The federal Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) funds States, territories, and insular areas for the provision of social services directed toward achieving economic self-support or self-sufficiency, preventing or remedying neglect, abuse, or the exploitation of children and adults, preventing or reducing inappropriate institutionalization, and securing referral for institutional care, where appropriate. The SSBG funds for each state are determined by a statutory formula based on each State's population. 

The Social Service Block Grant (SSBG) is not the type of grant that agencies or citizens can apply for -- it is a Federal block grant to states, territories, and insular areas. The Iowa Legislature annually allocates Iowa's anticipated SSBG funds to different programs, services, and administrative support through the budget process.  DHS budgets SSBG funds to the applicable programs, services, and administrative support consistent with Legislative intent. Additional information can be found at: Iowa Administrative Code Chapter 441-153

In Iowa, SSBG dollars do not fully fund any type of service, but it is combined with other state, local, and federal funding sources to provide services to Iowans.  For example, the largest portion of Iowa's SSGB allocation goes to county governments for what in Iowa we call "local purchase" and in the federal report it falls under the category, "special services-disabled".  Local purchase dollars are used by counties to pay for community-based residential services for persons with disabilities.