FY 2026 Basic Center Program
🏛 Administration for Children & Families - ACYF/FYSB (HHS-ACF-FYSB)
Can you apply?
This grant is for organizations and agencies seeking to establish or expand Basic Centers that provide services to runaway and homeless youth. Eligible applicants typically include 501(c)(3) nonprofits, local governments, tribal organizations, and faith-based organizations with demonstrated experience serving at-risk youth. The program supports services in all 50 states, U.S. territories, and tribal lands. Funded activities include emergency shelter, food, clothing, counseling, youth development services, and family reunification support for youth ages 5-17. Applicants must demonstrate capacity to provide 24/7 services, coordinate with local agencies, and maintain outreach to disconnected youth populations. Priority is often given to areas with documented need for runaway and homeless youth services.
⚖️ Cost sharing / matching required — applicants must contribute their own funds.
Key dates
- Apr 27, 2026 Applications open
- Aug 3, 2026 Application deadline in 63 days
- Aug 28, 2026 Award announced
- Sep 30, 2026 Project start
This grant is for organizations and agencies seeking to establish or expand Basic Centers that provide services to runaway and homeless youth. Eligible applicants typically include 501(c)(3) nonprofits, local governments, tribal organizations, and faith-based organizations with demonstrated experience serving at-risk youth. The program supports services in all 50 states, U.S. territories, and tribal lands. Funded activities include emergency shelter, food, clothing, counseling, youth development services, and family reunification support for youth ages 5-17. Applicants must demonstrate capacity to provide 24/7 services, coordinate with local agencies, and maintain outreach to disconnected youth populations. Priority is often given to areas with documented need for runaway and homeless youth services.
Program description
The Basic Center Program (BCP) provides temporary, emergency shelter; and counseling services to youth who have left home without permission of their parents or guardians, have been forced to leave home, or other homeless youth who might otherwise end up in the law enforcement or in the child welfare, mental health, or juvenile justice systems. BCPs work to establish or strengthen community-based programs that meet the immediate needs of runaway and homeless youth and their families. BCPs provide youth under 18 years of age with food, clothing, counseling and referrals for health care. BCPs can provide up to 21 days of shelter for youth and seeks to reunite young people with their families, whenever possible, or to locate appropriate alternative placements.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
- 501(c)(3) Public Charity
- City / Municipal Government
- County Government
- Faith-based Organization
- Nonprofits
- Private University
- Public Authority
- Public K-12 School
- Public University
- Special District
- State Government
- Tribal Nation
- Tribal Organization
Demographic focus
Details
This grant is for organizations and agencies seeking to establish or expand Basic Centers that provide services to runaway and homeless youth. Eligible applicants typically include 501(c)(3) nonprofits, local governments, tribal organizations, and faith-based organizations with demonstrated experience serving at-risk youth. The program supports services in all 50 states, U.S. territories, and tribal lands. Funded activities include emergency shelter, food, clothing, counseling, youth development services, and family reunification support for youth ages 5-17. Applicants must demonstrate capacity to provide 24/7 services, coordinate with local agencies, and maintain outreach to disconnected youth populations. Priority is often given to areas with documented need for runaway and homeless youth services.
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance)
- SF-424 Supplement (Survey of Lobbying Activity, if required)
- Project Narrative/Program Description
- Detailed Budget and Budget Narrative
- Letters of Commitment from local partners and agencies
- Organizational capacity documentation (staff resumes, organizational chart, past performance)
- Evaluation and Performance Measurement Plan
- Community Needs Assessment
- Indirect Cost Rate Agreement or de minimis rate election form
- Organizational Financial Statements (typically 2 recent years)
Program contact
- 👤 Gloria Watkins
- 📧 Gloria.Watkins@acf.hhs.gov
- 📞 202-205-9546
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 93.623 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$7,500,000
-
$6,949,999
-
$5,449,999
-
$5,400,000
-
$1,087,796
-
$1,050,000
-
$1,050,000
-
$1,050,000
-
$1,050,000
-
$1,050,000
Top States by Funding
- PA 5 awards $16.8M
- IL 4 awards $12.1M
- CA 10 awards $6.9M
- FL 8 awards $6.0M
- TX 7 awards $5.2M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 93.623). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $61,746,841 | |
| 2025 | $67,804,753 | |
| 2026 est. | $71,611,662 |
FAQ
Who is eligible to apply for the Basic Center Program?
Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) nonprofits, public agencies, tribal organizations, and faith-based organizations with experience serving runaway and homeless youth. For-profit organizations are generally not eligible.
What geographic areas can be served?
This program supports services in all 50 states, U.S. territories, and tribal lands. Applicants can serve a specific city, county, or multi-county region based on identified need.
What activities can be funded?
Eligible activities include emergency shelter, food and clothing, crisis counseling, youth development, family reunification services, education services, and substance abuse education. Administrative costs are typically limited to a percentage of total funding.
How competitive is this grant?
This is a moderately competitive federal grant. Competitiveness depends on demonstrated need in your service area, organizational capacity, evidence-based practices, and ability to coordinate with local partners.
What is the typical funding range?
Individual Basic Center grants typically range from approximately $100,000 to $400,000 annually, though amounts vary by region and service capacity. Check the actual NOFO for specific figures.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Demonstrate clear, data-driven community need through runaway and homeless youth statistics, surveys, and input from local stakeholders and youth. This is critical for competitiveness.
- Develop strong letters of commitment from local government, schools, law enforcement, health providers, and other agencies showing coordinated service delivery and referral pathways.
- Use evidence-based practices in your proposed counseling and youth development interventions, and explain how you'll measure outcomes like successful reunifications and youth engagement.
- Create a realistic budget that shows sustainable operations and justifies staffing levels needed for 24/7 emergency services. Include cost-sharing or in-kind contributions if possible.
- Address how you'll reach and serve the most vulnerable youth, including LGBTQ+ youth, youth of color, youth with disabilities, and those involved in the justice system.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Many applicants underestimate the operational complexity of providing 24/7 emergency services and submit budgets that don't reflect realistic staffing and facility costs. Others fail to provide sufficient evidence of community need and coordination agreements, making it hard for reviewers to assess local capacity and readiness. Weak evaluation plans that don't align outcomes with federal performance measures are also common reasons for rejection.
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