Illinois Funding & Opportunities

Illinois Rural Health Experience (RHE) Program
A field experience for health professions students in Illinois to observe rural healthcare providers and their communities.

Illinois Underserved Physician Workforce (UPW) Loan Repayment Program
Funding to assist communities in recruiting physicians to their nonprofit healthcare facilities in Heath Professional Shortage Areas in Illinois. Practice location sites register and agree to sponsor any provider who wishes to be considered for the program. Providers may receive loan repayment in return for service at an approved site.

North Central Region Extension Collaboration and Implementation Grants
Funding for land grant institutions extension programs working to create resilient communities and economies, developing leadership and civic engagement, and promoting community health and wellness in rural areas of the North Central Region of the U.S.

North Central Regional Center for Rural Development Fellows Program
Fellowships for faculty or staff from Land Grant Institutions to collaborate with NCRCRD staff on research and/or outreach projects that will enhance rural development in the North Central Region.

Thematic Working Groups in the North Central Region
Funding for multistate, regional working groups focusing on creating resilient communities and economies, developing leadership and civic engagement, and promoting community health and wellness that integrates research and Extension programs.

Rural Interprofessional Health Professions Summer Preceptorships Inactive
A paid 6-week educational experience for healthcare professions students who want to learn more about healthcare provision in rural settings. Preceptor locations are in Illinois.

American Heart Association Midwest Rural Communities Grant Inactive
Grants for rural organizations working outside of healthcare but interested in supporting community health in the Midwest Region.

Outpace CVD Rural Midwest Healthcare Grant Inactive
Grants for outpatient care sites in the rural Midwest that are working to manage chronic disease and prevent cardiovascular disease.

Indiana Rural Health Baccalaureate/Medical Degree Scholarship Program Inactive
Full, in-state undergraduate tuition scholarships for students with an interest in primary care medicine in rural Indiana to attend Indiana State University with the expectation of attending Indiana University School of Medicine after graduation.

Illinois Dental, Pharmacy, and Behavioral Health/Social Work Scholarships for Rural Residents Inactive
Spring semester 2026 scholarships for rural residents from Illinois that are attending dental school, pharmacy school, or a graduate level social work/behavioral health program and intend to practice in a rural setting after graduation.