Rural Health Transformation Program – Building a Resilient Rural Workforce, Training Healthcare Support Workers
Can you apply?
This grant is for healthcare organizations and training programs in rural Illinois that want to build workforce capacity in healthcare support roles.
Eligible applicants include nonprofits, community health centers, educational institutions, and public agencies working in rural Illinois counties (defined by HRSA criteria). The program focuses on rural census tracts with populations facing healthcare access barriers.
Funded activities include developing and expanding training programs for Community Health Workers, doulas, lactation consultants, and peer support professionals. Programs must serve rural learners and keep training opportunities in rural communities.
Organizations must complete the Euna application. Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services reviews and approves awards before grant funding is released.
This grant is for healthcare organizations and training programs in rural Illinois that want to build workforce capacity in healthcare support roles.
Eligible applicants include nonprofits, community health centers, educational institutions, and public agencies working in rural Illinois counties (defined by HRSA criteria). The program focuses on rural census tracts with populations facing healthcare access barriers.
Funded activities include developing and expanding training programs for Community Health Workers, doulas, lactation consultants, and peer support professionals. Programs must serve rural learners and keep training opportunities in rural communities.
Organizations must complete the Euna application. Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services reviews and approves awards before grant funding is released.
Program description
The Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program was designed to empower states to strengthen rural communities by improving healthcare access, quality, and outcomes through transforming the healthcare delivery ecosystem.
Illinois’ Rural Health Transformation Program will support rural communities across the State of Illinois in improving healthcare access, quality, and outcomes by transforming healthcare delivery. This program will strengthen rural healthcare by expanding and establishing new training and certification programs tailored to local needs. The focus will be on developing a larger workforce for roles such as CHWs, doulas, lactation consultants, and peer support professionals and offering training opportunities that can keep rural learners in their communities.
All RHT applicants must complete the Euna application. Once the completed application is received and approved, the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services will collaborate with each subaward to complete the grant award process.
Note: Stevens Amendment Acknowledgment
This funding opportunity is supported by the Centers for Medicare; Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $193,418,216.21 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.
Illinois is the sixth most populous state in the nation and is home to 12.7 million residents, based on 2024 data. Outside of the Chicago metro area, Illinois is largely rural. Eighty-five of 102 counties are classified as rural as defined by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Unfortunately, individuals living in rural parts of the state tend to face structural barriers in access to critical healthcare services resulting in poor health outcomes.
The intent of Illinois’ Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program is to direct resources to reshape the way healthcare is delivered across rural Illinois. The RHT Program is focused on interventions targeting individuals who reside in rural census tracts (two-thirds of counties in IL) as defined by HRSA. HRSA defines rural using the following criteria: 1) Non-metropolitan counties, 2) Outlying metropolitan counties with no population from an urban area of 50,000 or more people, 3) Census tracts with Rural-Urban Commuting Area (RUCA) codes 4-10 in metropolitan counties, 4) Census tracts of at least 400 square miles in areas with population density of 35 or fewer people per square mile with RUCA codes 2-3 in metropolitan counties, 5) Census tracts with Research Report Series (RRS) 5 and RUCA codes 2-3 that are at least 20 square miles in area in metropolitan counties.
Illinois responded to the federal RHT Program authorized and administered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in July 2025, under H.R.1. Illinois submitted their application in November 2025 and received approval in December 2025. The funding will empower states to strengthen rural communities through improved access to care, quality of care, and health outcomes by transforming the healthcare delivery ecosystem. This grant program utilizes federal CMS Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program funds.2 Total amount of funding expected to be awarded through this NDFI is up to $11 million in year 1 and up to $55 million in total across years 1-5, subject to continued funding and program approval. Funding in future years is subject to CMS’s continuation, review, and award of future Rural Health Transformation grant funding. The release of this NDFI does not obligate the Department to make an award. Federal Assistance Listing: 93.798. Administered by the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services via the Illinois GATA Catalog of State Financial Assistance (CSFA 478-00-3986).
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
Demographic focus
Details
This grant is for healthcare organizations and training programs in rural Illinois that want to build workforce capacity in healthcare support roles.
Eligible applicants include nonprofits, community health centers, educational institutions, and public agencies working in rural Illinois counties (defined by HRSA criteria). The program focuses on rural census tracts with populations facing healthcare access barriers.
Funded activities include developing and expanding training programs for Community Health Workers, doulas, lactation consultants, and peer support professionals. Programs must serve rural learners and keep training opportunities in rural communities.
Organizations must complete the Euna application. Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services reviews and approves awards before grant funding is released.
How to apply
Application links
Required documents
- Euna application form
- Project narrative describing training program and rural workforce needs
- Organizational capacity documentation
- Budget and budget narrative
- Letters of support from rural healthcare partners
- Plan for rural learner recruitment and retention
Program contact
- 👤 Dani Mendez
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 93.798 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$281,319,361
-
$272,174,856
-
$233,639,308
-
$233,509,359
-
$223,476,949
-
$221,898,008
-
$218,862,170
-
$218,529,075
-
$216,276,818
-
$213,008,356
Top States by Funding
- TX 1 awards $281.3M
- AK 1 awards $272.2M
- CA 1 awards $233.6M
- MT 1 awards $233.5M
- OK 1 awards $223.5M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
FAQ
Who can apply for this grant?
Healthcare organizations, nonprofits, educational institutions, and public agencies located in or serving rural Illinois counties (as defined by HRSA). Training programs and community health centers are eligible.
What geographic area does this cover?
Rural Illinois counties and census tracts as defined by HRSA criteria, which includes 85 of Illinois' 102 counties. Urban Chicago metro area and metro-adjacent areas are excluded.
What activities can be funded?
Developing and expanding training programs for CHWs, doulas, lactation consultants, and peer support professionals. Programs must keep training in rural communities and serve rural learners.
What is the funding amount available?
Up to $11 million in year 1, with up to $55 million potential across years 1-5. Exact award amounts and individual grant sizes are not specified in this announcement.
When is the deadline?
The deadline is June 9, 2026. Applications are submitted through the Euna application system and reviewed by the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Focus your application on rural communities served. Clearly identify the HRSA-defined rural census tracts your organization serves.
- Show how your training program addresses local workforce gaps. Connect program design to specific rural healthcare needs in your region.
- Demonstrate commitment to keeping training in rural areas. Emphasize how your program prevents rural learner outmigration to urban centers.
- Detail the workforce roles your program will address. CHWs, doulas, lactation consultants, and peer support professionals are priority areas.
- Plan for sustainability beyond year 1. Include strategies for continued funding and how the program builds long-term rural healthcare capacity.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications fail when they don't demonstrate clear connection to HRSA-defined rural areas or lack specific workforce gap analysis for their region. Weak applications show generic training programs without evidence of local need or rural community commitment. Poor proposals underestimate complexity of rural workforce development and lack realistic timelines for program startup and expansion.
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