Regional Grants (Indiana Grow Rural Health)

Regional Grants (Indiana Grow Rural Health) is sponsored by Indiana Department of Health. Indiana offers competitive regional grants focused on improving rural health.

Grow Rural Health: Regional Grants The GROW (Growing Rural Opportunities for Well-being) initiative brings the federal RHTP program to the state level. Indiana understands that rural communities know their own needs best and are well-positioned to create effective local solutions.

The state has a strong track record of helping communities use data to identify their biggest opportunities and leverage local resources and partnerships to address them.

RHT-TAN continuing to meet with Regional Coalitions for support Eight Regional Grant Coordinators hired Bi-weekly Regional Committee meetings (ONGOING) Regional submissions of Letters of Intent Establish GROW Regional Committees Developed RFF Application Formalize Technical Assistance Partnership (RHT-TAN) RFF Applications submitted July 1 As a part of the GROW (Growing Rural Opportunities for Well-Being) Regional Grants, nearly 200 subrecipients have been selected to further Indiana's goal to improve healthcare access, quality and outcomes through system innovation.

$12. 6 Million Awarded to Region 1 Region 1 Initiatives & Activities: Regional Community Navigation & Care Coordination Network: Aims to builds trusted relationships that help residents navigate healthcare and community resources through coordinated referrals and longitudinal support.

Healthcare Innovation & Digital Care Expansion: Committed to strengthening digital health infrastructure, telehealth, interoperability, and public health intelligence to improve coordination and decision-making. Healthcare Access Expansion & Mobile Care Delivery : Prioritizes access expansion to primary care, specialty care, preventive services, and coordinated clinical care throughout Region 1.

Integrate Rural Access Network : Positions to lower barriers to care and addresses social drivers of health through AI-enabled healthcare navigation and virtual low acuity care, transportation, community-based access hubs, food as medicine partnerships, maternal health supports, and other community-based services.

Healthcare Workforce Development & Talent Pipeline Network: Promotes a strengthened healthcare workforce through coordinated planning, clinical training, education to employment pathways, and the Regional Workforce Information System (RWIS).

Grant Recipient Organizations: Affiliated Service Providers of Indiana Maple City Health Care Center Community Hospital of Bremen Franciscan Health Rensselaer Marshall County Community Foundation Pulaski Memorial Hospital Marshall County HOPE, Inc. Community Foundation of Elkhart County Michiana Behavioral Health Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center Plymouth Campus Inc. Indiana Immunization Coalition NorthShore Health Centers Jasper Newton Foundation Inc. Northwest Health Starke Hospital $20.

7 Million Awarded to Region 2 Region 2 Initiatives & Activities: Coordinated regional network: Uses Project ECHO, RPM, Cardiometabolic Clinics, specialty referral pathways, and community ‑ based wellness programs to create greater access to care.

Reduce barriers to care: Expand same ‑ day primary care access, mobile health units, mobile diagnostics, telehealth, navigation services, and behavioral health crisis response to address transportation, provider shortages, and long travel times.

Improve healthcare workforce: Strengthen clinical pipelines, expand rural training pathways, recruiting critical providers, implement telehealth-supported care models, and integrate wraparound supports such as childcare and transportation for workforce stability.

Modernize and expand rural transportation systems ; Coordinate regional planning, upgrade technology, stabilize workforce, expand vehicle availability, and improve cross-county collaboration to enhance access to healthcare, employment, and social resources.

Establishing County and Regional Coalition Coordinators : Unify hospitals, public health, EMS, behavioral health, transportation, and community organizations under a common rural health strategy through shared implementation structures, and cross-sector partnerships.

Grant Recipient Organizations: Adams County Memorial Hospital Cole Center Young Men's Christian Association Inc. Well County Council on Aging Kosciusko County Clubhouse LaGrange County Health Department Parkview Huntington Family Young Men's Christian Association YMCA of Dekalb County Inc Bluffton Health System LLC Living Well in Wabash County CoA, Inc Steuben County Council on Aging YMCA of Greater Fort Wayne Cameron Memorial Community Hospital Inc. Healthy Community Coalition of Kosciusko County Miami County Young Men's Christian Association The Community Health Clinic Huntington County Council on Aging Noble County Council on Aging, Inc Turnstone Center for Children and Adults with Disabilities Inc YWCA of Northeast Indiana, Inc. Indiana Health Centers, Inc. $9.

