For determining rural and nonrural counties, MDHHS uses the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) county and census tract classifications. This includes all counties identified by FORHP as fully rural, as well as those designated as partially rural, regardless of the number of rural census tracts, which are county subdivisions outside densely populated urban areas. Consistent with the RHTP description outlined in the project narrative, funding decisions will follow a needs based prioritization framework that focuses on counties experiencing high rates of chronic disease, limited access to hospitals and primary care, including OB/GYN and behavioral health, high Medicaid dependence, socioeconomic vulnerability and elevated levels of child poverty or aging populations.

MDHHS will further prioritize funding based on the percentage of the population living in U.S. Census defined rural areas. This approach recognizes that rural residents in more populous counties may face additional access challenges due to geographic dispersion and service capacity limitations, which refer to the maximum threshold an operation can handle without compromising quality. Using this method, funding will be directed first to high need rural areas with larger rural populations. Partially rural counties will be prioritized according to the share of residents living in rural census tracts, ensuring resources are allocated where they can have the greatest impact.

This table shows the percentage of rural population, based on the 2020 census, within partially rural counties in Michigan.

The vision of Michigan’s RHT Program is:

Create a resilient and innovative rural health system where every resident has access to high-quality care close to home.

Michigan’s RHT Program seeks to further the following strategic goals:

1. Transforming Rural Health through Partnerships: Build regional partnerships among providers, public health, and community organizations to coordinate services across rural regions.
2. Workforce for Wellness: Support rural workforce pipelines, provider recruitment and retention, and community-based roles.
3. Interoperability in Action: Advance Health Information Exchange (HIE) and Community Information Exchange (CIE) participation, digital infrastructure, and technology-enabled care coordination across rural providers.
4. Care Closer to Home Blueprint: Expand hub-and-spoke models, home- and community-based services, transportation, and behavioral health access.
5. Tribal Government Partnership: Support Tribal-led solutions across initiatives to improve outcomes and address disparities in rural and Tribal communities.

High-Level RHTP Timeline for Budget Period (BP) 1 and BP2

The RHT Program is a multi-year initiative that will be implemented in phases, corresponding to the grant’s budget periods. The high-level timeline below outlines key milestones for Budget Period 1 (BP1), and will be updated as the program progresses:

• October 30, 2026: End of BP2.
• October 31, 2026: BP2 begins.
• October 30, 2026: End of BP1.
• December 31, 2025: BP1begins.
• December 29, 2025: CMS awards released for all 50 states.
• November 3, 2025: Michigan’s proposal is submitted.
• September 15, 2025: Notice of Funding Opportunity is released by CMS.

Current Grant Funding Opportunities (GFOs)

Michigan released its first series of Grant Funding Opportunities in July 2026. Please see the RHT Program Updates page for links to announcements with more information.

To see RHTP Grant Funding Opportunities (GFOs), please:  

1. Go to the EGrAMS home page: https://egrams-mi.com/mdhhs/user/home.aspx  
2. Select “Search Grants.” 
3. Make sure the “Open” and “Competitive” are selected. 
4. Click “Find.” 

If you have trouble finding the GFOs or navigating EGrAMS, please send questions to the EGrAMS Help Desk: MDHHS-EGrAMS-Help@michigan.gov. 

Any questions related to the content of the GFOs must be sent to MDHHS-RHTP@michigan.gov. Answers will be posted on the date within the GFO timeline, also on the GFO document. 

Upcoming Funding Opportunities

To receive updates when additional RHTP GFOs are released, please sign up for the listserv. Subscribers will be the first to know when the funding announcement, application materials, and technical assistance resources become available.

Letters of Intent (LOIs)

To accelerate implementation of the RHTP, MDHHS issued Letters of Intent (LOIs) in early 2026 to organizations with demonstrated experience advancing innovative, community-centered solutions in rural Michigan. This approach enabled MDHHS to quickly invest in trusted partners that were already leading transformative work, allowing program activities to begin while longer-term implementation strategies and funding mechanisms continued to be developed.

Eligibility Requirements

For purposes of identifying eligible applicants, MDHHS utilizes the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) county and census tract classifications to determine rural and non-rural counties. MDHHS included all counties designated by FORHP as fully rural and all counties designated as partially rural, regardless of the number of FORHP-identified rural census tracts within a county.

Eligible applicants include 501c3 nonprofits, for-profit organizations, private and public entities, local municipalities, local transit agencies, local health departments, health systems, health plans, community-based coalitions, community foundations, and/or other similar organizations.

Funding Priorities

Funding under Michigan's RHTP is guided by the program's strategic goals to strengthen rural healthcare systems and improve the health and well-being of rural communities. Priority is given to initiatives that foster regional partnerships, expand and support the rural healthcare workforce, advance interoperable health and community information exchange, increase access to care through innovative service delivery models, and support Tribal-led solutions that address the unique needs of rural and Tribal populations.

In addition to aligning with these strategic goals, funding decisions are informed by a data-driven assessment of community need. MDHHS prioritizes investments in communities facing the greatest health and healthcare access challenges using a combination of demographic, health, healthcare access, and socioeconomic indicators.

Award Announcements

Michigan’s RHTP supports innovative, community-driven solutions to improve health outcomes across rural communities. A key component of this work is funding subrecipients, including local organizations, providers, and partners, who are implementing projects aligned with RHTP’s strategic priorities.

Please visit the RHTP Subrecipients page to learn more about the organizations that have been awarded RHTP funding and the work they are leading across the state. By showcasing these subrecipients, the page aims to promote transparency in how RHTP funds are distributed and support collaboration among partners.