Telehealth, Health Monitoring, and Response Innovation for Vital Expansion (THRIVE) Grant Program

The Telehealth, Health Monitoring, and Response Innovation for Vital Expansion (THRIVE) initiative is administered by the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration under the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Rural Health Transformation Program. This program is designed to modernize healthcare delivery across rural Arkansas by leveraging technology to expand access to care, improve emergency response systems, and enhance patient monitoring capabilities. As part of a broader statewide transformation effort, THRIVE focuses on strengthening digital health infrastructure and enabling more coordinated, data-driven care models that address persistent rural health disparities. The primary purpose of THRIVE is to expand access to high-quality telehealth services and improve health outcomes through technology-enabled solutions. Key objectives include increasing access to virtual specialty care, reducing emergency medical service and trauma response times, improving chronic disease and behavioral health outcomes, strengthening interoperability and cybersecurity, and supporting coordinated care through data integration. Applicants must demonstrate a credible implementation plan with measurable outcomes, organizational readiness, and alignment with at least one program objective to be considered for funding. Funding is distributed across four sub-initiatives. The LIFELINE initiative supports emergency response modernization such as EMS tele-triage platforms, tele-consultation networks, and interoperable communication systems, with a total budget of up to 28.1 million dollars in the first year. The HOME initiative focuses on remote patient monitoring technologies, including chronic disease management and behavioral health monitoring, with up to 18.55 million dollars available. The VIRTUAL initiative supports telehealth capacity expansion such as virtual specialty care and provider training, with up to 2 million dollars available. The TECH Fund supports digital infrastructure improvements including cybersecurity, interoperability, and cloud-based systems, with up to 7 million dollars available. Allowable uses of funds include personnel, contractual services, equipment, software, licensing, training, and data and evaluation costs, provided they are reasonable, necessary, and directly tied to approved activities. However, there are important restrictions. Administrative costs are capped at 5 percent, indirect costs are generally not allowed, and funds cannot replace existing funding streams. Salaries must comply with federal caps, and all projects must include a sustainability plan. Additionally, funds cannot be used for broadband infrastructure, lobbying activities, or profit-generating investments. Eligible applicants include rural hospitals, clinics, emergency medical service providers, behavioral health providers, clinically integrated networks, and nonprofit or public entities serving rural Arkansas. Applicants must demonstrate sufficient organizational, operational, and financial capacity to manage federal funds in compliance with 2 CFR Part 200. There is no matching requirement for this opportunity. The program emphasizes regional collaboration and encourages partnerships between healthcare providers and organizations to achieve scalable and sustainable impact. The application process opens on May 11, 2026, and closes on June 12, 2026. Applicants must submit a complete proposal that aligns with program objectives and demonstrates measurable impact. Awards are contingent on the state receiving federal funding under the Rural Health Transformation Program. The performance period for Year 1 runs through September 30, 2027, with all funds required to be obligated by October 30, 2026. Awardees must comply with quarterly reporting requirements and submit a final evaluation report, as well as respond to ongoing monitoring and information requests from the state. For additional information, applicants may contact the program via email at Info@arkansasrhtp.com. Further guidance, including eligibility details and award frameworks, is provided through the official Notice of Funding Opportunity document.

Ensure proposal clearly aligns with at least one program objective and demonstrates measurable outcomes and readiness