7 Million Awarded to Region 3 Region 3 Initiatives & Activities: Expand Mobile Integrated Health: Bring care into residents’ homes through chronic disease monitoring, medication management, 24–72-hour post-discharge follow-up, behavioral health crisis response, prenatal home visits and telehealth support.

Leverage Transportation and Navigation : Expand access to medical appointments, pharmacies and essential services for rural residents. Provide New Access Points: Expand clinic capacity, add primary care and behavioral health access points, launch mobile medical and dental services and support medication delivery for high-risk rural residents.

Improve Rural Prenatal Care Access: Boost regional prenatal referrals and care coordination, expand telehealth and remote patient monitoring, deploy trusted activators to conduct outreach, mobile services, postnatal support and education and distribution of prevention and support resources.

Support Chronic Disease Prevention: Train community health workers, implement screening and referral workflows in clinical settings, conduct patient outreach and education focused on prevention and management of chronic condition Grant Recipient Organizations: Area IV Agency on Aging and Community Action Programs, Inc Health Communities of Clinton County, Inc OPEN DOOR HEALTH CLINIC, INC. St.

Vincent Williamsport Hospital, Inc. Benton County Emergency Ambulance Service Clinton County Health Department Paul Phillippe Resource Center, Inc. Boone County Senior Services, Inc Community Action Program Inc of Western Indiana Indiana Immunization Coalition, Inc. Phoenix Paramedic Solutions LLC White County Council on Aging, Inc. Carroll County Council on Aging, Inc. Crawfordsville Area Transit Indiana University Health, Inc City of Crawfordsville - Mobile Integrated Health Franciscan Health Foundation Monticello Fire Department Riggs Community Health Center, Inc $15.

2 Million Awarded to Region 4 Region 4 Initiatives & Activities: Expand community-based access to care : Build stronger community health worker networks, mobile integrated health, rural mobile clinics, and coordinated transportation, including a CHW regional network, MIH home-based assessments, rural mobile clinic deployments and a regional transportation plan that reduces missed appointments and strengthens access across all counties.

Implement a regionwide maternal health access model : Bring prenatal/postpartum care into homes and community settings; expand navigation, remote patient monitoring, maternal education and other direct perinatal support services; and integrate behavioral health/SUD treatment into maternal care workflows to address high-risk outcomes.

Transform behavioral health and crisis response : Utilize ED embedded clinicians, a new adolescent inpatient psychiatric unit, standardized regional crisis services messaging and dedicated behavioral health transport, all aimed at reducing preventable ED utilization, crisis boarding, and out of region transfers.

Strengthen emergency medical response and rural clinical readiness : Expand MICU critical care transport and prehospital blood access across 12 counties.

Build a long-term rural healthcare workforce pipeline: Support career pathway expansion, employer sponsored EMT/paramedic cohorts, externship and clinical placement supports, preceptor development, rural training clinics and expansion of sonography and other high demand programs Grant Recipient Organizations: Ivy Tech Community Colleges-Henry County St.

Vincent Randolph Hospital, Inc. Henry County Health Department LifeStream Services, Inc. Union County Health Department Indiana Association of SkillsUSA, Incorporated Madison County Health Department Randolph Eastern School Building Corporation Indiana District 6 Healthcare Coalition Marion General Hospital, Inc. Reid Hospital & Health Care Services, Inc. Well Care Community Health, Inc. Centerstone of Indiana, Inc. Indiana University Health, Inc Neighborhood Health Center, Inc. SPIRIT MEDICAL TRANSPORT, LLC $16.

7 Million Awarded to Region 5 Region 5 Initiatives & Activities: Connect hospitals, clinics, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), behavioral health providers, and public health partners: Predictive modeling supports earlier risk identification to improve chronic disease and maternal health outcomes and reduce avoidable emergency visits.

