Maternal and Child Health Workforce Development Center Program | HRSA 21 043

Opportunity Information: Apply for HRSA 21 043

The Maternal and Child Health Workforce Development Center Program (HRSA-21-043) is a federal funding opportunity from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, designed to strengthen both the current and emerging maternal and child health (MCH) workforce. The program is built around supporting State Title V Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant leaders and staff, with an emphasis on practical, job-relevant training and collaborative learning that helps state teams carry out and continuously improve Title V work in the context of broader health system transformation.

At its core, the Center is expected to run a coordinated national training strategy focused on three major topic areas that HRSA links to health transformation and modern public health practice. The first is systems integration, meaning the skills and approaches needed to better connect programs, partners, and services across sectors so MCH efforts are not siloed and can operate as a more coherent system. The second is change management and adaptive leadership, which focuses on helping Title V leaders and teams navigate complex, shifting environments, lead through uncertainty, and implement change effectively rather than relying on static plans. The third is evidence-based decision making, which involves strengthening the ability of Title V programs to use data, research, evaluation findings, and other evidence to choose strategies, allocate resources, and demonstrate impact.

The notice makes clear that the Center is not just expected to provide one type of training. Instead, it should offer multiple training modalities that meet learners where they are, while still being anchored in real-world application. A key expectation is project-based, collaborative learning that brings together cross-sector state teams, so participants can apply new knowledge and skills in real time to actual MCH challenges within their own state context. In practice, this implies training that goes beyond lectures and incorporates hands-on technical support, peer learning, and structured opportunities for teams to work through implementation issues tied to Title V priorities.

In addition to serving the existing workforce, the program also targets the pipeline of future Title V professionals by supporting summer practicum or internship placements for undergraduate and graduate students. This component is meant to expand exposure to Title V public health work, strengthen practical skills through supervised placements, and help states and partners cultivate the next generation of MCH leaders and practitioners.

Another major objective is to establish and strengthen academic-practice partnerships. The Center is expected to help connect universities and training institutions with state Title V programs and national public health practice partners, creating stronger pathways for translating evidence into practice, aligning training with real workforce needs, and sustaining collaboration beyond one-off events. These partnerships are framed as a mechanism to improve both the relevance of training and the long-term capacity of the MCH workforce.

The funding mechanism is a cooperative agreement, which typically indicates that HRSA anticipates substantial involvement in the work as a federal partner rather than acting only as a pass-through funder. The opportunity is listed under CFDA 93.110, categorized as discretionary funding in the health area. The notice lists an award ceiling of $1,970,000, with an expectation of one award, meaning a single entity would be selected to operate the Center at the national level. Eligibility is described broadly as "Others" with further clarification referenced in the full eligibility section of the announcement.

Finally, the notice includes an optional add-on opportunity for additional funding focused on Building Capacity to Advance Population Health Approaches for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN). Applicants can choose whether to apply for this additional CYSHCN-related funding, which signals HRSA interest in expanding population-health-oriented approaches for CYSHCN alongside the Center's broader workforce development and training mission.

• The Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Maternal and Child Health Workforce Development Center Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.110.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jan 04, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 06, 2021. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,970,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for HRSA 21 043

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