Rural Health
News by Topic: Funding
Apr 22, 2026 - Summarizes the Tennessee Rural Health Care Center of Excellent Innovation and Practice Conference where statewide and grant recipients leaders discussed health disparities and programs tackling those disparities.
Source: UTHSC News
Apr 21, 2026 - Announces the Healthcare Career Guidance Hub Initiative from the Community College System of New Hampshire. The program will build pathways into healthcare careers for high school students in addition to offering career guidance, apprenticeships, job placement, credentialing, and other educational support. The initiative is funded with Rural Health Transformation Program money.
Source: The Concord Insider
Apr 20, 2026 - Profiles Lancaster County's community paramedicine program, an initiative that serves about 1,000 people a month. Pennsylvania officials want to expand it to rural communities with few medical providers and elder care services.
Source: Evening Sun
Apr 20, 2026 - Examines ways in which rural communities can create accountable care programs, using funds from the Rural Health Transformation Program. Notes that rural areas have tighter social networks, clearer referral pathways, and fewer competing delivery systems, which can support accountable care after infrastructure is in place.
Source: Health Affairs
RHS: Changes Related to Insurance Requirements in Multi-Family Housing (MFH) Direct Loan and Grant Programs
Federal Register
Apr 20, 2026 - Notice of final rule from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Housing Service (RHS) changes related to insurance requirements under the Multi-Family Housing (MFH) Direct Loan and Grant programs. This final rule will align USDA Rural Development insurance coverage types, amounts, and deductibles with affordable housing industry standards to simplify the coverage amounts and deductible limits, and improve customer experience with updated and understandable insurance requirements. This rule is effective May 20, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 17, 2026 - Notice of final rule from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) correcting the March 24, 2024, final rule that made changes to regulations to clarify protections for beneficiaries and prospective beneficiaries of federally funded social services and the rights and obligations of organizations providing such services. This correction will specifically state that the rule is intended to cover recipients and subrecipients of USDA domestic social service programs to which USDA uniform administrative requirements for recipients applies. This rule is effective May 18, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 15, 2026 - The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) is
seeking merit reviewers to evaluate funding applications
submitted to the organization. Reviewers may be scientists,
patients, and other stakeholders who share an interest
in helping PCORI fulfill its mission of funding research to
help patients, clinicians, and others make informed
healthcare decisions.
Source: Patient-Centers Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI)
Apr 15, 2026 - The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) and the Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan announced a new grant to strengthen food sovereignty and safety in tribal communities across the state over the next 4 years. The project will improve communities' access to nourishing, locally-grown foods and support community-driven food safety training and infrastructure projects.
Source: Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development
RBCS: Notice of Rescission of Funding Opportunity for the Rural Energy for America Program
Federal Register
Apr 15, 2026 - Notice from U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBCS) rescinding the October 16, 2024, Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) for fiscal years 2025-2027. RBCS is currently making regulatory changes to the REAP program and available funding will be announced after publication of these changes. Applicants who previously submitted applications will be required to submit a new application and must comply with the new regulation.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 15, 2026 - Chadron Community Hospital in rural Nebraska closed its dialysis unit in March, due to low reimbursement rates that did not cover costs, causing patients to travel further distances for dialysis care. Nebraska will receive $219 million in first-year funding from the Rural Health Transformation Program, but this may not be enough to keep existing services in place in rural areas.
Source: KFF Health News