Ohio Rural Health Workforce Pipeline; Pathways, Upskilling, and Retention Grant Program

The Ohio Department of Health is administering a Request for Proposal under the Rural Health Transformation Program focused on building and sustaining a rural healthcare workforce pipeline. This initiative is part of a broader federally authorized effort to strengthen rural communities by improving access to care, workforce capacity, and long-term health outcomes. The program aligns with strategic priorities that emphasize workforce development, sustainable access, innovative care delivery, and technology integration across rural regions. The primary purpose of this funding opportunity is to establish coordinated, long-term workforce pipelines that begin at early educational stages and extend through professional placement in rural healthcare settings. The program emphasizes engagement of students in K-12 systems, followed by structured pathways through secondary education, technical training, and higher education institutions. The initiative is designed to ensure that individuals trained in healthcare fields are ultimately placed in rural communities, particularly within designated Rural Health Transformation Program sites across Ohio. Funding will support a wide range of workforce development activities including career awareness programs, apprenticeships, job placement coordination, and partnerships between educational institutions and healthcare employers. Additional allowable uses include training and upskilling for healthcare professionals such as community health workers and pharmacists, development of continuing medical education resources, and implementation of recruitment and retention incentives. A notable restriction is that no more than ten percent of the total award may be used for administrative costs, with the remaining funds required to directly support programmatic activities. Eligibility is broadly defined to include both for-profit and nonprofit organizations with demonstrated experience in rural health initiatives, workforce development, and multi-stakeholder project management. Applicants must show evidence of partnerships with educational institutions and healthcare providers, as well as the capacity to manage large-scale, state-funded programs. Key personnel must meet specific experience requirements in public health, training, and workforce coordination. The program encourages collaboration across sectors and allows subcontracting arrangements where appropriate. Applications must be submitted through the OhioBuys platform and include both a technical proposal and a cost proposal. Required components include a detailed project narrative, staffing plan, and work plan, with strict page limits and formatting requirements. Proposals are evaluated based on technical criteria such as organizational experience, collaboration strength, staffing qualifications, and clarity of the work plan, with weighted scoring applied to each category. The application timeline includes a solicitation posting in January 2026, an inquiry period ending February 27, 2026, and a final submission deadline of March 10, 2026. The project period is expected to begin May 1, 2026 and run through June 30, 2027, with the possibility of renewal for up to four additional years depending on funding availability and performance. Deliverables include workplans, quarterly reports, training modules, and annual evaluations, ensuring continuous monitoring and accountability throughout the project lifecycle.

Emphasize strong partnerships with educational and healthcare institutions and clearly defined work plans with measurable outcomes