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

May 15, 2026 (Forecasted)

Up to $750,000 per award; estimated total program funding $10,500,000; ~14 awards

Supports start-up funding for new, accredited rural physician residency programs to address physician shortages in rural areas.

This is a forecasted opportunity; only domestic organizations are eligible.

--- ## 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). By increasing the number of rural physician residency programs, the initiative seeks to enhance training opportunities and ultimately encourage more physicians to practice in rural communities, addressing critical shortages. Start-up funding is provided for the development of residency programs in the following specialties: - Family medicine - Internal medicine - Preventive medicine - Psychiatry - General surgery - Obstetrics and gynecology Eligible rural residency programs must be accredited physician residency programs that train residents in clinical sites located in rural areas, as defined by HRSA's Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP), for more than 50% of their total residency time. Programs must focus on preparing physicians to practice in rural communities. Long-term sustainability must be achieved through stable funding sources such as Medicare, Medicaid, or other public/private sources. --- ## Due Dates - Estimated Application Due Date: May 15, 2026 (electronically submitted by 11:59 p.m. ET) - Estimated Post Date: February 16, 2026 - Estimated Award Date: July 1, 2026 - Estimated Project Start Date: August 1, 2026 - Archive Date: June 15, 2026 *All dates are projected based on the annual cycle; check the program page for updates.* --- ## Funding Amount - Maximum award: $750,000 per project - Estimated total program funding: $10,500,000 - Expected number of awards: 14 - No cost sharing or matching required --- ## Eligibility Eligible applicants include: - State, county, city, or township governments - Special district governments - Independent school districts - Public and 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) - Other domestic organizations as defined in the opportunity **Note:** Only domestic organizations are eligible. "Domestic" includes the 50 states, 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 stated deadline. - Review the full [grants.gov opportunity listing](https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/360998) for detailed application instructions and required documentation. - Ensure your proposed residency program meets the eligibility and programmatic requirements, including accreditation and rural training site criteria. --- ## Additional Information - The program is intended for the planning and start-up phase; long-term sustainability must be supported by viable funding sources. - Programs must train residents in rural areas for more than 50% of their total residency time, according to [HRSA’s rural eligibility criteria](https://data.hrsa.gov/topics/rural-health/rural-health-eligibility). - For further details and updates, regularly check the program listing on [Grants.gov](https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/360998). --- ## External Links - [Program listing and application details on Grants.gov](https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/360998) - [HRSA Rural Health Eligibility Tool](https://data.hrsa.gov/topics/rural-health/rural-health-eligibility) - [Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Homepage](https://www.hrsa.gov) --- ## 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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