Engagement and Resources

Apply for the Rural Health Transformation Program: Applications are open until November 5, 2025, for the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP). Created by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act earlier this year, the RHTP is designed to strengthen healthcare quality and outcomes in rural communities. Half of the $50 billion in funding (from FY26 to FY30) will be distributed evenly among the states, with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) granting the other half based on factors such as rural population. The distribution of these funds is being made solely by the states. Awards are expected on December 31. AACOM encourages COMs to contact their Governor’s office, state health department and/or state Medicaid office as soon as possible regarding their state’s application and any requests for information. Consider preparing and sharing data on your COM’s clinical training in rural and underserved areas, pipeline development and partnerships with rural health facilities.

While there is no central source for information on this program, AACOM offers the following resources to assist COMs in their outreach and potential RHTP applications. Note that CMS reports that applicants may receive a delayed response to technical questions not covered in its webinars due to the government shutdown.

• CMS RHTP applicant webinar recording, slides and transcript
• National Rural Health Association RHTP resources page and state level tracking
• Association of State and Territorial Health Officials blog post with recommendations for state applications
• Robert Wood Johnson tracker of state activity

Applications Still Open for the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Students to Service Loan Repayment Program: There is still time before the Thursday, November 6, 2025, deadline at 7:30 PM ET to apply for up to $120,000 in loan repayment support through the NHSC Students to Service Loan Repayment Program. All final-year DO students with qualifying loans (government or commercial) can apply. The loan repayment comes with a three-year commitment of full or half-time work at an NHSC approved site.

Primary Care Research Funding Opportunity: The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality announced it will provide up to $500,000 per year to higher education institutions, nonprofits, state and local governments and other similar organizations to support research projects to advance the understanding of the role, capacity and value of primary care to improve patient outcomes and population health.

HRSA Service Area Competition (SAC) Application Update: FY26 SAC applications for April 1, 2026, performance start dates were due in Grants.gov on September 29. HRSA has extended the deadline for Electronic Handbooks (EHBs) to November 5 at 5:00 PM ET. Applications for May 1, 2026, performance start dates closed on October 10 in Grants.gov with a Nov. 10 EHB due date, also at 5:00 PM ET. Eligible applicants must be public/non-profit and serve an entire designated service area. See details for all announced service areas.