Oregon is taking steps to make it easier for people to receive quality healthcare in every corner of the state – including in rural communities. In support of that, OHA recently announced that the first round of funding from the federal Rural Health Transformation Program is expected to bring a total of up to $6.5 million in direct funding to12 projects.
These initial projects will help rural communities:
- Improve emergency and maternal care by training providers at rural hospitals and clinics.
- Increase access to overdose-reversing medication.
- Offer more support for older adults, including home visits from community health workers.
- Expand access to school nurses and early support for youth.
- Strengthen chronic disease management for people living with diabetes, heart disease, and other long-term conditions.
- Create healthcare career opportunities for rural students.
- And much more.
The Nine Federally Recognized Tribes of Oregon are also expected to receive $21.7 million this year through the program’s Tribal Initiative, which aims to improve Tribal healthcare access and health outcomes in rural and remote Tribal communities based on each individual Tribe’s identified needs.
More funding opportunities will also be available soon. Through May 26, organizations can apply for the program’s competitive Catalyst Awards, which support even more ready-to-go rural healthcare solutions. Catalyst Awards will be given to projects that support maternal and child health, co-occurring behavioral health conditions, chronic disease, and aging in place. By early July, up to 80 proposals will be granted a total of about $80 million for this year.
Later this year, Oregon will also grant a total of $50.4 million to rural hospitals, rural clinics, and local public health authorities to improve their essential rural health services.
Together, these investments seek to improve healthcare access, boost chronic disease management and prevention, grow and sustain the healthcare workforce, and expand the use of health technology and data in Oregon’s rural communities.
To learn more about the Rural Health Transformation Program and how funds will be used, read OHA’s press release from April 10, 2026.