Revenue Issues

"We can't raise revenue because we aren't allowed to make a profit."

You can generate revenue without making a profit. Profit is an amount of revenue that exceeds expenses and that accrues to the benefit of an individual (like a business owner or a stockholder). And yes, it is acceptable (within limits) for most non-profit and public health organizations to have revenue that exceeds expenses.

"If I raise more revenue, the board/state will hold back our agency appropriation by a corresponding amount."

This is a valid concern—agencies have found their budgets cut as a "thank you" for having found a way to cover the costs of a public health service. Depending on the politics surrounding your agency or your issue, you might want to include this possibility in your planning. If you save the county money on chronic care services by finding a way to bill for it, you won’t necessarily get to keep the savings in your budget to pay for something else.