Electronic Medical Record Enhancement Grant Program

The Electronic Medical Record Enhancement funding opportunity is offered by North Dakota 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 through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. This program represents a large scale investment aimed at strengthening rural health systems, addressing workforce shortages, improving access to care, and modernizing healthcare delivery across rural and tribal communities. North Dakota’s implementation strategy includes multiple initiatives, with this funding opportunity specifically aligned with efforts to connect technology, data, and providers to improve care coordination and outcomes. The purpose of this funding opportunity is to enhance existing electronic medical record systems used by rural healthcare providers. Rather than funding entirely new systems in this phase, the program focuses on strengthening current infrastructure through targeted upgrades such as software enhancements, hardware improvements, and integration of artificial intelligence tools. These improvements are intended to increase the accuracy and timeliness of clinical documentation, support better diagnostic and prescribing decisions, expand remote monitoring capabilities, and improve cybersecurity resilience. Projects are expected to demonstrate measurable improvements in patient outcomes, access to care, and operational efficiency. Funding for this opportunity is competitive, with up to ten million dollars available in the first year and an estimated twenty awards of approximately five hundred thousand dollars each. Applicants may propose multiple strategies within a single application, though only one application per organization is allowed. Additional strategies may be funded within a limited margin above the typical award size. All funded activities must be completed within the defined project period, which begins upon execution of the agreement and ends on September 30, 2027. All funds must be expended and all goods and services fully implemented by that date. Eligibility is restricted to rural-serving healthcare organizations in North Dakota, including critical access hospitals, rural federally qualified health centers, rural hospital systems, tribally operated health facilities, and long term care facilities. Organizations located in designated urban areas such as Fargo, Bismarck, Grand Forks, and West Fargo are not eligible. Applicants must demonstrate that their proposed project serves rural or tribal populations and aligns with the program’s goals. Projects must also be sustainable beyond the funding period, as future funding cannot be used to replace previously awarded support. The application process requires submission through an online Qualtrics system and includes detailed components such as organizational background, project narrative, identified need, proposed strategies, measurable outcomes, implementation timeline, and a fully itemized budget using a required template. Applicants must clearly articulate how their proposed enhancements address specific healthcare challenges, outline measurable metrics, and describe how progress will be tracked and reported. The program also requires justification for all budget items and adherence to federal cost principles, with several restrictions on allowable expenses including capital expenditures, administrative overhead, and certain service costs. Applications are evaluated based solely on the materials submitted, using a structured scoring process. Priority is given to proposals that clearly demonstrate improvements in patient outcomes, increased access to care, and reduced wait times. Selected applicants must comply with ongoing reporting requirements, which may extend up to five years, including progress reports, reimbursement documentation, and impact narratives. North Dakota Health and Human Services may also require modifications to project proposals during the award process to ensure alignment with program goals and federal requirements. The application window for this funding opportunity opened on July 1, 2026, with a submission deadline of July 29, 2026 at five p.m. Central Time. A technical assistance session is scheduled for July 8, 2026 to support applicants in preparing their submissions, and additional guidance is provided through frequently asked questions and regional support resources. Applicants are encouraged to submit questions in advance of the deadline to ensure adequate response time and improve the quality of their proposals.

Clearly demonstrate measurable improvements in patient outcomes access to care and reduced wait times Align EMR enhancements with AI integration and cybersecurity improvements Provide detailed metrics and sustainability plans