Technology-enabled Collaborative Learning Program

The Technology-enabled Collaborative Learning Program is administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. HRSA is a federal agency focused on improving access to health care services for people who are geographically isolated or economically or medically vulnerable. Through this program, HRSA seeks to address persistent workforce shortages and barriers to care in rural and underserved communities by leveraging telehealth and collaborative learning models. The primary purpose of the program is to support the use of technology-enabled collaborative learning approaches to improve the retention of health care providers and expand access to quality health services. These models typically connect specialists and providers across distances using telecommunication technologies, enabling knowledge sharing, mentorship, and case-based learning. The program is designed to strengthen workforce capacity in rural areas, frontier regions, health professional shortage areas, and medically underserved communities, including Native American populations. Funding will be distributed through cooperative agreements, indicating substantial federal involvement in program implementation. Awardees are expected to use funds to support infrastructure, training, and operational activities that enable collaborative learning networks. While specific allowable and unallowable costs are not detailed in the forecast notice, typical uses may include technology platforms, workforce training, program coordination, and evaluation efforts. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement, which lowers financial barriers for applicants. Eligible applicants include a broad range of entity types such as state and local governments, tribal governments and organizations, institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status, school districts, and for-profit entities including small businesses. However, all applicants must demonstrate that they provide or support health care services in eligible geographic areas or populations, specifically rural or underserved communities or Native American populations. The application process is expected to follow standard federal grant submission procedures through an electronic portal, likely Grants.gov. Applications must be submitted electronically by the stated deadline, and submissions received after the deadline will not be considered. While specific application components are not listed in the forecast, applicants should anticipate requirements such as program narratives, budget justifications, and organizational capacity documentation. The estimated application due date is June 21, 2026, with awards anticipated to be made by August 3, 2026. The project start date is projected for September 1, 2026. The total estimated program funding is $4,275,000, with approximately nine awards expected and an individual award ceiling of $475,000. The funding opportunity is currently in forecast status, with the official posting anticipated on May 22, 2026. For additional information, applicants may contact Melody Williams at HRSA via phone or email. As a forecasted opportunity, details may be subject to change upon official release, and interested applicants are encouraged to monitor updates closely. The program does not explicitly state recurrence, but similar HRSA workforce and telehealth initiatives are often released periodically, suggesting potential future opportunities.