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Community Health Workers Grants: Strengthening the Rural Health Workforce in Wisconsin

Funding opportunity summary

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) seeks to strengthen the Wisconsin rural health workforce by developing and expanding high-quality and impactful community health worker (CHW) programs in clinical and community settings. There are three main components to this funding opportunity:

  • Hiring and supporting CHWs to carry out services in rural communities
  • Training CHWs on core competencies and standards
  • Building organizational capacity to sustain quality CHW service provision

Applicants may apply to multiple Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) funding opportunities for which their organizations are eligible.

Download the full grant funding opportunity and addenda (PDF)

Application release

June 15, 2026

Letter of Intent due

July 1, 2026

Application submission due

Aug. 7, 2026

Application questions due

July 1, 2026. Responses will be posted within one week. Please send questions to: dhsruralhealth@dhs.wisconsin.gov and place CHW Application Questions in the Subject line.

Estimated date for award notification

Late August 2026

Estimated funding

The Rural Health Transformation Program will award up to $20 million in Year 1. Additional funds will be available over a five-year period, pending CMS approval, as estimated below. In years 3–5, funding will be reduced as it is expected that many CHW services will be covered by Medicaid.

Year 1: $20,000,000
Year 2: $20,000,000
Year 3: $10,000,000
Year 4: $8,000,000
Year 5: $8,000,000

Award period

Year 1: 10/1/2026-7/31/2027
Year 2: 10/1/2027-7/31/2028
Year 3: 10/1/2028-7/31/2029
Year 4: 10/1/2029-7/31/2030
Year 5: 10/1/2030-9/30/2031

Number of available awards

We anticipate selecting approximately 30–50 recipients. We estimate that recipients will expand or start a CHW Program with two or three CHWs each within the designated rural and semi-rural counties (see addendum). However, these are only estimates to help with planning, and the full scope of a given award may be smaller or larger based on program needs outlined in the applications received, and the overarching needs and goals of the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP).

Award amount

We estimate making awards in the range of $400,000–$600,000 per year among programs that include the hiring of new CHWs (based on an estimate of $200,000 per CHW). This includes CHW and CHW supervisor salary and fringe, travel and/or mileage to provide services, phone, computer and supply costs, organizational costs, and training time and resources. CHW Supervisor salary and fringe are calculated at a ratio of one supervisor for every five CHWs.

Smaller awards in the range of $100,000–$300,000 may also be available for rural organizations that already have CHWs on their staff or rural facilities that currently contract with organizations that employ CHWs and CHW supervisors, and are not seeking support for additional CHW staff. These awards would be for organizations only seeking funding to expand the scope of CHW services and support infrastructure development, such as strengthening organizational capacity and CHW professional development, building strong referral and tracking mechanisms, or testing new payment models.

Application submission

All submissions must be made online through the Letter of Intent for Community Health Workers Grants form and the Community Health Workers Grants Application form.

Background

The Wisconsin Rural Health Transformation Program is focused on improving healthcare access and health outcomes in rural communities across Wisconsin. This funding opportunity is part of the RHTP, a federal funding opportunity provided to states through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The DHS received a first-year award from CMS for $203,670,005.21 to invest in rural capacity, sustainability, and innovation. The program aims to improve access to care through three initiatives: strengthening the healthcare workforce, enhancing technology innovation, and cultivating coordinated care partnerships. Through collaboration among healthcare providers, public health agencies, and community-based organizations, the program seeks to improve health and well-being in rural communities.

This funding opportunity is part of the workforce initiative. CHWs serve as trusted connectors and help individuals navigate medical and non-medical services and systems, manage chronic conditions, and overcome barriers such as transportation, food insecurity, and limited access to care. In rural communities, where healthcare provider shortages and geographic isolation are common, CHWs strengthen outreach and promote healthier communities through support and connection to essential services.

