Mobile Mammography Unit Acquisition Grant Program

The Mobile Mammography Unit Acquisition funding opportunity is offered by the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services as part of the broader Rural Health Transformation Program, a federally supported initiative authorized under Public Law 119-21 and administered in coordination with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. This program represents a significant investment in rural health systems, with a focus on improving access, strengthening workforce capacity, and modernizing care delivery infrastructure across underserved communities. Within this framework, the Mobile Mammography Unit Acquisition funding opportunity specifically aligns with the initiative to bring high-quality health care closer to home for rural populations. The primary purpose of this funding opportunity is to expand access to breast cancer screening services in western North Dakota through the acquisition and deployment of a mobile mammography unit. Breast cancer remains a leading health concern, with one in eight women affected over their lifetime, and early detection significantly improving survival rates. However, many rural and underserved communities face barriers such as long travel distances, limited access to imaging facilities, and socioeconomic constraints. By funding a mobile unit equipped with advanced digital breast tomosynthesis technology, the program seeks to reduce these disparities and increase screening rates among rural, frontier, and medically underserved populations. Funding under this opportunity is focused exclusively on capital acquisition. Allowable costs include the purchase of a specialized mobile vehicle, imaging equipment such as 3D mammography systems, supporting software systems like RIS and PACS, initial licensing and certification, limited startup staffing and training, and outreach activities. However, the program explicitly prohibits expenditures related to new construction, major building renovations, indirect costs, and supplanting existing funding sources. The total available funding for the first year is approximately $1,500,000, with an expectation of a single award, though applicants may request funding at any level necessary to support their project. Eligible applicants include integrated healthcare systems, rural clinics or hospital systems, federally qualified health centers, and tribal health organizations that serve western rural North Dakota populations. Applicants must demonstrate that at least half of the service area falls within a defined western region of the state and that services will primarily benefit rural residents, including Medicaid members. Priority consideration is given to organizations with demonstrated experience in screening services, established partnerships for follow-up care, and the operational capacity to sustain the mobile unit long term. Applications must be submitted through a Qualtrics-based system, and applicants are required to complete a comprehensive set of components including background information, a detailed project narrative, an action plan with timelines and metrics, a budget using a provided template, and a sustainability plan. The project narrative must clearly articulate the identified need, proposed goals, strategies, and measurable outcomes aligned with program metrics. The action plan must detail implementation steps such as procurement, installation, staffing, outreach, and full program launch. Evaluation is based solely on the information provided in the application and assessed using a scoring tool published by the department. The application deadline is June 30, 2026 at 5:00 PM Central Time, and a technical assistance call is scheduled for June 11, 2026 to support applicants. The performance period begins upon contract execution and extends through September 30, 2027, by which time all funds must be expended. Awardees may be required to report progress and outcomes for up to five years. While this is a competitive, one-year funding cycle, it is part of a broader multi-year program with potential future opportunities, though recurrence of this specific funding opportunity is not guaranteed.

Focus on measurable outcomes aligned with program metrics; demonstrate strong rural impact and sustainability; ensure clear justification of capital costs and partnerships for follow-up care