Rural Health
News by Topic: Funding
IRS: Information Reporting Regarding Qualified Opportunity Zones and Updated Qualified Opportunity Fund Certification and Decertification Procedures
Federal Register
Sep 11, 2026 - Notice of proposed rulemaking from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) proposing regulations regarding qualified opportunity zones and opportunity funds. Among other things, the proposed regulations would implement new statutory requirements for qualified opportunity funds to file information returns with the IRS and for qualified opportunity zone businesses to furnish statements to qualified opportunity funds that hold interests in them, would clarify the qualified opportunity fund self-certification rules and provide procedures for qualified opportunity funds to revoke inadvertent certifications or voluntarily decertify. Comments are due by October 16, 2026. The IRS will also hold a public hearing on the proposed regulations on November 5, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern. Requests to attend the hearing are due by November 3, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Sep 10, 2026 - The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has announced awards to 132 hospitals in 13 states through the Rural Hospital Provider Assistance Program. This will help eligible small rural hospitals maintain their workforce, sustain essential services, and strengthen patients' access to care.
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Sep 9, 2026 - New funding has been awarded to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette as part of the state's Rural Health Transformation Program funding. Projects include the use of artificial intelligence that allow healthcare providers to identify areas of unmet need across the state and in their communities, as well as funding academic programs that give nursing students clinical experience and create new workforce initiatives.
Source: University of Louisiana Lafayette University News
Sep 4, 2026 - Announces new funding awarded to support the development of 15 physician rural and tribal residency programs in 14 states through the Rural Residency Planning and Development Program. Since being established in 2019, the program has created 66 new rural residency programs and trained over 850 physicians.
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Sep 4, 2026 - Describes the loss of childcare slots across North Carolina and the financial and regulatory challenges with offering childcare services. Highlights 2 rural childcare pilot programs that will inform future policy to address identified challenges.
Sep 4, 2026 - Notice from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBCS), Rural Housing Service (RHS), and Rural Utilities Service (RUS) seeking comments on proposed revisions to an information collection titled "Rural Development (RD) Loan Modernization Initiative." RD is developing an Online Loan Application for the applicants to submit requests for Direct Loan assistance electronically. Initial release of the online application system will be available for RBCS Business and Industry Guaranteed Loan Program, and then RHS Community Facilities programs and RUS Water and Environmental Programs. Comments are due by November 3, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Sep 3, 2026 - Describes community paramedicine programs funded by the Rural Health Transformation Program in 5 states. Highlighted programs will expand access to care, upgrade equipment, address reimbursement issues, and introduce mobile integrated health programs.
Source: Healthcare Innovation
Sep 3, 2026 - Highlights U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development programs available for disaster preparation, response, and recovery with focus a on their use in Illinois.
Source: USDA Rural Development Newsroom
Sep 2, 2026 - The University of Alabama at Birmingham Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine has received $10 million to be used toward a program training primary care physicians in rural communities. 42% of Alabama's population lives in rural areas, and 16.4% of those are uninsured.
Source: The Daily Yonder
Sep 2, 2026 - Describes newly funded research investigating chronic pain among rural older adults using machine learning to extract data and make it more useful to clinicians.
Source: Virginia Tech News