Purpose

This grant funding opportunity is intended to strengthen the rural healthcare workforce and linkages between the community and clinics to address the health needs of rural populations. Through this funding, the State of Wisconsin aims to expand the integration and sustainability of CHWs as an evidence-based care model to improve health outcomes in Wisconsin’s rural communities. This funding will prioritize CHW services for those who are low-income or underserved living in Wisconsin’s rural communities. The goals of this funding opportunity are to:

  • Increase the quality and number of the CHW workforce in rural areas of Wisconsin.
  • Improve the health of rural Wisconsinites through strong linkages between clinics and communities.
  • Strengthen CHW programs through training and technical assistance.
  • Build sustainable infrastructure to support the CHW workforce.

Successful applications submitted as part of this funding opportunity must address the following:

  • New or enhanced CHW program: The program is focused on transformative work that goes beyond existing service provision. Funds awarded under this program must be used to support new or expanded CHW partnerships, services, or activities. Applicants may not use grant funds to maintain existing services or programs. Applicants should clearly describe how the proposed project represents a new program or a substantive expansion of current efforts, including any new CHW position(s), key partnerships, anticipated services, populations served, geographic areas, and service capacity. The CHW scope of practice is determined by the National Council on CHW Core Consensus Standards and services may include patient outreach and program enrollment, patient navigation, chronic disease management, non-medical resource navigation and barrier reduction, data collection and evaluation, and others defined through the grant funding opportunity.
  • Community-clinical linkages across sectors: Applicants should describe how developing or expanding a CHW program will address specific community needs and how collaboration between community and clinical partners will function to support program goals. Proposal should clearly describe how they will establish strong community-clinical partnerships, workflows, and referral networks between CHW staff and external partners to meet needs.

  • Training and technical assistance: Applicant agencies and CHWs must participate in training and technical assistance that align with, recognize, and adopt state and national best practices for CHW workforce development. Proposals should clearly describe the agency’s capacity to engage in training and technical assistance provided through the Rural Health Transformation Program.

    Recipients of this funding will have access to CHW Core Competency training and CHW Supervisor training provided by training entities selected through a separate grant funding opportunity. Recipients will be expected to participate in regional and in-person training and technical assistance offerings provided by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute (UWPHI) Envision and other training partners that support RHTP deliverables. RHTP will also make available additional training and professional development opportunities based on applicant and recipient training needs.

  • Sustainability: Applications must include a clear and feasible plan for sustainability beyond the grant period. Proposals should describe how community health worker infrastructure will be maintained over time through reimbursement, payer mix, operational efficiencies, and other funding sources.

Program requirements

  • Enroll and complete CHW core competency training and CHW supervisor training within six months.
  • Complete an assessment to identify specific training needs based on rural community medical and non-medical needs.
  • Participate in training and technical assistance for program development including onboarding, team integration, workforce, and financial sustainability provided by RHTP training and technical assistance partners. This training and technical assistance will be made available as part of the Rural Health Transformation Program.
  • Support CHW participation, as part of their position, in professional networks to advance and contribute to strengthening the statewide CHW workforce.

  • Develop and implement a plan for establishing a comprehensive reimbursement model that includes multiple funding sources such as Medicaid, private, or other public funding to sustain agency CHW model.
  • Provide data necessary for reporting deliverables and engage in a CHW impact study for financial sustainability.
  • Collaborate with the RHTP grant evaluation team to collect and report qualitative and quantitative data using provided tools and guidance.
  • Additionally, funding recipients will be expected to align program development with future reimbursement requirements, such as Medicaid, and participate in CHW-related studies conducted by other RHTP grant partners.

Reporting requirements: Evaluation

A combination of quantitative and qualitative data will be required quarterly and annually for state and federal evaluation purposes, including: number and location of rural facilities that have hired new CHWs, number of referrals to services (for example, chronic disease management, transportation, and behavioral health services), and number of trainings completed by CHWs and supervisors. In addition, grantees will need to report on their work to expand the reach of CHW services, overall program accomplishments, and other relevant metrics resulting from awarded funds. DHS will provide technical assistance to awarded agencies to collect and report required metrics.

