County Grant Program

The County Grant Program is administered by the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, a state agency responsible for overseeing health care programs and services for eligible residents. This program is authorized under state legislation and is designed to provide financial support to county departments of human and social services. The funding is appropriated through the state legislature, with oversight and administration handled internally by department staff. The program operates on a competitive basis and aligns with broader agency goals tied to strategic performance objectives. The purpose of the program is to support projects that enhance service delivery, operational efficiency, or outcomes within county-administered human and social service systems. Applicants may propose projects drawn from a preferred list aligned with the agency’s strategic pillars, continue previously funded initiatives, or introduce entirely new project concepts. Projects that align with established strategic priorities receive additional consideration during the evaluation process, reflecting the agency’s emphasis on coordinated and goal-oriented program development. Funding for the program includes a total legislative appropriation of one million dollars, of which five hundred thousand dollars is allocated for competitive grants. The remaining portion is reserved for targeted grants to be determined separately. While specific award amounts per project are not defined, funding is distributed based on application scoring, with higher-ranking proposals funded until available funds are exhausted. There are no explicit cost-sharing or matching requirements indicated, and awarded funds are intended to support project implementation as described in approved proposals. Eligibility is limited strictly to county departments of human or social services within the state. No other entity types are permitted to apply directly. Applicants must demonstrate how their proposed projects align with the agency’s strategic pillars if they are not selecting from the predefined list. All applications must be submitted through the designated online portal, and applicants are required to complete the full submission independently, as delegation or multi-user collaboration within the system is not supported. The application process involves submission through an online platform by a specified deadline, followed by a structured evaluation that includes both written application scoring and an interview component. Applications are reviewed by agency staff, who assign scores based on defined criteria, including alignment with strategic priorities and overall project quality. Interviews are scheduled after submission and contribute to the final evaluation score. Funding decisions are final and not subject to appeal. Applicants approved for funding must comply with a set of conditions, including participation in quarterly reporting, responding to follow-up inquiries, and attending a year-end reporting session. Additional requirements include site visits and ongoing monitoring to ensure compliance with program rules. The application deadline for the current cycle is late July, with interviews occurring in early August and additional sessions scheduled as needed. Questions and communications are directed to the agency’s designated contact email, and applicants are encouraged to carefully follow all submission instructions to avoid disqualification.

Prioritize alignment with HCPF strategic pillars and consider selecting from preferred project list to gain additional scoring points