Gov. Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) today announced application materials are now available for several Rural Health Transformation Program grants. This initial application period will distribute $40 million in grant funding to support projects across the state focused on care coordination, community health workers, and dental clinics.
“With healthcare becoming more expensive in Wisconsin and across our country, and as rural communities face challenges keeping hospital doors open and lights on, we must continue doing all we can to make sure healthcare is affordable and accessible across our state,” said Gov. Evers. “We must connect the dots between transportation, access to high-speed internet, insurance coverage, and so much more of the unique factors that affect healthcare for families and communities in our rural areas. Launching these grants marks a pivotal moment in Wisconsin’s work toward removing barriers to healthcare, improving health, meeting folks where they are at, and building sustainable solutions for those who live and work in rural Wisconsin.”
Three grant funding opportunities are available. Total funding amounts in each category are contingent on approval from CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services).
Care coordination grants support new and innovative partnership models that coordinate care across systems and sectors in rural Wisconsin. These grants will address fragmented systems of care and road blocks to access care. DHS plans to award up to $10 million in grants this year for a 6-month planning period. Awardees will then be invited to submit another application for a 4-year program period. The full grant opportunity will be released to planning grant recipients in February 2027, with an estimated $25 million in the first year pending CMS approval. The planning period application is due August 21, 2026.
Community health worker grants support expanded integration and sustainability of community health workers as an evidence-based care model to improve health outcomes in Wisconsin’s rural communities. These grants will increase the quality and number of community health workers in the workforce, enhance programs through training and technical assistance, and support strong infrastructure and connections between providers and communities. DHS plans to award $20 million for the first year of funding. Letters of intent are recommended but not required. Letters of intent are due July 1, 2026, and full applications are due August 7, 2026.
Rural dental efficiency and access grants support dental clinics in adopting technologies that improve efficiency and increase access to care in rural and semi-rural communities. These technologies can help address challenges that rural clinics face by increasing patient service volumes, improving patient comfort, and maximizing the existing dental workforce. DHS plans to award $10 million through this grant opportunity pending CMS approval. Applications are due July 27, 2026.
“This funding will make a real difference in our rural communities, and we’re excited to hear more about the innovative work this can support,” said DHS Secretary Kirsten Johnson. “We want to transform healthcare for people who live and work in rural Wisconsin and encourage everyone eligible to apply for these opportunities.”
Learn more about these grants and how to apply on the DHS current grant funding opportunities webpage.
Organizations may request technical assistance with their applications by email RHTP-evaluation@
In addition to these grants, DHS will distribute funding to healthcare organizations to support technological innovations that remove barriers to care for rural residents, maximize provider productivity, and ensure improved patient or community health outcomes. Additional information about technology allocations will be provided this summer. DHS also has agreements with more than two dozen partners to being implementing the projects outlined in the state’s application to CMS. DHS will share information about implementation after agreements are finalized.
The Rural Health Transformation Program is a five-year federal funding opportunity provided to states through CMS. Several partners will also release grant opportunities in the coming months. DHS received a first-year award from CMS for $203,670,005.21 to invest in rural capacity, sustainability, and innovation across three major initiatives: workforce, technology, and care coordination.
Learn more on the Rural Health Transformation Program webpage and sign up for email notices to get program
This program is supported by CMS of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $203,670,005.21 with 100 percent funded by CMS/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CMS/HHS, or the U.S. Government.
