preventive Health and Health Services (PHHS) Block Grant, the CDC supports state and local health departments in developing innovative public health interventions. Healthcare nonprofits working in areas such as infectious disease control, vaccination programs, and health education can often find funding through CDC grant programs. Additionally, CDC grants often prioritize community-based partnerships that advance health equity and improve population health outcomes.
NIH (National Institutes of Health): The NIH is the largest public funder of biomedical and public health research in the U.S. It provides grants for clinical research, health innovation, disease prevention, and translational medicine. Many NIH grants support projects that advance medical treatments, improve patient care models, or address pressing public health concerns. Healthcare nonprofits that partner with academic institutions or engage in community-based research can often find funding opportunities through NIH's various institutes, such as the National Cancer Institute (NCI) or the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD).
These federal agencies provide significant funding opportunities for healthcare organizations. While federal healthcare grants for nonprofits often come with strict reporting and compliance requirements, they also offer sustainable funding for programs that align with national health priorities.
How to Find These Grants:
Instrumentl’s comprehensive funding database lists healthcare grants with pertinent details, such as their deadline (or forecasted deadline) and the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) or Request for Proposals (RFP). For example, the Behavioral Health Workforce Development Technical Assistance Program funded by HRSA is a federal grant in Instrumentl’s database.
Grant seekers can also check Grants.gov and the individual department funding websites for funding announcements. For example, SAMHSA has its own Grant Dashboard with open opportunities.
State and Local Government Healthcare Grants for Nonprofits
When searching for healthcare grants, don’t forget to look local!
State and local governments often provide funding through health departments, which can be a valuable resource for healthcare organizations.
For example, state-level opioid settlements continue to be released in the form of grant funding. By prioritizing local sources first, organizations can tap into funding that may have less competition compared to national grants while directly aligning with community healthcare initiatives.
How to Find These Grants:
Again, Instrumentl’s searchable database consolidates healthcare grants for nonprofits. Additionally, many state and local health departments regularly post grant opportunities on their websites and distribute funding announcements through newsletters.
For example, the Texas Health and Human Services Department of State Health Services (DSHS) has a grant webpage dedicated to helping Texas organizations find applicable funding. Similarly, the Tennessee Department of Health allows visitors to sign up for an email newsletter to be notified of new funding opportunities.
Private Foundation Healthcare Grants for Nonprofits
Private foundations play a critical role in funding healthcare initiatives, often focusing on health equity, preventive care, and community-based interventions.
There are entirely too many private foundations to create a comprehensive list—which is why we have handy databases like Instrumentl.
However, some foundations will come up in conversation more often than others. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is one of the most well-known funders in this space, supporting programs that promote health equity and improve public health outcomes. The Ron W. Naito Foundation provides grants to organizations that enhance end-of-life care and improve healthcare access for underserved populations.
These foundations typically have specific funding priorities, so it’s essential for healthcare nonprofits to align their proposals with each funder’s mission and goals. Organizations can increase their chances of securing funding by demonstrating measurable community impact and sustainability in their applications.
Corporate Giving Program Healthcare Grants for Nonprofits
Corporate giving programs are a valuable funding source for healthcare nonprofits, often supporting initiatives that align with their business values and public health priorities.
Some examples are:
The Cigna Group Foundation prioritizes preventive care, mental health support, and chronic disease management, helping nonprofits implement innovative health solutions.
The CVS Health Foundation provides grants to organizations focused on community wellness, with an emphasis on health access, chronic disease prevention, and maternal and child health.
Johnson & Johnson's Giving Program invests in innovation and public health solutions, particularly those addressing maternal health, mental well-being, and global health equity.
These corporate foundations often prioritize partnerships with nonprofits that can demonstrate measurable impact and scalability, making it crucial for organizations to align their funding requests with the company’s mission and corporate social responsibility (CSR) goals.
Nonprofit and Professional Organization Healthcare Grants for Nonprofits
Nonprofit and professional organizations are key funding sources for healthcare initiatives, particularly those focused on specific diseases and health conditions.
These organizations often support healthcare nonprofits through research grants, community outreach funding, and capacity-building resources. By aligning initiatives with the priorities of these organizations, healthcare nonprofits can secure targeted funding to address pressing health challenges within their communities.
Collaborating with human services organizations can significantly enhance a healthcare organization's ability to secure grants.
Funders often prioritize projects that address healthcare within a broader social context, such as food security, housing stability, substance abuse treatment, and domestic violence support.
Establishing partnerships—whether through formal agreements like memorandums of understanding (MOUs) or informal collaborations—can demonstrate a comprehensive approach to addressing social determinants of health. These partnerships not only strengthen grant applications by showcasing community-wide impact but also create opportunities for shared resources, expanded services, and improved patient outcomes.
Finding grants for healthcare organizations requires a strategic approach, starting with identifying the right funding sources—whether from federal and state governments, private foundations, corporate giving programs, or nonprofit and professional organizations. Understanding each funder’s focus areas and aligning your proposals with their mission is key to securing support.
Additionally, forming partnerships with other service providers can strengthen applications and expand impact.
Given the vast range of funding opportunities available, navigating the grant landscape can feel overwhelming. That’s where Instrumentl can help. With its comprehensive grant discovery and tracking tools, Instrumentl simplifies the process of finding and applying for relevant healthcare grants, saving time while increasing the chances of securing vital funding.
Explore Instrumentl today with a two-week free trial to uncover new funding opportunities and sustain the critical work your nonprofit does in the healthcare sector.
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