FY 2026 Basic Center Program

The Basic Center Program is a federal grant opportunity administered by the Administration for Children and Families within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, specifically through the Family and Youth Services Bureau under the Runaway and Homeless Youth Program. This funding opportunity is designed to support community-based organizations that provide short-term emergency shelter and supportive services to youth under the age of eighteen who have left home due to family conflict, crisis, or unsafe living conditions, or who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness. The program reflects a broader federal commitment to ensuring that vulnerable youth have access to safe, stable, and supportive environments while also promoting long-term family stability and well-being. The primary purpose of the program is to establish and strengthen local projects that deliver up to twenty one days of temporary shelter along with counseling and supportive services. Funded organizations are expected to operate facilities such as group homes or host family arrangements that are accessible at all times, with minimal barriers to entry. Services must include individual, family, and group counseling, case management, and crisis intervention. The program emphasizes family reunification when it is safe and appropriate, and requires providers to initiate contact with a youth’s parent or guardian within seventy two hours of entry when feasible. In addition to shelter and counseling, grantees must ensure access to transportation, outreach, and essential items such as food, clothing, and hygiene products. Funding under this opportunity totals approximately twenty seven million dollars, with an estimated seventy seven awards. Individual awards for the first budget period range from one hundred thousand dollars to three hundred fifty thousand dollars, and the program is structured as a three year project period composed of three one year budget cycles. A required cost share of ten percent applies, which may be met through cash or in kind contributions. Funds are subject to federal availability and must comply with strict cost limitations, including prohibitions on construction, major renovations beyond specified thresholds, and certain program activities such as fundraising or distribution of drug related paraphernalia. Eligible applicants include public agencies and nonprofit private organizations, including faith based and community organizations, provided they are not part of the juvenile justice system. Individuals, for profit entities, and foreign organizations are not eligible. Applicants must demonstrate the capacity to operate licensed youth shelters and to coordinate with a range of partners, including law enforcement, health care providers, schools, and social services. The program also requires adherence to evidence based practices, trauma informed care, and a positive youth development framework, ensuring that services address both immediate needs and long term outcomes for participating youth. The application process requires submission through Grants.gov, including a comprehensive project narrative, budget, and supporting documentation such as organizational capacity materials, letters of support, and formal agreements with partners. Applications are evaluated through a competitive merit review process that assesses need, program design, organizational capacity, evaluation plans, sustainability, and alignment with federal priorities. The application deadline is August seventeen, twenty twenty six, with submissions required by eleven fifty nine pm Eastern Time. The expected project start date is September thirty, twenty twenty six. Program performance is measured through outcomes related to social and emotional well being, permanent connections, education or employment engagement, and safe housing transitions. Grantees must report regularly through federal systems and participate in training and technical assistance activities. Overall, the Basic Center Program represents a comprehensive federal effort to address youth homelessness through coordinated, community based interventions that prioritize safety, stability, and long term success for vulnerable young people.

Strong applications clearly demonstrate alignment with federal priorities include measurable outcomes and detailed service delivery plans and show established partnerships with community systems