Eligible applicants

Applicants must be rural facilities in the state of Wisconsin. Facilities in Wisconsin counties defined by the 2020 U.S. Census as either semi-rural or rural (see Addendum Exhibit 1 for a definition of semi-rural and rural counties) will be eligible to apply for these funding opportunities, including but not limited to the following:

  • Federally Qualified Health Centers and/or Community health centers
  • Free and charitable clinics
  • Hospitals
  • Local and Tribal health departments
  • Rural health clinics
  • Tribal clinics
  • Community-based organizations
  • School-based health providers

Applicant qualifications

In addition to the program and evaluation requirements, applicants must meet or have a detailed plan to meet the following requirements:

  • Ensure CHWs meet the American Public Health Association definition and have or will complete core competency training that meets the National C3 Council Standards.
  • Ensure a ratio of one CHW Supervisor per five CHWs, and that the supervisor has or will complete CHW Supervisor training that meets the National C3 Council Standards.
  • Have sufficient staff and capacity to plan, implement, and evaluate the proposed approach in alignment with the grant goals.
  • Have a history of collaborating with multi-sector partners to achieve sustainable change.
  • Have experience collecting quantitative and qualitative data to facilitate evaluation and performance outcome reporting, and/or have a plan to request DHS technical assistance in this area.
  • Have fiscal, accounting, management, and information technology staff for the overall project.
  • Be in good standing with DHS and able to comply with all DHS reporting, fiscal, and audit requirements.

Funding availability

Submission does not guarantee funding through this opportunity. This allows DHS to assess capacity of interested parties to conduct the work outlined in the scope of work. DHS reserves the right not to award funding to any applicant, and to award fewer or more grants than initially indicated. DHS also reserves the right to award grants for less than an applicant’s proposed amount. DHS may award additional funding if more funding becomes available. Should additional funding become available at any point during the grant period, DHS reserves the right to use the results of this grant funding opportunity to increase funding to the selected agencies, to fund additional agencies that submitted an application but were not selected, or to reallocate unused funds.

DHS uses a cost-based reimbursement model that limits reimbursement to actual allowable incurred costs. If funding is awarded, expenses can be submitted for reimbursement only after they have been incurred.

Allowable costs

Recipients of this funding will have access to CHW Core Competency training and CHW Supervisor training provided by training entities selected through a separate grant funding opportunity. Applicants will not need to budget for training registration costs but may need to budget for travel and per diem costs for in-person training as applicable. RHTP will also make available additional training and professional development opportunities based on applicant and recipient training needs.

In addition to using this funding opportunity, recipients will be expected to participate in regional and in-person training and technical assistance offerings provided by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute (UWPHI) Envision and other training partners that support RHTP deliverables. Additionally, funding recipients will be expected to align program development with future reimbursement requirements, such as Medicaid and studies conducted by other RHTP grant partners.

Grant recipients will be required to comply with the DHS Allowable Cost Policy Manual, all applicable federal requirements, and all applicable award requirements, including those incorporated through Exhibit 2: Federal Compliance Requirements Rural Health Transformation Program. The grant recipient must ensure that any subcontracts also follow allowable and unallowable cost guidance.

  • CHW and CHW Supervisor staff time to coordinate and implement the project, and to provide CHW services to clients not already covered by another funding source or insurance. Services may include:
    • Health promotion
    • Health education
    • Diagnosis-related patient coaching or education
    • Health system navigation and resource coordination
    • Cultural facilitation
    • Screening and assessments
    • Documentation and administrative work
    • Assistance with insurance enrollment
    • Care coordination and case management services
    • Arranging and providing transportation
    • Other direct patient care
  • Meeting expenses related to the project: meeting room, audiovisual (AV) equipment, travel, speakers, etc.
  • Infrastructure to support a quality CHW program, such as billing and/or fiscal infrastructure, technology for billing and tracking services, and administrative support
  • Travel related to the project
  • Program evaluation
  • Office supplies, postage, copying, etc. related to the project
  • Consultant and contract services needed to implement the project

