The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced a new public health investment: $50 billion in awards to strengthen rural health care in all 50 states through the Rural Health Transformation Program.
Rural communities are home to more than 60 million Americans, yet many families still face long drives for prenatal care, limited behavioral health services, and shortages of clinicians and specialists. CMS says this funding is designed to help states expand access to care, bolster the rural health workforce, modernize facilities and technology, and test new care models that keep high-quality care closer to home.
In 2026, states will receive first-year awards that average about $200 million (with awards ranging from $147 million to $281 million), part of $10 billion per year available from 2026–2030. That opens doors for local improvements (think: stronger maternal health supports, better emergency coordination, expanded telehealth and remote patient monitoring, and training pipelines that help clinicians build careers in their own communities).
Learn about opportunities in each state here. And see more federal and state grants here.