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Rural Health Information Hub

California Funding & Opportunities

For information about funding programs that are available nationwide, please browse by type, by topic, or by sponsor.

Community Facility Loans
Loans to help develop and improve essential community facilities in the rural West.
Geographic coverage: Available in 13 western states and the Pacific Islands. See program website for details.
Applications accepted on an ongoing basis
Sponsor: Rural Community Assistance Corporation
Ford Family Foundation Open Grants
Offers grants to small, rural communities in Oregon and parts of California for technical assistance; community development; education; and healthy children, youth, and families.
Geographic coverage: Oregon and Siskiyou County, California
Applications accepted on an ongoing basis
Sponsor: Ford Family Foundation
Future Leaders Program - Western Region Public Health Training Center
Field placements, faculty-student collaborative projects, and a community of practice for current public health students in the Western Region. One of the project focuses is on rural and medically underserved communities.
Geographic coverage: Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, and Pacific Islands
Applications accepted on an ongoing basis
Sponsor: Western Region Public Health Training Center
Health Expansion Loan Program II (HELP II)
Low, fixed interest loans for the capital needs of California's nonprofit small and rural health facilities.
Geographic coverage: California
Applications accepted on an ongoing basis
Sponsor: California Health Facilities Financing Authority
RCAC Infrastructure Loans
Loans to finance water and waste facility projects in the rural West, including the early funds small rural communities need to determine project feasibility and to pay pre-development costs prior to receiving state and federal funding.
Geographic coverage: Available in 13 western states and the Pacific Islands. See program website for details.
Applications accepted on an ongoing basis
Sponsor: Rural Community Assistance Corporation
Medi-Cal Behavioral Health Scholarship Inactive
Scholarships for individuals pursuing behavioral health degrees or certifications in California and who agree to a service obligation in approved sites within the state.
Geographic coverage: California
Application Deadline: Mar 16, 2026
Sponsor: California Department of Health Care Access and Information
California Behavioral Health Programs: Peer Personnel Training and Placement Inactive
Grants to facilitate the training and placement of peer personnel in California. Awardees must provide training to peer personnel that meets the 80-hour training requirements under the California Department of Health Care Services Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Certification Program.
Geographic coverage: California
Application Deadline: Mar 6, 2026
Sponsor: California Department of Health Care Access and Information
California Huwighurruk Tribal Health Postbaccalaureate Program Inactive
A postbaccalaureate pathway program for American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) students in California who are interested in pursuing a career in medicine.
Geographic coverage: California
Application Deadline: Mar 2, 2026
Sponsors: Cal Poly Humboldt, UC Davis School of Medicine
Western Region Leadership Institute: Empowering Public Health and Primary Care Leaders Inactive
Leadership program for public health leaders in HHS Region 9 that is designed to develop public health and healthcare professionals through a an evidence-based approach grounded in adaptive and practical leadership. Individuals serving rural or medically underserved communities are encouraged to apply.
Geographic coverage: Arizona, California, Nevada, Hawaii, and U.S. Pacific Islands
Application Deadline: Jan 20, 2026
Sponsors: University of Arizona, Western Region Public Health Training Center
California J-1 Visa Waiver Program Inactive
Offers a J-1 Visa waiver to foreign physicians who commit to serving for 3 years in an underserved area of California, allowing them to remain in the United States.
Geographic coverage: California
Application Deadline: Dec 31, 2025
Sponsor: California State Office of Rural Health