Regionwide telespecialty infrastructure: Expand inpatient and outpatient teleconsultation services, increase access to specialty providers, reduce delays, and strengthen clinical integration across critical access hospitals.

Enhance the behavioral health crisis continuum: Use mobile crisis hubs, telepsychiatric consultation, and Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) demonstration readiness to improve stabilization and reduce unnecessary emergency department utilization.

Scale up mobile integrated health (MIH) services : Provide home-based chronic disease monitoring, maternal child health services, behavioral health follow-up, and remote monitoring for high-risk residents, improving care access and reducing readmissions.

Create a coordinated regional transportation network : Link hospitals, EMS, aging-service providers, and local transit to reduce missed appointments and improve access to medical, behavioral health, and specialty services through unified scheduling and governance. Grant Recipient Organizations: Area 10 Council on Aging of Monroe and Owen Co Inc Cummins Behavioral Health Systems, Inc. Indiana Health Centers, Inc. St.

Vincent Clay Hospital Inc. Greene County General Hospital Sullivan County Ambulance Service Valley Professionals Community Health Center Putnam County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) - Mobile Integrated Health (MIH) Program Sullivan County Community Hospital West Central Indiana Economic Development District, Inc. $13 Million Awarded to Region 6 Region 6 Initiatives & Activities: Expand primary, preventive, dental, behavioral health, maternal-infant, and trauma care while addressing community needs like food security, transportation, and digital literacy .

Prescribe-the-Y : Support diabetes and hypertension management through clinical-to-community referrals into YMCA exercise and coaching programs. Expand Catch-a-Ride : Improve access to medical appointments, pharmacies and essential services for rural residents in Region 6. Build durable regional capacity through workforce pipeline pathways, interoperable digital health systems (IHIE/EHR), and shared governance.

Grant Recipient Organizations: Aging and Community Services of South Central Indiana Decatur Shelby County YMCA Jennings County Coordinating Council Ripley County Health Department East Indiana Area Health Education Center, Inc. Jennings County Health Department Ascension St.

Vincent Jennings Franklin County Health Department Scott County Health Department The Scott County Partnership, Inc. Well Care Community Health, Inc. Dearborn County Health Department Decatur County Health Department Margaret Mary Community Hospital Decatur County Memorial Hospital Jefferson County Health Department Ohio County Health Department Switzerland County Health Department $13.

1 Million Awarded to Region 7 Region 7 Initiatives & Activities: Build a coordinated provider ecosystem: Create network of community paramedicine, remote monitoring, and mobile primary care, behavioral health, dental, and preventive screening services to reach rural residents where they are.

Improve maternal and infant outcomes: Expand prenatal/postpartum navigation, maternal fetal medicine access, infant supports, perinatal mental health programs, and a rural-focused OB residency. Increasing crisis service access: MOUD availability, mobile crisis teams, school based mental health, youth prevention efforts, and behavioral health workforce pathways.

Address distance-based disparities: Provide transportation support, community navigation, digital literacy, housing stability programs, recovery supports, and linkage to behavioral and medical care. Strengthen long term rural health capacity: Create coordinated pipelines for behavioral health, clinical, CHW, peer support, and high school–based workforce development to.

Focus on healthy families : Strengthen early prevention, youth resiliency, and family supports to improve long term mental and behavioral health outcomes. It expands evidence-based programs in schools and community settings, increases access to infant and early childhood mental health services, and enhances family centered recovery and stability supports.

Grant Recipient Organizations: Boys & Girls Club of Seymour, Inc. Hoosier Uplands Economic Development Corporation Journey Together RCO Inc. Southern Indiana Community Health Care Inc Indiana Health Centers Inc LIFE House Living in Freedom Every Day Corp. St.

Vincent Salem Hospital, Inc. Indiana Immunization Coalition Fathers Forever Coalition Inc Indiana University Health Inc Perry Central Community School Jackson County Schneck Memorial Hospital Perry County Memorial Hospital Trustees of Indiana University $11.

