What is HPOG?

Many Americans struggle to find jobs that pay enough for them to support their families and accomplish their dreams. At the same time, many healthcare employers struggle to find qualified staff with the training and technical expertise required to provide the high quality of care their patients need. This difficulty occurs because many would-be employees lack the necessary skills to fill those positions.

The Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG), administered by the Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, was created as part of the Affordable Care Act to address these challenges. HPOG provides education and training to Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients and other low-income individuals for healthcare occupations that pay well and are in high demand. The program is responsive to community workforce needs and improves job prospects for adults from hard-working families, matching careers in a growing field with people who are eager to fill them. HPOG participants are given the opportunity to obtain higher education, training and support services needed to secure positions that have opportunity for advancement and sustainability, ultimately leading these individuals on a pathway to financial self-sufficiency.

HPOG participants enroll in a variety of training and education programs that result in an employer or industry recognized certificate or degree. The most common training programs include those for nurse aides, home health aides, licensed and vocational nurses, registered nurses, medical assistants, pharmacy technicians, and phlebotomists. Many programs have been designed as career pathways – connecting progressive levels of education and training with employment opportunities. For an at-a-glance description of the HPOG program, view our "What is HPOG?" infographic.

View the What is HPOG? video with audio descriptions.

Grantee Organizations

In 2010, HPOG 1.0 grant awards were made to 32 organizations located across 23 states to carry out five-year programs in their areas. There were two Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs). Of those organizations that were eligible for the first FOA, 27 awards were made.

The second FOA limited eligible applicants to Indian tribes and tribal organizations. For that FOA, five awards were made to tribal applicants, including one tribal council and four tribal colleges.

HPOG 2.0, the second round of HPOG grants, was awarded in September 2015 to 32 organizations located across 21 states for a new five-year period. This second round of grant awards has been extended an additional 12 months, ending September 29, 2021. These awards were given to: ten higher education institutions, five tribal organizations, seven workforce system agencies, four state government agencies, and six community-based organizations. You can learn more about HPOG 2.0 grantees in the individual grantee abstracts on our Find HPOG Programs page or in the HPOG 2015 Awards Document which was released after the awards were distributed. For more information on the FOAs for this round of grants, please visit the following links:

• Health Profession Opportunity Grants to Serve TANF Recipients and Other Low-Income Individuals
• Health Profession Opportunity Grants for Tribes, Tribal Organizations or Tribal College or University

To view the current list of grantee organizations with program locations across the country, please visit Find HPOG Programs.

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