What are the best grants available in home health and home care?

Whether you are a Medicare-certified skilled home health agency looking to expand, a non-skilled personal care agency trying to manage rising costs, or someone who has been seriously thinking about starting a home health or home care business and needs help figuring out how to fund it, this blog is for you.

Finding financial support for a home health agency has never been a simple process. Funding is spread across dozens of federal agencies, state programs, private foundations, and loan programs, each with their own eligibility rules, application windows, and requirements. On top of that, the federal grant landscape shifted noticeably in 2025 following an executive order that changed how discretionary grants are reviewed and awarded. It is more important than ever to understand what is available and how to find it.

This is not an exhaustive list, and funding availability changes frequently. Additionally, funding sources for ppe, equipment, operational tools like home health software and other technology are a completely different category. That said, this blog serves as  a solid starting point for any agency owner or aspiring entrepreneur who wants to understand what options exist heading into 2026.

A Note on the Federal Landscape in 2026

Before jumping into specific programs, it helps to understand the current environment. In August 2025, Executive Order 14332, “Improving Oversight of Federal Grantmaking,” went into effect. It now requires senior political appointees to approve discretionary grant awards, and peer review recommendations are advisory rather than binding. Awards are expected to align with the current administration’s policy priorities.

For smaller and mid-sized agencies, there is actually some good news here. The order specifically encourages funding organizations that have not historically received grant dollars, moving away from the pattern of large institutions capturing repeat awards. If your agency has never applied for federal funding before, 2026 may be a better time than most to start.

Federal Government Resources: Where to Start

Before applying for anything, every agency needs to take care of two foundational steps. These are not optional, and skipping either one will disqualify you from federal funding.

1. Grants.gov

Visit Grants.gov for a central portal covering every federal grant opportunity. Every federal agency posts its Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFOs) here. Create a free account and set up keyword alerts tailored to your agency. Useful search terms include “home care,” “home health,” “rural health,” “community health,” “chronic disease management,” “aging in place,” “caregiver workforce,” and “long-term services and supports.” The site takes some getting used to, but it is the most comprehensive federal grant source available and the right place to begin.

2. SAM.gov (System for Award Management)

Before your organization can receive any federal grant or contract, it must be registered at SAM.gov. Registration is free but takes time to process, sometimes several weeks. Get this done now, well before any application deadline is on your radar. It is one of those administrative tasks that feels easy to postpone and becomes a real problem if you wait too long.

Federal Agency Programs Worth Knowing

Several federal agencies fund programs that are directly relevant to home health and personal care agencies. The ones below are the most important to understand, whether you are an established agency or just getting started.

1. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)

HRSA is one of the most relevant federal funders for home health agencies, particularly those serving rural or underserved communities. In FY2025, HRSA awarded over $11.1 billion in grants. Programs within HRSA focus on expanding healthcare access, supporting the health workforce, and improving care in areas where providers are scarce. Key areas to explore include Rural Health Programs and workforce development grants through the Bureau of Health Workforce. If your agency operates in a rural area or serves a significant percentage of underserved or low-income patients, HRSA is worth serious attention. Visit HRSA Grants to explore current opportunities.

2. Administration for Community Living (ACL)

ACL is the federal agency focused on aging and disability services. It administers funding under the Older Americans Act, including the National Family Caregiver Support Program. While much of ACL’s direct funding flows through state agencies, ACL also awards cooperative agreements and grants to organizations developing new approaches to community-based care. In February 2026, ACL launched Phase 1 of its Caregiver AI Prize Competition, offering up to $2.5 million to support tools that improve home care workforce efficiency and reduce caregiver burden. Track 2 specifically targets home care organizations building AI tools for scheduling, training, and workflow management. Learn more at ACL.gov.

3. National Institutes of Health (NIH)

NIH funding is primarily research-focused, but agencies providing care to patients with Alzheimer’s disease, chronic conditions, or other specific diagnoses may find relevant opportunities here. The National Institute on Aging funds research into improving care delivery for older adults. If your agency has a clinical or research component, or if you are open to partnering with a university or academic medical center, NIH opportunities are worth exploring. Visit NIH Grants and Funding to get started.

4. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)

CMS periodically announces competitive grant funding opportunities related to care innovation, quality improvement, and model testing. These programs are typically oriented toward larger organizations or integrated systems, but are worth monitoring for agencies interested in value-based care programs or demonstration projects. Find current opportunities at the CMS Grants and Cooperative Agreements page.