4 Million Awarded to Region 8 Region 8 Initiatives & Activities: Expand access to care: Establishing new fixed sites, deploying mobile healthcare units, and strengthening maternal–child health, chronic disease management, behavioral health, oral health, and unmet ‑ needs support across the region.

Build a regional rural health workforce pipeline: Expand recruitment, clinical training pathways, retention strategies, and high-need positions such as CHWs, EMS/MIH staff and behavioral health providers. Launch mobile integrated health teams : Provide in ‑ home chronic ‑ disease monitoring, post-hospital follow-up, behavioral-health support, and medication management for rural residents across multiple counties.

Grant Recipient Organizations: Good Samaritan Family Health Center Inc. Vanderburgh County Health Department Gibson County Ambulance Service Southwestern Behavioral Healthcare, Inc. Trustees of Indiana University Gibson County Health Department Spencer County Emergency Ambulance Service, Inc. University of Southern Indiana Surplus funding represents dollars that remained available after the initial round of regional grant awards were allocated, allowing the program to further strengthen or expand priority initiatives across the state.

These funds function as a flexible pool that can be directed either to regional needs - such as capital upgrades, CKMCA site development, or clinical expansions - or to statewide projects that benefit all regions collectively. By supplementing regional allocations and supporting statewide infrastructure, surplus funding reinforces the overall strategic goals of the initiative and maximizes the benefit of the total investment.

Total Surplus Funds Awarded: $16,249,593. 22 Regional Surplus: $8,724,000 Statewide Surplus: $7,525,593. 22 RHTP GROW Regional Presentation Indiana offers competitive regional grants focused on improving rural health.

These grants support: Innovative health solutions Collaboration to reduce costs across organizations New access points for preventive care Chronic disease prevention and management Workforce training and readiness Technological advancements in healthcare The Regional Committee is an advisory team within each region appointed by the State Executive Oversight group.

They will represent key rural health stakeholders, utilizing subject matter expertise to assess potential beneficiaries of the GROW Regional Grants to ensure accountability and an equitable distribution of funds. The Regional Committee must meet at least quarterly to provide strategic guidance, foster regional collaboration, drive accountability, and review regional progress and impact.

The Regional Committees reviewed regional applications before they were submitted to the state.

Each Committee must include: 1 Member of the Indiana General Assembly 1 Provider Representative 1 Non-Provider Medical Workers Representative 1 Pharmacy Representative 2 Regional Business Community Representatives 2 Community-based Organizations Representatives 1 Local Health Department Representative 1 Medicaid Managed Care Representative 1 Specialty Obstetric Care Representative Regional Committee Members General Assembly Rep.

Mike Aylesworth District 11 Physician Dan Nafziger Goshen Health Non-Physician Jen Shafer Pulaski County Recovery Café & Circuit Court Patient TBD TBD Pharmacist in the Community Bryan Mumaugh Franciscan Hospital Business Gary Neidig One Marshall County Business TBD TBD Community-based Organization Jennifer Malone CoAction Community-based Organization Katie Surma Jasper-Newton Community Support Network Local Health Department Staff Melanie Sizemore Elkhart County Health Officer Medicaid Managed Care Representative Darryl Lockett Anthem Rural Hospital Staff Steve Jarosinski Pulaski Memorial Specialty Obstetric Care Representative April Rantz Woodlawn Hospital Region 2 General Assembly Rep.

Craig Snow District 22 General Assembly Sen.

Justin Busch District 16 Physician Sara Brown Parkview Health Non-Physician Jared Beasley Community Health Clinic Patient Mark Demchak Miami County YMCA Pharmacist in the Community Tara Jellison Parkview Health Business Natalie DeWitt Taylor Rental Business TBD TBD Community-based Organization Ann Lundy Indiana Health Centers Community-based Organization Steve Hoffman Brightpoint Local Health Department Staff Matt Pflieger Huntington County Health Department Medicaid Managed Care Representative Dustin Ziegler Anthem, Indiana PathWays Rural Hospital Staff Angie Logan Cameron Health Specialty Obstetric Care Representative Todd Rumsey Cameron Health Region 3 General Assembly Rep.

Matt Commons District 13 Physician Eric Frantz St.

