Runaway and Homeless Youth Capacity Building Grant (United States)

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), through the Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB), has announced the FY2026 Runaway and Homeless Youth Training, Technical Assistance, and Capacity Building Center (RHYTTAC) funding opportunity. The programme will award one cooperative agreement worth approximately $2.5 million over three years to strengthen organizations serving runaway and homeless youth across the United States through training, technical assistance, and organizational capacity building.

About the RHYTTAC Funding Opportunity

The Runaway and Homeless Youth Training, Technical Assistance, and Capacity Building Center (RHYTTAC) is a national initiative established by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) through the Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB).

The programme is designed to strengthen organizations that provide services to runaway and homeless youth by delivering high-quality training, technical assistance, evidence-based resources, and organizational capacity-building support.

The selected organization will work closely with FYSB-funded grant recipients and partner organizations to improve service quality, enhance program implementation, build organizational capacity, and promote best practices that improve outcomes for vulnerable youth.

Funding Amount

The funding opportunity provides:

Total programme funding: Approximately $2.5 million.
Number of expected awards: One cooperative agreement.

Funding is subject to the availability of federal appropriations.

Project Duration

The project period is:

Three years, consisting of:
- Year 1: One-year budget period.
- Year 2: One-year budget period.
- Year 3: One-year budget period.

Continuation funding is subject to satisfactory performance and the availability of federal funds.

Programme Objectives

The RHYTTAC programme aims to:

Strengthen organizations serving runaway and homeless youth.
Improve organizational capacity.
Deliver high-quality training.
Provide targeted technical assistance.
Promote evidence-based practices.
Improve youth service delivery.
Address emerging challenges affecting youth.
Strengthen collaboration among service providers.
Enhance program implementation.
Improve outcomes for runaway and homeless youth.

Priority Areas

Projects should support activities such as:

Developing training resources.
Creating interactive learning materials.
Delivering in-person training.
Delivering virtual training.
Disseminating evidence-based practices.
Sharing evidence-informed approaches.
Providing targeted technical assistance.
Addressing emerging service needs.
Strengthening organizational performance.
Supporting collaboration among FYSB-funded organizations.
Coordinating national learning activities.
Enhancing organizational knowledge and skills.

Eligible Activities

Funding may support activities including:

Development of training curricula.
Online learning resources.
Webinars.
Workshops.
Technical assistance services.
Capacity-building initiatives.
Peer learning activities.
Knowledge-sharing events.
Best practice dissemination.
Organizational assessments.
Program improvement planning.
National coordination activities.

Activities should strengthen the ability of organizations to effectively serve runaway and homeless youth.

Who is Eligible?

Eligible applicants include:

Statewide nonprofit organizations.
Regional nonprofit organizations.
Combinations of eligible nonprofit organizations.
Faith-based organizations meeting programme requirements.
Community-based nonprofit organizations.
Nonprofit private institutions of higher education.

Applicants must satisfy all federal eligibility requirements.

Who is Not Eligible?

The following are not eligible to apply:

Individuals.
Sole proprietorships.
Federal government entities.
Foreign organizations.
Foreign institutions.
For-profit private institutions of higher education.

Only eligible nonprofit organizations may receive funding.

Cost-Sharing Requirement

Applicants must provide a minimum 10% cost share of the total project cost.

The required contribution may include:

Cash contributions.
In-kind contributions.
A combination of cash and in-kind support.

Applicants should clearly document their proposed cost-sharing commitment in the application.

Expected Outcomes

Funded projects should contribute to:

Stronger nonprofit organizations.
Improved staff knowledge and skills.
Increased use of evidence-based practices.
Enhanced service quality.
Better coordination among youth-serving organizations.
Greater organizational sustainability.
Improved program implementation.
Better support for runaway and homeless youth.
Increased national knowledge sharing.
Stronger capacity across the RHY network.

How to Apply

Interested organizations should follow these steps.

