Human Services Resource Allocation Process (HSRAP)

On a biannual basis, the City of Palo Alto, Office of Human Services, Community Services Department seeks proposals from organizations to provide professional services to meet human service needs in the community which meet the Priority of Needs.

This funding opportunity is provided through the Human Services Resource Allocation Process (HSRAP). The City provides many services directly to the community. There are services the City may not be able to provide due to expertise or economies of scale and choses to contract with local agencies through a competitive grant process called HSRAP. The selection of awardees and allocation of funding is a collaborative process with support of City staff and the Palo Alto Human Relations Commission (HRC) who review applications that provide support for identified needs in the community. 

This is a competitive funding process. There is no guarantee that every applicant will receive funding. There is also no guarantee that the amount an organization has requested will be the amount granted. No proposals under $5,000 are considered. Organizations applying for funding may propose either a new or existing program. Organizations submitting a joint proposal must select a lead organization that will act as the legal contractor with the City of Palo Alto.  

Proposals for the funding term of Fiscal Years 2028-2029 (July 1, 2027 – June 30, 2029) will be accepted in the winter of 2026. Provided all terms and conditions are met through service agreements that are awarded for FY28, contracts may be renewable for an additional 12-month term, unless otherwise determined by the City of Palo Alto.

Question and Answer

All comments and questions from applicants about the Human Services Resource Allocation Process (HSRAP) Request for Proposal (RFP) and the responses from the Office of Human Services, will be posted on this page. It is the responsibility of the applicant to check the HSRAP webpage for replies to applicant questions. In order to be received and posted, comments and questions must be emailed to HSRAP@paloalto.gov no later than TBD.