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Oregon’s Rural Health Transformation Program on track with original timeline

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced in December 2025 that Oregon will receive a federal investment of $197.3 million in 2026 to improve rural healthcare. The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) submitted a revised budget for these funds to CMS on January 30. The funds for the Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program are currently frozen, and CMS has up to 30 days to review the budget. Partial funding is expected to be released upon completion. Funding will be unrestricted only for approved budget items, and additional reviews will follow for upcoming grant awards.

Catalyst Award Grants – Opening This Spring

In the first phase of Oregon’s RHT Program, the State will begin accepting proposals for Catalyst Award grants. The Request for Grant Proposals (RFGP) process will open this spring, and organizations will be expected to apply with ready-to-go projects that can be implemented within two years.

Last year’s Intent to Apply survey, which received 255 responses, was instrumental in shaping the design of the Catalyst Awards. Please note the Intent to Apply survey was nonbinding and not a formal application.  All eligible organizations, including survey respondents, must submit a grant proposal this spring to be considered for funding. OHA intends to provide office hours and application assistance to interested proposers to support them through the RFGP process.

Save the Date: February 24 Webinar

Join OHA on February 24^th at 11am PST for a webinar designed to help organizations prepare for the grant proposal process. The webinar will provide an overview of the Rural Health Transformation Program, explain the agency’s work to date, and specify the details of the RFGP, including timeline and scope. This webinar will be recorded and made available on our website afterwards.

OHA is working diligently on the internal design and makeup of the RHTP and is adhering to its original timeline, which is available on the For questions or additional information, please contact: RHTP@oha.oregon.gov. 

Disclaimer: Pending approval of revised budget, this newsletter 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 $197,271,577.67 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.