Summary
Federal funding for social services flows primarily through the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and the Administration for Community Living (ACL) within HHS. The Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) and Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) are the broadest funding streams, while targeted programs fund specific needs including child welfare, domestic violence prevention, family support, and homelessness. Most federal social services dollars reach nonprofits and local governments as subgrants through state agencies.
Social Services Block Grant (SSBG / Title XX)
The Social Services Block Grant, authorized under Title XX of the Social Security Act, provides approximately $1.7 billion annually in flexible funding to states, territories, and tribes for social services programs. The SSBG is one of the most flexible federal social services funding streams — states have broad discretion to fund any social services that serve the goals of reducing dependency, preventing abuse and neglect, preventing institutionalization, providing community-based care, and providing services to those at risk. Common uses include child care, child welfare services, special services for adults with disabilities, services for the elderly, and emergency assistance.
Unlike other block grants, SSBG has no matching requirement and states can transfer up to 10% of their SSBG allocation to the Child Care and Development Block Grant or the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). States design their own SSBG programs and determine how to distribute funds, whether through state-operated services, contracts with nonprofits, or grants to local governments. Organizations seeking SSBG-funded contracts should contact their state's Department of Social Services or equivalent agency. Many states competitively bid contracts for SSBG-funded services annually or biannually.
Community Services Block Grant (CSBG)
The Community Services Block Grant, administered by the Office of Community Services within HHS, distributes approximately $900 million annually to states, territories, and tribes to address the causes and conditions of poverty in communities. Unlike the SSBG, CSBG has a specific institutional delivery mechanism: funds must flow through Eligible Entities, which in most cases are Community Action Agencies (CAAs). There are over 1,000 Community Action Agencies nationwide, serving every county in the country.
Community Action Agencies use CSBG funds to provide emergency services, employment training, housing assistance, and financial education to low-income individuals and families. CAAs must maintain a tripartite board with one-third low-income community representation, one-third public officials, and one-third private sector members, ensuring community accountability. Nonprofits and local governments seeking to partner with the CSBG system should identify their local Community Action Agency and explore subcontracting or collaborative service delivery opportunities. States must spend at least 90% of CSBG funds through Eligible Entities, with up to 5% for state activities and up to 5% for training and technical assistance. CSBG also funds ROMA (Results Oriented Management and Accountability), a performance management system used across the Community Action network.
Family Support and Child Welfare Grants
ACF's Children's Bureau administers the largest child welfare funding streams, primarily through Title IV-B and Title IV-E of the Social Security Act. Title IV-B includes the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Child Welfare Services program (formula grants for preventive and protective services) and the Promoting Safe and Stable Families program (supporting family preservation, family support, time-limited reunification, and adoption promotion). Title IV-E funds foster care and adoption assistance, with a significant federal matching component that states access by claiming eligible expenses.
The Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA), implemented beginning in 2019, shifted federal child welfare funding to support evidence-based prevention services — mental health, substance use treatment, and in-home parenting skills — to keep children safely at home and avoid foster care entry. This change has created new funding opportunities for providers of evidence-based family support programs. ACF maintains a Title IV-E Prevention Services Clearinghouse that lists approved evidence-based programs eligible for federal reimbursement. Organizations offering prevention services can work with their state child welfare agency to become approved program providers. The Kinship Navigator program, funded under FFPSA, supports grandparents and other relatives caring for children, and states are actively seeking partners to deliver these services.
Domestic Violence and Victim Services Grants
The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), most recently reauthorized in 2022, funds a comprehensive array of programs addressing domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. The Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) within the Department of Justice administers VAWA grants including the STOP (Services, Training, Officers, and Prosecutors) Violence Against Women Formula Grant Program, which distributes funds to all states for a combination of law enforcement, prosecution, courts, and victim services activities. The Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies program funds jurisdictions implementing evidence-based domestic violence response. The Legal Assistance for Victims grant program funds civil legal assistance to victims of domestic violence.
The Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA), administered by the Family and Youth Services Bureau within ACF, provides formula grants to states for domestic violence shelters and support services, and competitive grants for national resource centers, special issue resource centers, and culturally specific services. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is funded under FVPSA. Organizations seeking VAWA or FVPSA funding should contact their state domestic violence coalition, which is designated by the state to receive and distribute FVPSA funds and advises on VAWA grant activities. Tribal governments and Alaska Native villages can apply directly for VAWA tribal grants through OVW.
Homelessness Programs: HUD Continuum of Care
HUD's Continuum of Care (CoC) program is the primary federal funding source for permanent supportive housing, transitional housing, and homelessness services. CoC funds are awarded annually through a competitive process to local Continuums of Care — community planning bodies that coordinate homeless housing and services in defined geographic areas. Local nonprofits and government agencies access CoC funding by submitting project applications through their local CoC, which prioritizes and packages applications into a single community-level submission to HUD.
To participate in CoC funding, organizations must join their local CoC and engage in the annual application process, which typically involves participating in the CoC's planning process, attending community meetings, and submitting project applications. HUD's Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) program provides additional formula funding to states and localities for emergency shelter, rapid re-housing, and homelessness prevention. The American Rescue Plan's HOME-ARP allocation provided additional flexible funding for housing, shelter, and services for people experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness. Nonprofits providing homelessness services should engage their local CoC immediately, as these coordinated community processes determine which projects receive funding and which do not — participation in planning is as important as application quality.