Small Business and Rural Business Funding

Not all funding for home health agencies comes in the form of grants. Loans and loan guarantee programs are often more accessible and can be just as impactful, especially for startup agencies or those looking to expand.

1. SBA 7(a) Loan Program

The SBA 7(a) Loan Program is one of the most accessible financing options for small businesses, including home health agencies. It provides government-backed loans through approved lenders for working capital, equipment, real estate, and business acquisition. Loan amounts can go up to $5 million, and interest rates are competitive because the government guarantees a portion of the loan. One important clarification: the SBA does not offer direct grants to for-profit small businesses. What it does offer is loan guarantees and access to a national network of SCORE mentors, Small Business Development Centers, and Women’s Business Centers that can help you navigate the funding landscape.

2. SBA Microloan Program

For agencies or startups that need a smaller amount of capital and may not qualify for a conventional bank loan, the SBA Microloan Program offers loans up to $50,000 through nonprofit intermediary lenders. These loans are designed specifically for newer businesses and often come with business training and technical assistance alongside the funding. For someone starting a non-skilled homecare agency on a limited budget, this is a practical and often overlooked option.

3. USDA Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program (REDLG)

For agencies operating in rural communities, USDA Rural Development programs are a meaningful resource. The Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Programs estimated approximately $50 million in loans and $10 million in grants available for FY2026, with quarterly application deadlines and a final FY2026 deadline of June 30, 2026. Eligibility for REDLG grants is limited to public bodies, federally recognized tribal governments, and nonprofits serving rural areas. For-profit agencies may find better access through USDA loan programs or by connecting with a local USDA Rural Development state office to identify what programs apply to their specific situation.

Private Foundation and Nonprofit Funding

Federal programs get most of the attention, but private foundations and mission-driven lenders fund a significant amount of health-related work every year. These sources are especially worth exploring for nonprofit agencies or those with a community health mission.

1. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF)

RWJF is the largest health-focused philanthropy in the United States, awarding approximately $500 to $600 million annually. Focus areas include health equity, healthy communities, transforming health systems, and evidence-based practice. Individual grants range from $25,000 to more than $10 million. RWJF primarily funds nonprofits, researchers, and community-based organizations rather than for-profit agencies. If your agency is structured as a nonprofit or is open to partnering with a research institution or community health organization, RWJF is one of the more impactful private funders in the healthcare space. Browse active opportunities at the RWJF Funding Opportunities page.

2. Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs)

CDFIs are mission-driven lenders that focus on underserved communities and offer more flexible financing than traditional banks. They are particularly useful for minority-owned businesses, women-owned businesses, and agencies operating in low-income or rural markets. CDFIs often combine loans, technical assistance, and business support in one place. The CDFI Fund website includes a locator tool to help you find institutions in your state.

Funding for Specific Agency Types and Owners

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Several federal programs are specifically designed for business owners from underrepresented groups. If any of the categories below apply to you, these resources are worth prioritizing alongside the broader programs listed above.

1. Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA)

The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency offers grants, loans, and technical assistance specifically for minority-owned businesses. Home health agencies owned by Black, Hispanic, Asian American, Native American, or other minority entrepreneurs should explore MBDA Business Centers, which provide free or low-cost consulting, help with financing applications, and connections to government contracting opportunities.

2. SBA Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Program

Women-owned small businesses can access the SBA Women-Owned Small Business Federal Contracting Program and connect with Women’s Business Centers across the country for training, counseling, and funding guidance. Women own a significant share of home health agencies nationwide, and these resources are built specifically to help women entrepreneurs access capital and grow their businesses.

3. SBA Veterans Business Outreach Centers

The SBA operates Veterans Business Outreach Centers in every state. Organizations like Hiring Our Heroes have also offered grant programs specifically for veteran-owned small businesses. Veterans starting or growing home health agencies should also look into the VA’s small business support programs and the Boots to Business entrepreneurship training program.

State-Level and Local Resources

Federal programs attract the most attention, but state and local funding is often less competitive and more accessible, especially for newer or smaller agencies. These three starting points cover most of what is available at the local level.

1. Area Agencies on Aging (AAA)

Every state has an Area Agency on Aging network that distributes Older Americans Act funding at the local level. These agencies frequently contract with home care providers and sometimes offer grant or development funding for organizations expanding home-based services in their communities. Use the Eldercare Locator to find the AAA serving your region.

