Michigan opens $34.2M in rural workforce grants — and bets big on the social-work pipeline
Plus: new opps in NC, UT, KS, WV, and NM
On Monday I published a huge set of data and analysis from RHTP.
2026 Q2 Newsletter Activity Index: state-by state, topic-by-topic deeplinks
Q2 RFP Review / Q3 RFP Watcher: Every procurement from Q2, near-term contracting outlook, and state-by-state analysis
The 50-State RHTP Field Guide: downloadable PDF with RHT personality, program maturity, federal outlays, open procurements, engagement activity, rural geography, and contacts
In this issue:
Michigan launches RHTP Advisory Council
Rhode Island closes its Administrator for a Health Information Technology (HIT) Rural Infrastructure Fund RFP
Alabama will run two in-person RFP workshops this month
Michigan opens $34.2M in rural workforce grants — and bets big on the social-work pipeline
North Carolina publishes Minority Diabetes Prevention Program Funding Opportunity
Utah looks to open $59M Multi-initiative: Sustainable Provider Revenue, Infrastructure, and Network Technology (SPRINT) Consortium today
Kansas posts webinar on RHTP RFA Interfacility Transportation Project
West Virginia with yet another opp: CCG – Bring Providers Online – Telehealth Upgrades
New Mexico adds Cost Proposal Templates for Rural Health Innovation Fund
Michigan launches RHTP Advisory Council
An RHT Advisory Council has been established to:
Support the development and implementation of an engagement strategy to strengthen collaboration with rural health partners, community leaders, and residents throughout the program lifecycle.
Provide insight and feedback to improve partner participation during implementation and evaluation, ensuring that community and stakeholder perspectives inform ongoing refinement of initiatives.
Offer actionable recommendations to MDHHS to inform strategic direction and policy decisions across the Rural Health Transformation initiatives.
Serve as a bridge between state leadership, local stakeholders, and rural communities to ensure transparent communication and shared understanding of program priorities and outcomes
Rhode Island closes its Administrator for a Health Information Technology (HIT) Rural Infrastructure Fund RFP
Rhode Island is currently evaluating responses to its call for a single Administrator for a Health Information Technology (HIT) Rural Infrastructure Fund — a vendor that will both deliver hands-on technical assistance to rural providers and run the financial machinery to push many small awards out the door.
The design is worth noting because it’s a bet on nimbleness over central control. Rather than have the state cut checks, EOHHS wants one contractor to assess the technology needs of small practices across Rhode Island’s 18 rural towns (each under 25,000 residents) plus the Narragansett Indian Tribe, then pair each subaward with the technical assistance to actually use it. The vendor touches no PHI or PII but must still sign a Business Associate Agreement, and it will coordinate with CRISP Shared Services, which operates the state’s single statewide health information exchange. The contract is slated to run September 1, 2026 through 2031, with the first round of provider subawards due out by January 31, 2027.
The fine print, drawn from a heavily-subscribed 113-question Q&A, tells you who can actually bid: the winning vendor must float $10 million-plus in provider subaward funds each year pending EOHHS reimbursement, absorb banking and financing costs into its administrative price, and operate against roughly 40 KPIs with uncapped penalties — all while provider awards ride as a separate pass-through line excluded from the cost proposal. There are no oral presentations and no option years. It’s a capital-and-compliance-heavy administrator role, and it’s the first of Rhode Island’s 13 planned initiatives to reach the street.
Alabama will run two in-person RFP workshops this month
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) will host in-person application workshops for the second round of five approved Alabama Rural Health Transformation Program (ARHTP) initiatives, with a virtual Microsoft Teams option available for each session.
These one-hour workshops will provide an overview of the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), including program goals, eligibility requirements, funding details, and reporting expectations. Participants will also receive a walkthrough of the application process, including required documentation, portal navigation, key deadlines, and what to expect after submission.
Each workshop will conclude with an opportunity for participants to ask questions during a live Q&A session.
