The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has posted three grant opportunities under the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), with application deadlines ranging from March through June 2026. These funding initiatives represent part of a five-year, $218.5 million federal grant aimed at modernizing rural health care delivery across the state.
Grant Opportunities
The first initiative, RHTP-1.2 “Make Rural Nebraska Healthy Again Through Food as Medicine,” seeks to assess food cooperatives and food pantries that procure locally grown items for school nutrition programs. Eligible applicants include producers, food cooperatives, non-profit entities, and food pantries interested in partnering with schools. The application deadline is April 8, 2026.
RHTP-3.3, titled “Rural Health Care Workforce Incentive and Sustainability Model,” aims to strengthen Nebraska’s health care workforce by supporting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Employment and Training (SNAP E&T) third-party partners focused on health care career pathways. Local governments, Indian tribes, institutions of higher education, and nonprofit or for-profit entities are eligible to apply. Applications are due June 1, 2026.
The third opportunity, RHTP-4.4A “Chronic Disease Management Navigation and Education Initiative,” seeks to connect people in need with resources to promote healthy living and strengthen coordination between patients and health systems. Eligible applicants include rural clinics, federally qualified health centers, certified community behavioral health clinics, local health departments, critical access hospitals, rural emergency hospitals, rural hospitals, and tribal health facilities, among others. The application deadline for this initiative is March 17, 2026.
Broader Program Context
DHHS received a revised notice of award from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) dated February 27, 2026, allowing the state to access federal funds to launch seven initiatives. DHHS intends to release multiple RFAs over the next five years, with additional application opportunities in each funding year depending on funding availability. The broader RHTP encompasses efforts including regionalized rural access and navigation, rural workforce acceleration, eHealth and mobile care, rural emergency behavioral health, assisted living facility special needs population incentive models, and a Nebraska Rural Health Technology Catalyst Fund and Partnership Initiative.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.yankton.net/community/article_46e09a21-355b-46e9-b297-68d31b6cc2b5.html