Vincent Williamsport Non-Physician Melissa Hodson-Ostler Clinton County Health Department Patient Lorra Archibald Healthy Communities of Clinton Co Pharmacist in the Community Katelyn Riddell Butler University & Cowan Drugs Business Macy Simmons Integrative Wellness Business Gina Woodward MICI AHEC Community-based Organization Holly Wood Purdue University Community-based Organization Chad Springer North Central Nursing Clinics (Purdue University) Local Health Department Staff Christine Rodziewicz White County Health Department Medicaid Managed Care Representative Christina Hage Managed Health Services (MHS) Rural Hospital Staff Carlos Vasquez Franciscan Health Rensselaer, Franciscan Health Crawfordsville Specialty Obstetric Care Representative Faihza Hill IU Health Primary Care Region 4 General Assembly Sen.

Jeff Raatz District 27 Physician Jennifer Bales Reid Health Non-Physician Shelley Dunham Ascension St. Vincent Anderson Patient Karen Hinshaw Indiana University School of Medicine Pharmacist in the Community Cheri Knapke IU Health Business Clark Simpson YMCA of Madison County Business Linda S.

Fitzgerald Healthy Fayette County Community-based Organization Amanda Mullins Centerstone - Community Mental Health Community-based Organization Billie Wolfe ECI-AHEC Local Health Department Staff Shae Bex Henry County Health Department Medicaid Managed Care Representative Jessica Parks Managed Health Services (MHS) Rural Hospital Staff Stephanie Hilton-Siebert Marion Health Specialty Obstetric Care Representative Amber Liles Ascension St.

Vincent Anderson Region 5 General Assembly Rep.

Beau Baird District 14 Physician Michael Gamble Sullivan Health Department Non-Physician Jennifer Knight Greene County Ambulance Service Patient Paul Sinders Clay County Government Pharmacist in the Community Ryan Chavis Union Hospital Clinton Business Amy Mace Cummins Behavioral Health Business Art Fuller Hamilton Center, Inc. Community-based Organization Terry (TJ) Warren Valley Professionals Community Health Center Community-based Organization Amanda Perry Richard Lugar Center for Rural Health Local Health Department Staff Shari Lewis Greene County Health Department Medicaid Managed Care Representative Dana Moell Managed Health Services (MHS) Rural Hospital Staff Michelle Franklin Sullivan County Community Hospital Specialty Obstetric Care Representative Summer Appling IU Health Region 6 General Assembly Rep.

Alex Zimmerman District 67 General Assembly Rep. Garrett Bascom District 68 Physician Holly Robinson Infants in Bloom Non-Physician Rex McKinney Decatur County Memorial Hospital Patient Kathy Ertel Jennings County Economic Development Pharmacist in the Community Anna Lattos St.

Elizabeth Business Will Gott Wood-Mizer Business Sonja White Batesville Tool and Die Community-based Organization Elizabeth Boyd New Hope Community-based Organization Tara Britton Southeastern Indiana YMCA Local Health Department Staff Sean Durbin Decatur County Health Department Medicaid Managed Care Representative Brittany Burtraw Care Source Rural Hospital Staff Liz Leising Margaret Mary Health Specialty Obstetric Care Representative TBD TBD Region 7 General Assembly Sen.

Eric Koch District 44 Physician Kalen Carty-Kemker Ascension Non-Physician Amy Meek IU Health Community Patient Dan Robinson Jackson County Chamber Pharmacist in the Community Kellie Knight IU Health in Southern Indiana Business Dan Peterson Cook Group Incorporated Business Andy Zirkle Indiana Health Centers, Inc. Community-based Organization Beth Keeney LifeSpring Health Community-based Organization Andrew Settle YMCA of Harrison County Local Health Department Staff Lonnie Stroud Orange County Health Department Medicaid Managed Care Representative Mark Vonderheit Managed Health Services (MHS) Rural Hospital Staff Lisa Lieber Harrison County Hospital Specialty Obstetric Care Representative Eric Fish Schneck Hospital Region 8 General Assembly Rep.

