August Grant Deadline for Most Opportunities

On June 16, DHS opened the application period for three Rural Health Transformation Program grants, which will address efforts related to (1) care coordination, (2) community health workers, and (3) rural dental efficiency and access. The agency noted that it will award a combined $40 million in grants for these three areas of focus.

The following summaries of these three areas are from the agency’s announcement:

• Care coordination – applications due August 21, 2026: These 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 barriers to access care. DHS plans to award up to $10 million in 2026 for a 6-month planning period. Awardees will then be invited to submit a full 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 available in the first year pending CMS approval.

• Community health worker – applications due August 7, 2026: These 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 in rural areas, 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.

• Rural dental efficiency and access – applications due July 27, 2026: These 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 to 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.”

More information may be found on the Rural Health Transformation Program page of the DHS website.