| Read this in your browser February 6, 2026 What's New Looking Ahead: FY 2026 FORHP Preview Webinar – Tuesday, February 17 at 3:00 pm Eastern. The Federal Office of Rural Health Policy continues to shape its programs to address rural health needs, while advancing evidence-informed approaches. To assist with your planning efforts, join us for a Preview Webinar as we highlight priorities for the upcoming year, planned funding opportunities, available resources, and collaboration opportunities for Fiscal Year 2026. HRSA NHSC Loan Repayment – Three Programs – Apply by March 31. HRSA's Bureau of Health Workforce supports the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) and three different options for receiving up to $100,000 to pay off student loans for health professionals. The programs include the NHSC Rural Community Loan Repayment Program with a focus on service in NHSC-approved facilities for substance use disorder treatment and for facilities within Maternity Care Target Areas. See Policy Updates below for related news and information. Forecasted Funding Opportunity: HRSA Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) – Impact – Estimated Post Date March 18. The FORHP-supported program known as RCORP will open another round of funding for new or expanded services for substance use disorder in rural communities. RCORP-Impact places emphasis on building a larger, more responsive workforce, and coordination across health and social services for sustained, long-term recovery. HRSA 2025 Year in Review. FORHP is one of the offices within the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Among agency-wide strides made to deliver health services to medically underserved areas and households with low incomes, the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy reached more than half a million people in rural communities, expanding access to health care through programs at both local and state levels. Addressing Addiction Through the Great American Recovery Initiative. Last week, the White House launched a new effort to coordinate the Federal Government's response to addiction. The initiative will be co-chaired by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services and the Senior Advisor for Addiction Recovery. Funding and Opportunities Department of Justice (DOJ) Violence Against Women Training and Technical Assistance Initiative – March 3. The DOJ seeks to build capacity of justice system professionals and service providers to respond effectively to sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking and foster partnerships among organizations that have not traditionally worked together to address these crimes. Department of Labor (DOL) Veterans Employment and Training Services – March 6. The DOL will invest $23 million for an expected 63 awards for public and private organizations at the state and local levels. Grantees will provide employment and training services for veterans experiencing or at risk of homelessness. AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP Competition – March 26. The Federal agency that brings volunteer service to communities is accepting applications for its Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), a program that engages adults aged 55 and older in a diverse range of volunteer activities. Policy Updates Send questions to ruralpolicy@hrsa.gov. CMS Solicits Public Input on 2027 Medicare Advantage & Part D Advance Notice – Comment by February 25. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released the Calendar Year (CY) 2027 Advance Notice of Methodological Changes for Medicare Advantage (MA) and Part D prescription drug payment policies, which outlines proposed updates to payment methodologies, technical adjustments, and quality reporting considerations. This Advance Notice proposes updates to risk adjustment models for both MA and Part D, the Part D benefit design, and Star Ratings for both MA and Part D. It also explains the proposed inclusion of rural emergency hospital (REH) additional facility payments and other payment parameters in the rate setting process. HRSA Seeks Feedback on Maternity Care Health Professional Target Areas – Comment by March 5. HRSA's Bureau of Health Workforce is updating criteria for identifying Maternity Care Target Areas (MCTA) and seeks comments from the public about how the Social Vulnerability Index is used to score this designation for the National Health Service Corps. Input Requested on Hospital Supply Chain Policy – Comment by March 30. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is requesting public comments on an advance notice of proposed rulemaking focused on strengthening hospital supply chains for personal protective equipment (PPE) and essential medicines. Potential future approaches to support domestic procurement of PPE and essential medicines include a "Secure American Medical Supplies" friendly hospital designation, new payment policies, and a new structural quality measure that would be part of the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting Program. Hospital and health system leaders are encouraged to submit comments by March 30 through Regulations.gov. DEA Finalizes Rule for EMS Under the Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act. This week, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) issued a Final Rule updating the 2017 Act. The amendment allows for a new registration category for emergency medical services agencies that handle controlled substances and sets new requirements for delivery, storage, and record-keeping related to their handling of controlled substances. Learning Events and Technical Assistance Application Assistance for HRSA Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program – Wednesday, February 11 at 2:30 pm Eastern. Nurses employed full-time in critical shortage facilities or teaching as nurse faculty at an accredited school of nursing may be eligible to pay off up to 60 percent of