Tim O'Brien District 78 Physician Nick Dahl Daviess County Primary Care Physician Non-Physician Paul Micheletti Posey County EMS Patient Jessica Kincaid Spencer County Health Coalition Pharmacist in the Community Carrie Morton Deaconess Health Systems Business TBD TBD Business TBD TBD Community-based Organization Lloyd Winnecke Evansville Regional Economic Partnership Community-based Organization Nikki Lasher Tri-Cap Local Health Department Staff Kellie Streeter Daviess County Health Department Medicaid Managed Care Representative Sarah Jo Poland UnitedHealthcare Rural Hospital Staff Adam Thacker Good Samaritan Specialty Obstetric Care Representative Sarah Morrison Good Samaritan Regional Budget Period Timeline Regional Grant funding timeline is different than overall state funding timeline.

Unified Regional Applications Each region submitted a single, unified application that demonstrated a shared plan for improving health outcomes. Applications used resources such as community needs assessments and local health data from the Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) to identify service gaps, reduce duplication, opportunities for shared cost savings, and propose innovative ways to deliver care.

By requiring one coordinated application per region, the program ensures that these partnerships extend beyond the grant period, forming the foundation for long-term regional health planning. Funding will be distributed directly to the organizations carrying out the initiatives.

This approach recognizes that rural providers understand their communities best and that collaboration leads to lower costs, fewer service gaps, and better patient outcomes. Regional Grant Oversight and Governance The state will maintain strong oversight while giving rural communities the flexibility they need to innovate.

The Indiana Health and Family Services (HFS) will ensure that all sub-grantees comply with Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) guidelines, state grant rules, and reporting requirements. Public dashboards and key performance tracking will make data transparent and hold each region accountable for results. Oversight is led by two main committees.

The Executive Oversight Committee , made up of leaders from Health and Family Services and the Governor’s Office, will have final authority over application approvals, funding decisions, and performance monitoring. It will oversee the grant throughout its duration and adjust funding annually based on compliance and outcomes.

The State Steering Committee , jointly staffed by the Family and Social Services Agency (FSSA) and IDOH, oversees all activities, progress, and risks across the full Program.

The RHTP Advisory Committee serves in a strictly advisory capacity, leveraging unique knowledge and skills to offer expertise; offer recommendations and insight to inform the State Steering Committee; facilitate connections both statewide and for Regional Grants, including community partners, and other relevant entities; and propose support/solutions for specific initiatives when needed to navigate complexities of the initiatives.

Advisory Committee Members Senior Director of Governmental Relations and Public Affairs Statewide Healthcare Association Indiana Rural Health Association Andy VanZee, MHA, MIS, FACHE Vice President, Regulatory & Hospital Operations Statewide Healthcare Association Indiana Hospital Association Statewide Healthcare Association Indiana Primary Health Care Association Medicaid Managed Care Entity CareSource Indiana Market Vice President, Provider Network Steve Howell, MS, LMHC, LCAC Certified Community Behavioral Health Center Decatur County Memorial Hospital Internist and Hospitalist This initiative duplicates the federal RHTP at the state level.

It aims to reduce healthcare gaps and costs, foster regional partnerships, and advance rural health outcomes in alignment with CMS goals. It launches Sept. 1, 2026, with $120M awarded annually across eight regional coalitions.

Organizations cannot apply alone; they must participate as part of a regional coalition. Each of the eight regions submitted one unified application that includes all proposed projects and subrecipients. What data should regions examine to prepare for their applications?

At a minimum, regions should review: Local health outcome data (chronic disease, maternal and infant health, behavioral health, preventable ED visits) Access and capacity data (workforce, facility availability, travel times, service gaps) Non-medical needs data (transportation, food access, housing, broadband) Existing program and infrastructure maps (what already exists, where duplication or gaps occur) IDOH will provide regional data snapshots which regions are expected to use to anchor their needs assessments.

Since money will be coming to regions on Sept. 1, 2026, how long do the regions have to spend their money? The Regional Grants are designed as a five-year funding period (FY27–FY31), with funding distributed annually starting Sept.