Review the official FY2026 Notice of Funding Opportunity.
Confirm organizational eligibility.
Develop a comprehensive project design.
Prepare a detailed training and technical assistance strategy.
Develop a realistic project budget.
Identify the required 10% cost share.
Prepare all required supporting documentation.
Complete the federal application package.
Submit the application electronically before the deadline.
Respond to any requests for clarification during the review process if required.

Application Components

A competitive application should generally include:

Organizational information.
Proof of nonprofit eligibility.
Project narrative.
Training and technical assistance plan.
Capacity-building strategy.
Work plan.
Staffing plan.
Budget and budget justification.
Cost-sharing documentation.
Evaluation plan.
Supporting documents required under the funding announcement.

Selection Criteria

Applications are expected to be evaluated based on:

Organizational capacity.
Technical expertise.
Experience serving runaway and homeless youth.
Quality of the training strategy.
Technical assistance approach.
Capacity-building methodology.
Evaluation framework.
Collaboration strategy.
Budget quality.
Overall project feasibility.

Organizations with demonstrated national or regional expertise in youth services, organizational development, and training delivery are likely to be more competitive.

Why This Funding Opportunity Matters

Runaway and homeless youth often face significant challenges, including housing instability, exploitation, trauma, mental health concerns, and limited access to essential services.

The programme helps:

Improve service quality.
Strengthen nonprofit organizations.
Build workforce capacity.
Expand evidence-based practices.
Improve organizational effectiveness.
Enhance collaboration among youth service providers.
Promote continuous learning.
Strengthen youth protection systems.
Improve long-term outcomes for vulnerable youth.
Increase access to high-quality support services.

By strengthening organizations that directly serve runaway and homeless youth, the programme contributes to safer, more effective, and more responsive support systems nationwide.

Common Application Mistakes to Avoid

Applicants should avoid these common mistakes.

Applying as an ineligible organization.
Failing to include the required 10% cost share.
Submitting incomplete documentation.
Providing an unclear technical assistance strategy.
Weak evaluation plans.
Unrealistic budgets.
Failing to demonstrate organizational experience.
Missing the electronic submission deadline.

Strong applications should clearly demonstrate expertise in training, technical assistance, organizational capacity building, and youth-serving programmes.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the RHYTTAC funding opportunity?

The Runaway and Homeless Youth Training, Technical Assistance, and Capacity Building Center (RHYTTAC) is a national funding opportunity that supports one organization to provide training, technical assistance, and organizational capacity-building services for agencies serving runaway and homeless youth.

How much funding is available?

Approximately $2.5 million is available to support one cooperative agreement.

How long is the project period?

The award supports a three-year project, divided into three one-year budget periods.

Who can apply?

Eligible applicants include statewide and regional nonprofit organizations, nonprofit private institutions of higher education, faith-based organizations, community organizations, and eligible partnerships.

Is cost sharing required?

Yes. Applicants must provide a minimum 10% cost share through cash, in-kind contributions, or a combination of both.

What activities are supported?

The programme funds training development, technical assistance, capacity building, dissemination of evidence-based practices, webinars, workshops, organizational support, and national coordination activities.

What makes a strong application?

Competitive applications demonstrate organizational expertise, experience serving youth, strong technical assistance and training plans, realistic budgets, effective evaluation strategies, and compliance with all eligibility and cost-sharing requirements.

Conclusion

The FY2026 Runaway and Homeless Youth Training, Technical Assistance, and Capacity Building Center (RHYTTAC) funding opportunity provides a significant investment in strengthening organizations that serve vulnerable youth across the United States. With approximately $2.5 million available through a three-year cooperative agreement, the programme supports high-quality training, technical assistance, organizational development, and evidence-based practice dissemination. By enhancing the capacity of youth-serving organizations, RHYTTAC helps improve services, strengthen collaboration, and create better outcomes for runaway and homeless youth nationwide.