Rural Health Transformation Program
The Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) is a statewide initiative designed to strengthen health care in Wisconsin’s rural communities. Supported by $203 million in federal funding from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and administered by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS), the program invests in rural communities across three major initiatives:
- strengthen the rural health care workforce,
- drive rural technology and innovation,
- and transform rural care through partnerships.
Lasting improvement in rural health care happens when local expertise, high-quality data, and collaborative leadership come together to support community-drive solutions. WCHQ was selected as a partner in Wisconsin’s RHTP work to provide data and technical assistance that supports technology, care coordination, and evaluation. Recognizing the workforce, operational, and financial pressures facing rural providers, WCHQ chose to participate to ensure that investments support local communities and result in meaningful, sustainable improvements.
On June 15, 2026, DHS released 3 requests for application for the Rural Health Transformation Program competitive grants.
The current opportunities are summarized below. WCHQ is here to support your organizations as you apply for these funds. This support could include, but is not limited to, data analysis, help designing interventions, and connections to partner organizations.
DHS Rural Health Transformation Program Competitive Grants Summary:
Strengthening the Rural Health Workforce in Wisconsin
Innovating Healthcare Through Partnership
Grants to Improve Rural Dental Efficiency and Access
WCHQ Role in Supporting Member Participation
WCHQ will provide short-term technical assistance to help Wisconsin organizations effectively implement rural health transformation activities.
Support may include:
- Use data to identify rural health needs, priority populations, and improvement opportunities. Identify rural health needs and priorities. Use data to identify rural health needs, priority populations, and improvement opportunities.
- Interpret and apply data. Help organizations understand and use health care quality and population health data.
- Sharetools and best practices. Provide relevant resources and quality improvement approaches.
- Communicate data findings. Support clear communication of data and findings.
- Facilitate connections. Connect organizations with rural health care partners and stakeholders.
Example technical assistance requests could include:
- Custom data analysisto identify patient populations with themost opportunity to improve care for aparticular condition in your community.
- Analysis andinterpretation of health care quality metricsto identify priority conditions for improvement.
- Connections to partnersand stakeholders withsimilar priorities and relevant expertise.
Strategic Consideration
The Rural Health Transformation Program represents a significant opportunity for WCHQ members to secure resources for rural care transformation. WCHQ’s statewide data infrastructure positions the organization to play a central role in helping members compete for funding and demonstrate measurable impact. For more information on how WCHQ can support your efforts with this important opportunity, contact Abbey Harburn, MPH.
This program is supported by CMS of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $203,670,005.21 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.
