Transforming Pediatrics for Early Childhood (TPEC) Program

The Transforming Pediatrics for Early Childhood (TPEC) Program is a federally funded initiative led by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), a sub-agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It aims to strengthen early childhood development and preventive care within pediatric primary care settings. This funding opportunity aligns with the Department of Health and Human Services’ “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) priorities and is expected to improve long-term child health outcomes by addressing chronic disease early and promoting healthy development from infancy. The core of the TPEC program is the integration of Early Childhood Development (ECD) experts into pediatric practices that primarily serve families covered by Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). These ECD professionals will deliver comprehensive, team-based care and support for children and their families. Specifically, the program focuses on critical areas such as caregiver-child relationship-building, developmental education, and ensuring access to needed support services including mental health, housing, and nutrition assistance. Award recipients will also be responsible for enhancing the capacity of pediatric care providers across their state or tribal jurisdiction to adopt and implement high-quality, team-based ECD models. Moreover, awardees are expected to contribute to the development of administrative policies and financing strategies that promote the long-term sustainability and expansion of team-based pediatric primary care. These systemic improvements are aimed at elevating the standard of care across the board for all young children in the recipient's region. TPEC awards are structured as cooperative agreements and are open to a wide range of applicants, including state and local governments, federally recognized tribes, nonprofit and for-profit organizations, small businesses, and both public and private institutions of higher education. The program has a total funding pool of $9.5 million, with up to 10 awards anticipated. Individual awards may be up to $950,000. No cost-sharing or matching requirements are specified for this funding opportunity. Applicants must submit their proposals electronically by July 15, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET. The program is forecasted to open for applications on May 15, 2026. Awards are expected to be announced and projects are scheduled to start on September 30, 2026. Existing awardees from the 2022 cycle (HRSA-22-141) are eligible to reapply, provided they relinquish their current award if selected for this cycle. Interested applicants may contact the Maternal and Child Health Bureau – Division of Home Visiting and Early Childhood Systems at (301) 443-1440 for additional information. At this time, no specific pre-application requirements such as letters of intent or concept papers are noted, and no downloadable PDF guidance document was found linked to the announcement.