Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Program

The Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Program is administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy. This program is designed to strengthen the capacity of Rural Health Clinics across the United States by funding a single entity to provide nationwide technical assistance. Rural Health Clinics serve as critical access points for primary care in rural and underserved areas, often functioning as the primary or sole healthcare provider for their communities. The program reflects HRSA’s broader mission to improve health outcomes and access to care for vulnerable populations, particularly those in geographically isolated regions. The primary purpose of the program is to support Rural Health Clinics by identifying and addressing key policy, regulatory, clinical, and operational challenges that affect their ability to deliver care. The funded entity will provide targeted technical assistance, including guidance, tools, and strategies that help clinics respond to emerging healthcare trends and regulatory requirements. This includes disseminating best practices, facilitating knowledge sharing, and ensuring clinics are informed about issues that impact healthcare delivery, reimbursement, and quality improvement. The program also emphasizes informing a wide range of rural stakeholders, including providers and policymakers, to enhance overall rural health system performance. Funding under this opportunity is structured as a cooperative agreement, indicating substantial involvement from HRSA throughout the project period. The program anticipates a single award with a maximum total funding amount of 110000 dollars. The period of performance spans five years, beginning July 1, 2026 and ending June 30, 2031, with funding distributed across five 12-month budget periods. Award recipients must ensure that all expenditures are allowable, necessary, and aligned with federal regulations, including restrictions on unallowable activities and compliance with cost principles under federal grant rules. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement for this program. Eligible applicants include a broad range of domestic organizations such as state and local governments, nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status, institutions of higher education, tribal governments and organizations, and for-profit entities including small businesses. Individuals are not eligible to apply. Applicants must be based within the United States or its territories and must maintain active registrations in SAM.gov and Grants.gov to be considered for funding. The program encourages applicants with demonstrated experience in rural health policy, technical assistance delivery, and national-level program management. The application process requires submission through Grants.gov by July 8, 2026 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. Applicants must complete standard federal forms, including the SF-424 and SF-424A, and provide a comprehensive project narrative, budget narrative, and supporting attachments such as a work plan, staffing plan, and biographical sketches. The project narrative must address need, approach, evaluation, organizational capacity, and alignment with program priorities. Applications are evaluated based on a 100-point merit review system that considers factors such as project need, methodological approach, impact, organizational capacity, and budget justification. HRSA will actively collaborate with the award recipient throughout the project, including reviewing technical assistance materials, participating in planning activities, and ensuring alignment with federal priorities. Awardees are expected to provide accessible, publicly available resources, respond to stakeholder inquiries, and coordinate with other national rural health organizations. Annual progress reports and performance evaluations are required, and continued funding beyond the first year depends on performance, funding availability, and alignment with program goals. Key dates for this opportunity include the posting date of June 5, 2026 and the application deadline of July 8, 2026. The anticipated project start date is July 1, 2026. While the program does not explicitly state recurrence, it represents a structured federal funding initiative that may be reissued in future cycles depending on appropriations and program priorities. For questions, applicants may contact Lindsey Nienstedt at lnienstedt@hrsa.gov or by phone at 301-443-2843.

Align proposal strongly with national rural health needs; demonstrate technical assistance experience at scale; clearly link activities to measurable outcomes and HRSA priorities; ensure budget is justified and compliant with federal cost principles