2. Your State Department of Health

State health departments may have grant programs, workforce development funding, or Medicaid waiver initiatives relevant to home health and personal care. Look specifically for programs tied to the Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Medicaid waiver structure. Most states publish open grant opportunities on their health department websites, and many have specific programs for agencies serving Medicaid populations.

3. Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs)

Small Business Development Centers offer free or low-cost guidance on financing, grant writing, and business planning. Advisors can often point you toward state-specific programs that are not widely publicized online. If you are not sure where to start with grant writing or financing applications, connecting with your local SBDC is one of the most practical first steps you can take.

A Few Practical Tips Before You Apply

Knowing where the funding exists is only part of the equation. These tips apply regardless of which programs you pursue.

Get Organized Before You Apply

Grant applications require documentation including business licenses, financial statements, proof of insurance, staffing information, descriptions of the population you serve, and usually a detailed narrative about your agency’s mission and outcomes. Having a basic grant-ready file assembled before you start saves significant time and stress when deadlines are approaching.

Do Not Overlook Local Grants

National grants are competitive and often favor larger organizations with dedicated grant writers on staff. Smaller local grants from community foundations, hospital foundations, or regional health coalitions can be less competitive, faster to receive, and just as meaningful for a growing agency. The funding amounts may be smaller, but the odds of success are often better.

Read the NOFO Carefully

Every Notice of Funding Opportunity spells out who is eligible, what the money can be used for, how applications are scored, and what reporting requirements come with the award. Applying for programs your agency is not eligible for wastes everyone’s time. Applying for programs where your work is not a strong fit rarely ends in an award. Read everything before you start writing.

Compliance Strengthens Your Application

A home health agency that is current on licensure, Medicare certification, documentation, and regulatory requirements is a more fundable organization than one with compliance gaps. Grantors view compliance as a signal of organizational health and lower risk. If this is an area where your agency needs strengthening, investing in home health software that supports documentation, billing, and compliance tracking pays off in more ways than just operations.

Keep Applying

Grant funding is competitive, and a rejection does not mean your organization is not worth supporting. It often means you applied to the wrong program, at the wrong time, or simply competed against a strong pool of applicants in that cycle. Most agencies that receive meaningful grant funding have a track record of applying consistently, refining their applications over time, and building relationships with funders well before any application deadline.

The Takeaway

Want to know where home health is headed over the next few years? Just look at where the money is going.

Every year, federal agencies, state governments, healthcare organizations, and private foundations invest billions of dollars into programs designed to address specific challenges. Those investments tell a story. They reveal where the industry is struggling, what leaders are worried about, and where they believe improvement is most urgently needed.

The grants available in 2026 paint a remarkably clear picture of what comes next.

Funding is flowing toward workforce development, technology adoption, rural healthcare access, care coordination, and measurable outcomes. None of those priorities appeared overnight. Home health agencies have spent years navigating staffing shortages, increasing patient complexity, growing documentation requirements, reimbursement pressure, and rising expectations around quality reporting. The grants available today are responding to those realities. That is what makes funding opportunities worth paying attention to. The money itself matters, of course. Additional resources can certainly help agencies expand services, strengthen staffing, modernize technology, and improve operations

These funding opportunities reveal something larger, a glimpse into how policymakers, regulators, and healthcare leaders believe home health must evolve in the years ahead. Viewed through that lens, today’s funding opportunities become more than potential revenue sources. They have become signals.

The resources are out there. The agencies that find them are the ones willing to do the research, get their paperwork in order, and put in the time to apply thoughtfully and persistently. If your agency is positioned well operationally, compliant, and clear on the population it serves, you have a real story to tell funders. That matters.

This blog is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or grant writing advice. Funding availability, eligibility requirements, and deadlines change frequently. Always verify current program details directly with the funding agency before applying. 

 Helpful Resources and References

• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Rural Health Transformation Program
• Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Rural Health Care Services Outreach Program
• Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Health Workforce Grant Programs
• U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant Program
• Administration for Community Living (ACL) Grant Programs
• CMS Innovation Center Models and Demonstrations
• Grants.gov Federal Funding Opportunity Database
• State Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Programs
• State Workforce Development Boards and Healthcare Workforce Initiatives