nursing education debt with two years of Nurse Corps service. HRSA's Bureau of Health Workforce will hold a 90-minute webinar to assist with applications that are due on March 12. Resources of the Week Updated: ASPR Rural Disaster Health Topic Collection. The Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) within the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services released an update on their topic collection for Rural Disaster Health. The topic collection provides easy access to useful guidance; lessons learned from the field; plans, tools, and templates; and program management. Resources include information for Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and Rural Emergency Hospitals, tribal communities, healthcare practitioners, and rural communities. ICYMI: Federal Rural Definitions. In case you missed it, the Rural Health Information Hub archived the transcript, audio recording, and slide presentation from FORHP's hour-long webinar on the ways the federal government defines rural areas. Approaching Deadlines GAO Seeks Nominations for Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) – Submit by February 6 CDC Drug-Free Communities Support Program – February 12 National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Grants for Arts Projects – February 12 Denali Commission Rural Transportation Match and Gap Funding Assistance Program – February 13 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Supportive Services for Veteran Families – February 19 CMS Proposes Changes to Health Plan Price Transparency – Comment by February 23 CMS Solicits Public Input on 2027 Medicare Advantage & Part D Advance Notice – Comment by February 25 Proposed Rule for HTI-5 Seeks to Reduce Criteria for Health IT – Comment by February 27 NIH Network of the National Library of Medicine Consumer Health Information Specialization Training Award – March 2 U.S. Department of Labor YouthBuild – March 2 Department of Justice (DOJ) Violence Against Women Training and Technical Assistance Initiative – March 3 CMS Seeks Feedback on Hospital Supply Chain Policy - Comment by March 30 HRSA Seeks Feedback on Maternity Care Health Professional Target Areas – Comment by March 5 Department of Labor (DOL) Veterans Employment and Training Services – March 6 HRSA Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program – March 12 AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP Competition – March 26 Institute of Museum and Library Sciences – Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program – March 13 CMS Requests Feedback on Hospital Supply Chain Policy – Comment by March 30 HRSA NHSC Loan Repayment – Three Programs – March 31 Now Available: Medicare Survey on Hospital Outpatient Drug Costs – Submit by March 31 USDA Rural Development: Economic Development Loan & Grants Programs – March 31 USDA Rural Development: Intermediary Relending Program – March 31 Forecasted Opportunities HRSA Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) - Planning – Estimated Post Date February 25 HRSA Rural Residency Planning and Development (RRPD) Program – Estimated Post Date March 16 Forecasted Funding Opportunity: HRSA Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) – Impact – Estimated Post Date March 18 Ongoing Opportunities - Updated January 2026 Bold indicates HRSA- and/or FORHP-funded opportunities. Administration for Children & Families: Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency – Rural Emergency Medical Communications Demonstration Project Delta Regional Authority: Community Infrastructure Fund Delta Region Community Health Systems Development Program General Services Administration: Federal Surplus Property Available for Public Use HRSA Needs Rural Reviewers for Grant Applications HRSA National Health Service Corps Medications for Opioid Use Disorder Training HRSA Look-Alike Initial Designation for the Health Center Program Indian Health Service/Department of Defense: Medical Supplies and Equipment for Tribes (Project TRANSAM) Licensure Portability: The Multi-Discipline Licensure Resource Project National Rural Health Resource Center: Rural Hospital Stabilization Program ProviderBridge: Mobilizing Health Care Workforce via Telehealth Rural Graduate Medical Education Planning and Development Small Business Administration Guaranteed Loans for Small Business Small Business Administration Rural Initiative Pilot Program Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration/Federal Emergency Management Agency/: Post-Disaster Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program Targeted Technical Assistance for Rural Hospitals Program USDA: National School Lunch Afterschool Snack Program USDA: Summer Food Service Program USDA/National Rural Health Association: Rural Hospital Technical Assistance USDA Rural Development: America's Healthy Food Financing Initiative USDA Rural Development: Circuit Rider Program – Technical Assistance for Rural Water Systems USDA Rural Development: Community Facilities Programs USDA Rural Development: Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants USDA Rural Development: Grants for Rural and Native Alaskan Villages USDA Rural Development: Intermediary Relending Program – Ongoing with deadlines every quarter USDA Rural Development: Multifamily Housing Loan Guarantees USDA Rural Development: Rural Business Investment Program USDA Rural Development: Rural Energy Savings Program USDA Rural Development: SEARCH – Special Evaluation Assistance for Rural Communities and Households (for Water/Waste Projects) USDA Rural Development: Telecommunications Infrastructure Loans and Loan Guarantees U.S. Department of Transportation: Rural Opportunities to Use Transportation for Economic Success (R.O.U.T.E.S) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Drinking Water State Revolving Fund U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: Physical Therapy Telehealth Research Study for Older Veterans – Ongoing until October 2026 | 
