HRSA Announces FY 2027 Expanding Nutrition Services Funding Opportunity

The Health Resources & Services Administration's (HRSA) Bureau of Primary Health Care has released a new Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), HRSA-27-099: Fiscal Year 2027 Expanding Nutrition Services (ENS), providing $125 million in supplemental funding to expand nutrition services at HRSA-funded health centers. The agency expects to make approximately 357 awards of up to $350,000 per year over a two-year project period beginning December 1, 2026. HRSA will add a new nutrition services measure to the Uniform Data System (UDS) in 2027 and will evaluate awardees based on increases in nutrition service patients and visits.

This funding opportunity provides RDNs with a significant opportunity to expand access to MNT and other nutrition services, strengthen their role within interdisciplinary care teams, and demonstrate the impact of nutrition interventions on chronic disease prevention and management.

The purpose of the funding is to help health centers increase access to nutrition-related services that prevent, manage, and treat chronic diseases through nutritional and food-based interventions. The NOFO identifies a broad range of allowable nutrition services, including nutritional assessment and treatment, nutrition counseling and education, medical nutrition therapy, weight management programs, and other food- and nutrition-based interventions designed to prevent and manage chronic disease.

Eligible organizations—current HRSA Health Center Program (H80) award recipients—should begin evaluating opportunities to start or expand nutrition services and identify workforce, equipment, facility, and partnership needs. Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov by September 9, 2026, with awards expected to begin December 1, 2026.

Prospective applicants should review the ENS Frequently Asked Questions webpage and develop plans to demonstrate increases in nutrition service utilization and related health outcomes. Organizations that partner with federally qualified health centers should consider engaging now to explore collaborative opportunities involving nutrition education, food access initiatives, produce prescription programs, referral networks, and community-based chronic disease prevention efforts.

RDNs interested in this opportunity should consider:

• Engaging local health centers now. Reach out to HRSA-funded health centers (FQHCs and community health centers) in your area to discuss how registered dietitians can help design, expand, or deliver nutrition services under this funding opportunity. Health centers may provide services directly or through contractual arrangements, creating opportunities for RDs to serve as clinical partners or consultants.
• Positioning medical nutrition therapy as a key strategy. HRSA specifically identifies MNT as an allowable nutrition service, creating an opportunity for RDs to demonstrate how evidence-based MNT can improve outcomes for patients with diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and other chronic conditions.
• Helping qualified health centers build competitive grant proposals. RDNs can support health centers in developing plans to increase nutrition service visits, implement nutrition screening and assessment protocols, establish quality improvement measures, and demonstrate the expected impact of expanded nutrition services on patient outcomes.
• Linking community partnerships with qualified health centers. The NOFO encourages collaboration with food banks, farms, schools, mobile markets, community-supported agriculture programs, and other organizations that improve access to healthy foods. RDNs are well-positioned to help build and manage these partnerships.
• Exploring innovative nutrition interventions. The funding may support activities such as nutrition counseling, weight management programs, food prescription initiatives, teaching kitchens, cooking demonstrations, and other food-based interventions that align with the expertise of registered dietitians.
• Preparing for increased data and outcomes reporting. HRSA plans to add a new nutrition services measure to the Uniform Data System (UDS). RDNs are well-positioned to help health centers track nutrition service utilization, demonstrate measurable health outcomes, and document the value of nutrition interventions.