Community Health Worker + Accountable Food is Medicine (CHW+AFIM) Grant Program

The Community Health Worker + Accountable Food is Medicine (CHW+AFIM) Grant Program is administered by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment as part of the State’s Rural Health Transformation Plan. This initiative is funded through a cooperative agreement under the federal Rural Health Transformation Program and is designed to strengthen healthcare delivery systems in rural Kansas. The program reflects a broader statewide effort to improve population health outcomes by addressing both clinical and social determinants of health through integrated, community-based care models. The primary purpose of the CHW+AFIM program is to enable eligible rural healthcare organizations to improve health outcomes by embedding Community Health Workers into clinical care teams and implementing Accountable Food is Medicine interventions. Community Health Workers serve as trusted liaisons between healthcare systems and communities, supporting patients through care coordination, education, and resource navigation. The AFIM component focuses on delivering food-based interventions such as medically tailored meals, groceries, or produce prescriptions to help prevent and manage chronic conditions. Together, these components aim to address upstream drivers of health, improve chronic disease indicators, and increase patient adherence to treatment plans. Funding is intended to support the development, coordination, implementation, and evaluation of CHW+AFIM program activities. Allowable uses include hiring up to two Community Health Workers, participating in required training programs, developing clinical workflows, and establishing sustainable billing practices. Funds may also support the design and delivery of AFIM interventions tailored to local community needs. However, strict funding restrictions apply. Grant funds cannot be used for new construction, lobbying, food or beverage purchases, or costs reimbursable by insurance. Indirect costs are capped at 10 percent of the total award, and all expenditures must comply with federal regulations under the Rural Health Transformation Program. Eligibility is limited to rural Kansas-based healthcare organizations, including federally qualified health centers, rural health clinics, hospitals, local health departments, tribal healthcare facilities, and other primary care providers. Applicants must possess a Unique Entity Identifier, Federal Employer Identification Number, and SMART Vendor ID. Organizations are required to collaborate with KDHE throughout the project lifecycle, including program design, budgeting, implementation, and sustainability planning. Applicants must also select at least one chronic condition focus area, such as diabetes or hypertension, and track associated clinical outcomes. Applications must be submitted through an online portal, with required attachments including a completed W-9 form and a standardized budget template. The application includes multiple evaluation components such as organizational capacity, target population, partnerships, implementation strategy, sustainability planning, budget justification, and evaluation approach. Submissions are reviewed first for completeness and responsiveness, followed by a merit-based review conducted by a panel using predefined scoring criteria totaling 100 points. Award decisions are based on both application quality and the goal of achieving statewide impact. The application period opens on May 29, 2026, and closes at 12 PM Central Time on June 19, 2026. Awards are expected to be announced on July 17, 2026. The performance period for funded projects runs through September 30, 2027, with certain funding categories such as salary and travel requiring expenditure earlier within the first program year. Awardees must participate in ongoing reporting, including monthly and quarterly updates, annual evaluations, and collaboration with KDHE through meetings and data collection activities. While future funding opportunities may be available, continued funding is contingent upon performance and federal funding availability.

Align proposal with evaluation criteria emphasize organizational readiness strong partnerships and clear sustainability planning demonstrate ability to integrate CHWs into clinical workflows and deliver measurable health outcomes