Rural Residency Planning and Development Program

The Rural Residency Planning and Development (RRPD) Program, administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, aims to address the persistent shortage of physicians in rural America by supporting the creation of new, accredited, and sustainable rural residency programs. HRSA, through its Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, focuses on strengthening healthcare infrastructure and workforce in underserved communities. The RRPD program is a critical component of this mission, encouraging the development of rural track programs (RTPs) that increase training capacity and help retain medical professionals in rural regions. This funding opportunity seeks to provide start-up grants to eligible entities for the establishment of new physician residency programs in qualifying medical specialties. These include family medicine, internal medicine, preventive medicine, psychiatry, general surgery, and obstetrics and gynecology. The emphasis is on fostering programs that can eventually be sustained through existing revenue sources such as Medicare, Medicaid, or other public or private payers. To qualify, the rural residency programs must ensure that more than 50 percent of clinical training occurs at sites physically located in areas deemed rural by HRSA’s Federal Office of Rural Health Policy. These programs must also have accreditation and be dedicated to preparing physicians for long-term rural practice. The RRPD program operates through discretionary grants, with an estimated total funding pool of $11.25 million for the 2026 fiscal year. Approximately 15 awards are anticipated, with individual awards capped at $750,000. There is no matching or cost-sharing requirement, lowering the barrier for diverse applicants to participate. Only domestic organizations are eligible to apply, which includes institutions across all 50 U.S. states, territories, and freely associated states such as the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of Palau. Eligible entities span a broad range including local and state governments, tribal governments and organizations, nonprofits with or without IRS 501(c)(3) status, higher education institutions, school districts, and both small and other for-profit businesses. Applications must be submitted electronically via Grants.gov. While no pre-application steps such as letters of intent are required, applicants should adhere strictly to the submission deadline of May 14, 2026, by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. The funding opportunity is currently in a forecasted state, with an estimated posting date of March 16, 2026. Awards are expected to be announced by July 1, 2026, and projects will commence on August 1, 2026. As this is a recurring program, applicants can anticipate future opportunities on an annual basis. The grant contact for the program is Jason Steele, who can be reached via phone at (301) 443-2203 or by email at [email protected]. Interested applicants are advised to monitor the official HRSA and Grants.gov listings for updates, particularly as the estimated posting date approaches. This will be essential for accessing the full Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) and detailed application instructions, which were not yet posted as of the current analysis date. The RRPD program represents a significant opportunity to bolster the rural health workforce by investing in training pathways that directly serve rural communities. The initiative reflects HRSA’s ongoing strategy to increase healthcare access in underserved areas and to ensure that rural populations benefit from continuous, high-quality medical care delivered by well-trained professionals committed to serving where the need is greatest.