Rural Works: Healthcare
Forecasted
Rural Works: Healthcare supports organizations delivering training, certifications, apprenticeships, and participant assistance to strengthen rural Tennessee’s healthcare workforce.
Funder: Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development
Due Dates (Anticipated): February 2027 (Application deadline)
Funding Amounts: Up to $250,000 for one year; reimbursable funding with no matching funds required
Summary: Supports healthcare training, certifications, apprenticeships, and participant assistance to strengthen rural Tennessee’s healthcare workforce.
Key Information: Services target Tennessee’s 91 counties outside Davidson, Hamilton, Knox, and Shelby; metropolitan-based organizations may apply.
Description
Rural Works: Healthcare is a Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development grant program addressing healthcare workforce shortages in rural communities. It builds on existing healthcare training structures while expanding apprenticeships and other workforce development initiatives. The program responds to barriers rural Tennesseans face in accessing care, including limited facilities, long travel distances, workforce shortages, and high costs.
Funding helps sponsoring organizations deliver training, certifications, and apprenticeships while reducing participation barriers such as transportation, childcare, and examination fees. Supported pathways include apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs, adult education, employer-based and postsecondary training, dual enrollment, and K–12 work-based learning. The goal is to strengthen the pipeline of healthcare professionals while helping Tennesseans live, learn, and work in their rural communities.