  • Pre-award costs
  • Direct or indirect lobbying activities
  • Duplicate payments: Funds may not be used to replace payment for clinical services that could be reimbursed by insurance
  • Clinician salaries or wage supports for facilities that subject clinicians to non-compete contractual limitations
  • Replacing or duplicating existing funding sources. For example, if funds are used for expanding an existing pilot program or initiative, funds may only be applied to the costs associated with the new population, new activities, new program milestones, etc. The original program's programmatic costs, administrative expenses, and activities must continue to be funded by those original sources.
  • Costs or activities not directly related to the overall project description and scope of work
  • Independent research and development, including associated indirect costs in accordance with 2 CFR 300.477
  • Construction or building expansion, purchasing or significant retrofitting of buildings, cosmetic upgrades, or any other cost that materially increases the value of the capital or useful life as a direct cost
  • Meals, unless in limited circumstances such as subjects and patients under study, if specifically approved as part of the project or program activity, or as part of a per diem in conjunction with allowable travel
  • Projects outside of Wisconsin

No more than 8% of the award amount may be used for administrative expenses. This is based on CMS requirements: a 10% cap is applied to the cumulative administrative costs for the entire program, including those incurred by both the State and any subrecipients.

Personnel costs associated with administering RHTP grant activities may be considered administrative costs. In contrast, if staff are directly carrying out program initiatives, the cost may be considered programmatic.

Administrative costs support the day-to-day operations and general grant oversight. These costs generally include indirect costs, audit expenses, and salary and fringe benefits for personnel whose primary responsibilities involve managing, tracking, and overseeing the grant.

More information is available in the Addendum Exhibit 3: Budget Instructions.

Under federal grant regulations, alteration and renovation must be necessary and reasonable for performance of the award and directly related to program objectives. Any renovation or alteration costs will require prior approval from CMS. RHTP staff will submit required renovations requests to CMS for approval on behalf of grantees prior to purchase or start of work. Renovations may not proceed until written approval is received. Additionally, no more than 20% of the total award can be spent on minor alterations and renovations.

See Exhibit 2: Federal Compliance Requirements for more information.

Letter of intent

We recommend but do not require a letter of intent to submit an application in response to this grant funding. Letters of intent allow DHS to better understand the geographic distribution of interest across Wisconsin’s rural areas and helps DHS prepare for application reviews and plan for grantee training and technical assistance.

The letter of intent should be provided through the Letter of Intent for Community Health Workers Grants form by July 1, 2026, and will include the following:

  • Name of Applicant Organization
  • A short, two-to-four sentence summary, about your CHW program, including the population served and/or intended to be served, and your interest in this funding opportunity
  • Primary point of contact name and email address
  • List of counties or Tribes where services will be provided

Include answers the following questions:

  • Do you currently employ or contract with Community Health Workers (CHW) (yes/no)?
    • If yes, how many?
    • If yes, how long have CHW services been provided by your organization? (number of years)
  • Are you currently enrolled as a Medicaid provider? (yes/no)?
    • If no, are you willing to enroll as a Medicaid provider in the future? (yes/no)

Application submission

The application can be accessed via the Community Health Workers Grants Application form and must be completed by 11:59 p.m. on August 7, 2026. Only complete applications submitted through this link will be considered.

Applications must include:

  • Responses to the statements in the Application Questions section. Any information beyond the page limit will not be read, reviewed, or scored.
  • Proposed budget and justification
  • Letters of support from each partner with an active role in the project, if known and applicable at the time of application.

The budget, justification, and letters of support do not count toward the narrative response word limit.

Organizations may request technical assistance for preparing their applications from the University of Wisconsin-Population Health Institute, Wisconsin Office of Rural Health, and Wisconsin Collaborative for Healthcare Quality. Technical assistance can be requested for describing local health needs using community data, accessing information to quantify the local health context, project evaluation planning, and/or developing performance measures. These partners have no input on funding decisions. To learn more, send a request to RHTP-evaluation@wisc.edu.

Applicants should reach out directly to DHS at DHSRuralHealth@dhs.wisconsin.gov for questions regarding technical difficulties with the application submission process. Note: questions about the funding opportunity, including eligibility requirements, budgets, allowable and unallowable expenses, and related topics, must be submitted by July 1, 2026, and will be answered through published FAQs.

Application questions

  1. Name and address of lead organization applying
  2. Contact information for the primary point of contact regarding this application
    1. First Name
    2. Last Name
    3. Email
  3.  Counties or Tribal Nations where services will be provided for this project
  4. Provide a brief executive summary of your project (maximum 100 words). This section is not scored.

