Rural Mental Health Innovation Grant

Harpur Schwartz
hschwartz@mhanational.org

The Rural Mental Health Innovation Grant offers funding to support innovative, community-driven approaches that address mental health challenges and improve access to care in rural areas served by West Fraser Timber Company.

Funding is intended to support organizations in implementing and strengthening innovative solutions that respond to mental health challenges in creative and impactful ways and address real and persistent barriers such as limited access to care, transportation challenges, and stigma. Applicants are encouraged to propose programs that build on existing efforts and demonstrate early promise or proof of concept. Proposed programs may expand, adapt, or deepen interventions such as:

• Peer support and navigator models
• Telehealth and digital access strategies
• Tailored community interventions
• Nontraditional engagement and/or community outreach approaches
• Use of emerging technologies

The grant is an opportunity to refine and expand promising approaches, strengthen implementation, and generate learnings that can inform future replication or scaling in other rural communities.

Ideal applicants will:

• Serve communities in one of the specific states/counties listed on the program website
• Be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in good standing
• Have been operating for at least 5 years
• Have a program beyond the idea stage
• Demonstrate impact or early results
• Have the staffing and capacity to carry out the work
• Commit to reporting, technical assistance, and collaboration

Expected award amount: $55,000
Project period: 11 months
Estimated number of awards: 2

Links to additional guidance, application instructions, and the online application portal are available on the program website.

Applicant webinar
(Registration required)
April 28, 2026
1:00 p.m. Eastern