[Health Resources and Services Administration](https://www.hrsa.gov)

May 2026 (Full application deadline, projected)

Up to $750,000 per award; estimated total program funding $10,500,000; ~14 awards expected; project period typically 3 years.

Supports the development of new, accredited, sustainable rural physician residency programs to address physician shortages in rural areas.

--- ## Description The Rural Residency Planning and Development (RRPD) program aims to improve and expand access to rural health care by supporting the creation of new, accredited, and sustainable rural residency programs, including rural track programs (RTPs). These programs are designed to increase the number of physicians trained and ultimately practicing in rural communities, addressing ongoing shortages in these areas. The RRPD program offers start-up funding for developing residency programs in key medical specialties, with the expectation that long-term sustainability will be achieved through stable sources such as Medicare, Medicaid, or other public/private funding. Qualifying specialties include: - Family medicine - Internal medicine - Preventive medicine - Psychiatry - General surgery - Obstetrics and gynecology To be eligible, rural residency programs must: - Be accredited physician residency programs - Train residents in clinical training sites located in rural areas (as defined by HRSA’s Federal Office of Rural Health Policy) for more than 50% of their total residency time - Focus on preparing physicians for rural practice --- ## Due Dates - May 2026 (anticipated/projected full application deadline; electronically submitted applications due by 11:59 p.m. ET) *All dates are projected based on the annual cycle; check the program page for updates.* --- ## Funding Amount - Maximum award per project: $750,000 - Estimated total program funding: $10,500,000 - Expected number of awards: ~14 - Typical project period: Up to 3 years - No cost sharing or matching required --- ## Eligibility Eligible applicants include: - State, county, city, or township governments - Special district governments - Independent school districts - Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education - Private institutions of higher education - Federally recognized and other Native American tribal governments/organizations - Nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education) - For-profit organizations (including small businesses) - Others as specified **Additional eligibility requirements:** - Only domestic organizations are eligible. "Domestic" includes the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of the Marshall Islands, and Republic of Palau. --- ## Application Process - Applications must be submitted electronically by the projected deadline. - Review the [HRSA’s Federal Office of Rural Health Policy rural eligibility criteria](https://data.hrsa.gov/topics/rural-health/rural-health-eligibility) to confirm your training sites meet the rural definition. - Prepare materials demonstrating accreditation status (or plans for accreditation), sustainability planning, and program design for rural physician training. - Monitor the [grants.gov opportunity page](https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/360998) for official Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) release and updated instructions. --- ## Additional Information - The RRPD program is intended as start-up funding; long-term sustainability must be planned via stable sources (e.g., Medicare, Medicaid). - Programs must ensure that over 50% of resident training occurs at clinical sites physically located in rural areas. - Focus is on specialties with high rural workforce need. --- ## External Links - [HRSA RRPD Program Page](https://www.hrsa.gov) - [Grants.gov Opportunity Listing](https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/360998) - [Rural Health Eligibility Tool (HRSA)](https://data.hrsa.gov/topics/rural-health/rural-health-eligibility) --- ## Contact Information | Name | Email | Phone | |--------------|-----------------------------------------|-----------------| | Jason Steele | [ruralresidency@hrsa.gov](mailto:ruralresidency@hrsa.gov) | (301) 443-2203 |

Rural Residency Planning and Development Program

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