MADISON – Gov. Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services say application materials are now available for several Rural Health Transformation Program grants.
The initial application period will distribute $40 million for projects focused on care coordination, community health workers, and dental clinics.
According to DHS, the rural dental efficiency and access grants are due July 27. Those grants are intended to help dental clinics adopt technology that improves efficiency and expands access in rural and semi-rural communities. DHS plans to award $10 million through that opportunity, pending approval from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Community health worker grant applications are due August 7. DHS says that funding is meant to expand the use of community health workers in rural communities, increase workforce capacity, and strengthen connections between providers and residents. DHS plans to award $20 million in the first year for that grant category.
Care coordination grant applications are due August 21. DHS says those grants will support new partnership models that coordinate care across systems and sectors in rural Wisconsin. The agency plans to award up to $10 million in 2026 for a six-month planning period.
Evers says the grants are aimed at reducing barriers to healthcare in rural Wisconsin, including challenges tied to transportation, broadband access, insurance coverage, and other factors that affect care.
The state’s Rural Health Transformation Program is supported by a first-year federal award of about $203.7 million from CMS. DHS says organizations can request technical assistance with applications by emailing RHTP-evaluation@wisc.edu.
More information is available through the Wisconsin Department of Health Services’ current grant funding opportunities page. DHS lists the grant deadlines as July 27, August 7, and August 21, with all deadlines at 11:59 p.m. Central Time.