Section 1: Community needs and impact (Maximum 1000 words) 

Describe how the proposed project will meet the purpose of this funding opportunity, including (as applicable): 

Alignment with program goals
  • Describe the community’s medical and non-medical needs or priorities. Include connections to priorities identified in community health needs assessments or related health improvement plans.
  • Describe how developing or expanding a CHW program will help support identified community needs.
  • Describe collaborations between community and clinical partners and how they will function to support program goals and community needs.
  • Describe how developing or expanding a CHW program will impact rural patients in the counties or Tribes you intend to serve for this project. If you identified semi-rural counties, how will you focus your efforts on patients living in rural census tracts?

Section 2: Program design and implementation (Maximum 2500 words)

Describe how the proposed project will meet the goals of this funding opportunity, including:

Proposed initiatives and implementation
  • Describe the CHW program, team-based care approaches, and the anticipated workflows, activities, or services that will take place to strengthen community-clinical linkages and care coordination in community settings. Applicants who plan to hire CHWs within clinical settings should describe their approach for collaboration with community-based organizations. Applicants who plan to hire CHWs within a community-based setting should describe their approach for collaboration with clinical organizations.
  • Describe the organization’s plan for CHW team integration.
  • Describe how the proposed project initiatives align with the full scope of practice for CHWs based on National Council on CHW Core Consensus Standards.
  • Include a timeline for proposed implementation. Provide a detailed plan for the first grant period (through Sept. 30, 2027) and a summary for future grant periods (through Sept. 30, 2031). Please include planned deliverables and expected completion dates for Year 1. Examples of deliverables could include:
    • Two rural facilities will hire three new CHWs by December 2026
    • Referral systems established for services (for example, chronic disease management, transportation, and behavioral health services) by January 2027
    • Three CHWs and two existing supervisors trained by February 2027
Sustainability, evaluation plan, and data collection
  • Include a sustainability plan describing how the proposed services could be maintained beyond the grant period. As appropriate to the size and scope of the project, applicants may include details such as potential state or federal funding sources such as Medicaid, partnerships, or operational approaches that would support program continuation.
  • Describe plan for CHW team members to have access to data and documentation systems to capture both community-based and clinical referrals and outcomes.
  • Describe methodology for creating a workflow that supports referral systems among multi-sector partners, such as using technology platforms to track referrals and documenting completed services.
  • Describe barriers that may impact how the anticipated program is developed and implemented.
  • Describe how you will demonstrate impact to rural patients (for example, number of patients living in rural census tracts served).

Section 3: Personnel and institutional capacity (Maximum 1,000 words)

Describe the organization’s capacity to implement the proposed project. Applicants must:

  • Describe the organizational and/or team structure and institutional environment and resources, specifically as related to program goals.
  • Describe the organizational readiness for developing or expanding a CHW program.
  • Describe staffing, including new or existing positions and anticipated full-time equivalents.
  • Describe the recruitment process and timeline if hiring new staff.
  • Explain how the project will continue in the event of staff turnover.
  • Describe the role of each partner in achieving project goals.
  • Describe the roles, responsibilities, management and monitoring of any subcontractors.

Section 4: Experience and knowledge (Maximum 1,000 words)

Describe the organization’s experience with, and/or knowledge relevant to, the proposed project. Applicants must address their experience related to:

  • Understanding CHW roles and responsibilities.
  • Delivering or coordinating healthcare, behavioral health, or community-based services.
  • Working with populations experiencing barriers to care, including rural and semi-rural communities.
  • Collecting and using data and evidence to inform service and project improvement.
  • Hiring, training, and supervising staff with relevant knowledge or licensure.
  • Partnering with other organizations to enhance coordination.

If subcontractors will be used, describe their relevant experience and expertise. If you do not have specific experience with one or more of the above, please outline why your organization is well positioned to carry out this new area of work, how you will gain the necessary expertise to carry out the work, and/or areas where you anticipate requesting additional technical assistance from DHS.

