Score your draft
Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Service Area Competition (SAC). Rate your own draft against each scoring criterion in the official notice, the way a reviewer would read it.
A self-check, not a prediction. Reviewers decide the real score. GrantMe doesn't read or rate your writing; you do.
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Scores listed add up to 120 points, but the notice states 100; check the notice. Source: the official notice, hrsa-27-005_full_announcement.pdf. If the notice describes rating levels for its criteria, use its words when you score.
How to use it
- Read what reviewers look for under each criterion.
- Find the part of your draft that answers it. Paste it in the box to check its length.
- Give yourself a score from 0 to the criterion's points. Start with the lowest scores when you revise.
Scoring criteria
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Need · 10 points
What reviewers look for (notice p. 48):
See the project narrative Need section. The panel will review your application based on the following: • How well you describe access barriers in the service area; overlap with political subdivisions, school districts, and areas served by federal and state health and social programs and services; any urban or rural designation that differs from what is listed in the SAAT; and your plan to identify annual changes in available Step 4: Understand Review, Selection, and Award 49 services and residential patterns in the area. Responses should align with Attachment 1: Service Area Map and Table, and Form 5B: Service Sites. ◦ Competing continuation applicants: How well you use UDS data to describe changes in the service area and patient trends since the last SAC application. • The extent to which you document unmet health care needs in the service area and medically underserved population,…
of 10 points
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Response · 15 points
See page 49 of the notice for what reviewers look for.
of 15 points
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Project narrative · 15 points
What reviewers look for (notice p. 49):
The panel will review your application for: • How well your proposed service delivery sites support access to services and minimize access barriers. ◦ New or competing supplement applicants: If your proposed service area is not contiguous with your existing service area, the strength of your plan to make all required services accessible throughout the combined service area. • The strength of your plan to provide all required services, consistent with Form 5A: Services Provided, and any proposed additional services to the medically underserved population. This includes: ◦ Access to services for all age groups. ◦ Access to the services that will not be provided in-person at all delivery sites or that will not be paid for by the health center. ◦ How you will provide in-scope chronic disease prevention and management, preventive health, cancer screening, mental health services, nutrition,…
of 15 points
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Collaboration · 10 points
What reviewers look for (notice p. 50):
See the project narrative Collaboration section and Attachment 9: Collaboration Documentation. The panel will review your application based on the following: • The strength and demonstrated history of your efforts to collaborate with partners, which may include community-based and faith-based partners, to coordinate care in the service area. The narrative should address: ◦ How well you coordinate services with other health service delivery providers and programs. ◦ The extent to which you document support from other providers or efforts to work with them, consistent with Attachment 9: Collaboration Documentation. • How well you will collaborate with the Primary Care Association (PCA) in the state or region and, if applicable, the Health Center Controlled Network (HCCN) to improve patient care using information technology and data. • Applicants requesting RPH funding: How well you will…
of 10 points
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Impact · 15 points
What reviewers look for (notice p. 51):
See the project narrative Impact section. The panel will review your application based on the following: • How effectively your QI/QA program addresses standards of care, patient safety, quality of services, performance monitoring systems, and UDS reporting. • The strength of your efforts to improve clinical quality and health outcomes for the patient population, including in each of the specified areas.
of 15 points
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Capacity · 15 points
What reviewers look for (notice p. 51):
See the project narrative Capacity section, Attachment 3: Project Organizational Chart, Attachment 4: Position Descriptions for Key Management Staff, Attachment 5: Biographical Sketches for Key Management Staff. The panel will review your application to determine: • The appropriateness of your organizational structure and how clearly you explain any applicable special circumstances, including co-applicant agreements; subrecipients and contractors; or parent, affiliate, or subsidiary organizations. • The capability of your management team to support project operations and oversight, encourage innovation, and promote a culture of quality improvement that is responsive to community needs. • The strength of your plan to ensure that providers are in place to carry out required and any proposed additional services, including recruitment and retention of clinical staff. • The strength of your…
of 15 points
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Governance · 10 points
What reviewers look for (notice p. 51):
See the project narrative Governance section. The first two items do not apply to Native American tribal or Urban Indian Organizations. The panel will review your application based on the following: • The capability of the governing board to effectively serve the health center community and respond to patient needs. • The extent to which the governing board: ◦ Applies its expertise to improve patient-centered care. ◦ Provides oversight and strategic direction as needs and opportunities evolve. Step 4: Understand Review, Selection, and Award 52 ◦ Assesses the organization’s financial health and performance on quality improvement activities. • Native American tribal or Urban Indian Organization applicants only: How well you describe your governance structure, how you obtain input from the community or medically underserved population, and how you will oversee the SAC project. • Competing…
of 10 points
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Continuity of Care · 15 points
What reviewers look for (notice p. 52):
The panel will review your application based on the following: • The strength and appropriateness of your plan to maintain or exceed current levels of service provided in the service area and limit disruptions in access to care. ◦ New or competing supplement applicants: If you do not provide all required services on Form 5A: Services Provided or additional services listed on the SAAT, the strength of your plan to ensure those services are accessible and available to the proposed service area. • The strength of your approach to ensure continuity of care for patients, with a focus on care coordination across service sites and collaboration with external providers. • The strength of your plan to maintain, change, or expand HRSA-supported services, including your current service levels and how they will address identified needs. • New or competing supplement applicants: The strength and…
of 15 points
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Support requested · 10 points
What reviewers look for (notice p. 53):
See the Budget and budget narrative section. The panel will review your application to determine: • The extent to which you provide a detailed and consistent budget presentation across the SF-424A, Budget Narrative, Form 2: Staffing Profile, and Form 3: Income Analysis. This includes its alignment with the proposed project and the number of projected patients (consistent with Form 1A: General Information Worksheet). • The extent to which you explain how you will serve any projected increase in patients with the funding amount advertised for the service area, or how you will manage with reduced funding if you project less than 95% of the patient target (if applicable). We do not consider voluntary cost sharing during merit review. If you choose to share in the costs of the project, we will hold you accountable for any funds you add, including through reporting. Risk review Before making…
of 10 points
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Trend (Competing co ntinuation applicants with no active conditions related to Health Center Program requirements only) · 5 points
What reviewers look for (notice p. 55):
We will give you a funding priority if: You have a positive or neutral (does not exceed a 5% decrease) four -year patient trend, as documented in UDS. HRSA calculates the patient trend as [(2025 UDS Total Patients value – 2022 UDS Total Patients value)/2022 UDS Total Patients value] x 100. Priority 2: Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) Recognition (Competing continuation applicants with no active conditions related to Health Center Program requirements only) (5 Points) We will give you a funding priority if: You have one or more sites with PCMH recognition at the time HRSA reviews applications. Priority 3: Not currently funded by this opportunity (3 Points) We will give you a funding priority if: Your organization does not hold an active award under the Health Center Program and is proposing to serve a service area in need of a new award recipient to ensure continuity of care.…
of 5 points
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Your total: ______ of 120 points
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Built from the official notice's scoring section. Criteria, points and quotes come from the notice; the three questions under each criterion are GrantMe's, not the funder's.