Centers of Excellence (COE)

The Centers of Excellence program is administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This federal initiative is designed to strengthen the nation’s health workforce by supporting academic institutions that educate health professionals. The program focuses specifically on enhancing opportunities for underrepresented minority individuals in health professions education, aligning with broader federal priorities to improve health equity and workforce diversity. The primary purpose of the program is to provide funding to health professions schools and qualifying educational or nonprofit entities to develop and sustain programs of excellence. These programs are intended to improve academic performance, expand institutional capacity, and foster environments that support minority student success. Activities supported by the grant include strengthening curricula, improving access to academic and clinical resources, and enhancing institutional systems that support recruitment, retention, and graduation of underrepresented students. Funding is used to establish, strengthen, and expand educational and training initiatives. Allowable uses include developing academic enrichment programs, enhancing clinical training opportunities, improving access to educational resources, and supporting faculty development. The program also emphasizes the creation of strategic partnerships that help build a robust pipeline into health professions careers. These partnerships may include collaborations with community-based health facilities, which provide practical training opportunities and exposure to underserved populations. The program also supports research activities conducted by faculty and students, particularly those addressing health issues that disproportionately affect underrepresented minority populations. Additionally, grant recipients are expected to improve institutional capacity to recruit and retain diverse faculty members and to develop programs that strengthen the competitiveness of applicants entering health professions schools. These efforts collectively aim to address disparities in both education and health outcomes. Eligible applicants include accredited schools of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, osteopathic medicine, and graduate programs in behavioral or mental health. Both public and private institutions of higher education may apply, provided they meet accreditation requirements and demonstrate the ability to carry out program objectives. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement associated with this opportunity, reducing financial barriers for eligible institutions. The application process is expected to open following the estimated posting date and requires electronic submission through federal grant systems by the specified deadline. Applications must be submitted by the stated due date and time, with late submissions not accepted. Awards are anticipated to be made several months after the application deadline, followed by a project start date aligned with the federal fiscal year. For this forecasted opportunity, applications are expected to be due in early February, with awards anticipated in June and project activities beginning in July of the same year.