Section 5: Training and technical assistance needs assessment (not scored)

  • How interested is your organization or program in receiving training and technical assistance in the following topic areas?
    • General information about the CHW profession (e.g. CHW definition, qualifications, roles, evidence of CHW impact)
    • CHW hiring (e.g. job descriptions, interview questions, identifying trusted CHWs, training, onboarding)
    • CHW supervisor training and professional development
    • Program planning and implementation (e.g. organizational readiness, educating teams about CHWs, developing workflows, referral processes)
    • Program evaluation and impact measurement (e.g. documenting CHW activities and outcomes, data collection, reporting strategies)
    • Sustainable CHW funding strategies (e.g. identifying and securing long-term funding for CHWs, using sustainability tools, Medicare and/or Medicaid)
    • Community engagement and partnership development (e.g. engaging community leaders, collaborating with or supporting CHW groups)
    • Addressing social drivers of health (e.g. screening, assessing community needs and resources)
    • Leadership development for CHWs
    • CHW ally leadership development
    • Training related to a specific topic(s) based on community needs (please describe)
  • How interested is your organization/program in participating in the following types of activities?
    • Webinars on CHW-related topics
    • Drop-in office hours with experts on CHW-related topics
    • Individualized coaching to support CHW program goals
    • A CHW learning collaborative with other organizations and/or programs like yours

Section 6: Budget

Complete the Community Health Workers Grant Budget Template (Excel) with proposed expenditures for year one. For each item include a brief justification for the amount. Applicants will not need to budget for training registration costs but may need to budget for travel and per diem costs for in-person training as applicable. This should include how you arrived at the dollar amount requested for the expense.

Example: Personnel: $10,000; Personnel Justification: Personnel is calculated based on a 0.20 FTE Coordinator at $24.04/hour = $10,000.

  • Salary: Describe your personnel expenses for this project. If none, mark N/A.
    • If CHW salaries are included, provide an estimate of client services that will be covered through this funding vs. other funding.
  • Fringe: Describe your fringe expenses. If none, mark N/A.
  • Travel: Describe travel expenses (transportation, lodging, per diem, etc.) for this project. If none, mark N/A.
  • Contractual Services: Describe any contractual partners you will fund for this project. If none, mark N/A.
  • Equipment: Describe any equipment purchases that will be made for this project. Equipment is  defined as having a per-unit cost that equals or exceeds $10,000 and requires approval from CMS. If none, mark N/A.
  • Supplies: Describe your supply costs for this project. If none, mark N/A.
  • Other: Describe any other costs associated with this project. If none, mark N/A.
  • Indirect: Describe costs incurred for a common or joint purpose benefiting more than one cost objective and readily assignable to the cost objectives specifically benefitted. Limited to 8% of the total award amount. If none, mark N/A.

The budget template and Addendum Exhibits 2 and 3 (Federal Compliance Requirements and Budget Instructions) can be used as a guide when developing your budget and justification.

Application scoring rubric and review process

Applications will be reviewed and scored by an evaluation team using the 100-point scale below. Those organizations located and providing services for this project in rural counties (rather than semi-rural alone) will receive an additional weight of 0.15 on the total scale score. All programs must benefit people living in rural and semi-rural areas of Wisconsin, outside of metropolitan hubs. See the map in the addendum for a definition of rural counties. For sections with high point values, more detail may be required.

Point allocation

Community Needs and Impact

15 points

Program Design and Implementation

40 points

Personnel and Institutional Capacity

20 points

Experience and Knowledge

20 points

Budget

5 points

Total

100 points

All on-time proposals that include all required documentation will be eligible for review. A committee of subject matter experts and knowledgeable stakeholders will review proposals and make recommendations for funding applications. In addition to rubric scoring, contextual factors such as past performance and spending history, geographic coverage and program reach, and project feasibility will be considered when making final award decisions, if applicable. 

Submission deadlines

Questions are due by 11:59 p.m. on July 1, 2026. DHS will post responses within one week.

Responses must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on Aug. 7, 2026.

Federal funding statement

This program is supported by CMS of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $203,670,005.21 with 100 percent funded by CMS/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CMS/HHS, or the U.S. Government.

Acquisition grant type

Request for Application

Life cycle step

Current Solicitations

Posted on

June 15, 2026

Submit by

August 7, 2026, 11:59 pm

Solicitation links

Glossary

 
Last revised June 16, 2026