Workforce Innovation Grant: Healthcare Employment, Access, and Rural Transformation Program

The Workforce Innovation Grant: Healthcare Employment, Access, and Rural Transformation Program is administered by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development through its Office of Skills Development as part of a broader statewide effort to improve healthcare workforce capacity and access in rural communities. This initiative builds on prior workforce investments and is supported through federal funding from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services via the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. The program is designed to expand innovative workforce solutions that address persistent shortages in rural healthcare systems while improving job quality and access to family sustaining employment opportunities. The primary objective of the program is to fund transformational, regionally driven solutions that address workforce challenges affecting the quality and availability of healthcare in rural and semi rural areas of Wisconsin. Applicants are expected to design projects that respond to local workforce needs while incorporating long term sustainability and collaboration. Priority areas include workforce recruitment and retention, training and technical assistance for healthcare technologies, expansion of appropriate care services, infrastructure improvements, and development of wrap around supports such as childcare and transportation. The program emphasizes innovation, requiring applicants to propose new or adapted solutions that go beyond existing programs. Funding is available for projects with a four year horizon, with individual awards ranging from five hundred thousand dollars up to ten million dollars. Although the program spans four years, funding is distributed annually and requires reapplication or continued qualification based on performance. Grantees must demonstrate measurable outcomes, including workforce placements, improved retention, and system level improvements in healthcare delivery. Allowable costs include workforce development initiatives, technology adoption, training programs, and minor infrastructure upgrades, while prohibiting expenses such as new construction, lobbying, and duplicate funding of reimbursable services. Eligibility is limited to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations and governmental entities that are located in and serve designated rural or semi rural counties within Wisconsin. Applicants must demonstrate operational capacity, compliance with state and federal regulations, and the ability to manage grant funds responsibly. Partnerships are strongly encouraged, and applicants must identify sub recipients and collaborators that will contribute to project implementation. Certain entities, including individuals and political organizations, are explicitly ineligible, and applicants must meet compliance standards related to employment law, taxation, and organizational standing. The application process requires submission through an online portal and includes a comprehensive set of materials such as a detailed application narrative, multi year budgets, project timeline, due diligence documentation, and letters of commitment from partners. Applications are evaluated competitively based on criteria including project need, innovation, feasibility, partnership strength, and organizational capacity. An independent evaluation committee reviews submissions and assesses alignment with program goals, as well as the applicant’s ability to deliver measurable outcomes. Key dates for the program include a release date in late June, an application deadline in mid August, and anticipated award announcements in October. The first year of the program is scheduled to run from late October through the following September, with subsequent years contingent on performance and funding availability. Applicants are required to submit quarterly and annual performance reports detailing progress, expenditures, and outcomes. The program is structured to ensure accountability while allowing flexibility in funding distribution based on federal allocations and project performance. Overall, the program represents a significant investment in rural healthcare workforce development in Wisconsin, aiming to create sustainable, collaborative solutions that improve both healthcare access and employment outcomes. By emphasizing innovation, regional collaboration, and measurable impact, the initiative seeks to strengthen healthcare systems while supporting economic development across rural communities.

Focus on demonstrating regional collaboration, clearly define workforce challenges with supporting data, and present innovative solutions with measurable outcomes