1, 2026. Regions will receive annual allocations, and funds must be spent within each grant year in alignment with approved budgets, with limited flexibility for carryover as permitted by state and federal rules. The regional grant funding amount awarded to each region each year may be recalibrated based on the overall recalibration of Indiana awarded funds, which occurs each November, effective that federal fiscal year.

Will regions receive funding for administrative costs? Yes. Reasonable administrative and program management costs at both the regional and organizational level are allowable, as long as they: Are clearly described in the budget.

Are necessary for program implementation, oversight, and reporting. Stay within any indirect cost limits set by CMS and the state. Is grant administration/committee leader salary an allowable expense within this grant?

Committee leaders will not be permitted to draw a salary from RHTP grant budgets. However, some direct administrative costs may be allowable for funded organizations receiving RHTP funds to manage and administer the grant. How are applications scored?

Applications are scored using two major components: base funding allocation and application evaluation criteria. Only the second component is based on the quality of the application. 1.

Base funding allocation (80% of total award) This portion is not scored by the application , but by state-calculated data indicators: Access to healthcare (10%), based on: Health professional shortage area designation (60%) Medically underserved area/population designation (40%) Health indicators (10%), including Medicaid enrollment, infant mortality, diabetes, obesity and life expectancy 2.

Application evaluation criteria (20% of total award) This score directly depends on the strength of the submitted application and is assessed based on the five categories listed in Figure 7 of the RFF: Strategy – How transformative and impactful the proposed investments are. Workplan & Collaborative Structure – Clarity, feasibility, partner coordination and oversight structure.

Outcomes – Specificity, measurability and grounding in credible evidence. Projected Impact – Expected benefit to rural residents and scale of impact. Sustainability Beyond Funding – Strength and plausibility of long-term sustainment plans.

Each category includes descriptors for Weak, Acceptable, Strong and Exceptional responses. Stronger responses lead to a larger share of the $24 million available through competitive scoring. The State will convene an application review team that will score applications and determine funding amounts according to the guidance included in the application.

Who will issue the grant awards and where will this be posted? Grant awards will be issued by the Indiana Department of Health and posted to the Indiana RHTP website. When will grant awards/projects be announced?

Grant awards will be announced on Sept. 1. If my project is submitted to the regional coalition and included in application, how do I get my money?

If your organization’s project is submitted as part of the regional application and approved, you will be awarded funding from the Indiana Department of Health through a subgrant contractual agreement. If I submitted a project and I have multiple partners included in my project, will I receive all the money?

Primary subrecipients will be prohibited from awarding funds granted by the State to other subrecipients via sub-awards/sub-grants. Primary subrecipients may still award funds to contractors. How will applications be assessed, and who conducts the review?

Regional grant applications will be reviewed through a competitive scoring process led by the GROW State Steering Committee, and their designees.

Proposals will be scored on factors such as: Strength and breadth of the regional coalition Data-driven needs assessment Alignment with required categories and KPOs Evidence of non-duplication and filling gaps Quality of sustainability and governance plans Commitment to participation in statewide RHTP initiatives (further clarification on regional grant participation is outlined in the RFF) All eight regions are expected to receive funding, but award size will vary by population served and quality of application.

How will the state ensure the use of AI in reviewing regional applications is fair? Will AI be used? The core scoring and funding decisions will be made by human reviewers.

The state may use technology tools (including limited AI or analytics) to assist with tasks such as consistency checks or data aggregation, but no application will be approved or denied solely by an AI system. Any use of AI will be transparent, standardized, and overseen by human reviewers to protect fairness.

Just to clarify, the regions don't self-select the regional committees, but the state executive oversight selects the individuals who will make up the regional committees? Who is going to certify the submission groups? HFS will work with state associations to identify individuals who will lead the Regional Coalitions and the Regional Committee members.

The State Executive Oversight Committee will approve the composition of each Regional Committee based on required roles (e.g., rural hospitals, provider, non-provider medical worker, CBOs, patient, LHD, Medicaid MCO, business, pharmacy, legislator). The same executive body (or its designee) will certify each Regional Coalition as eligible to submit a unified regional application.

How are committees ensuring the right people are included in decision-making? What does it mean for regional community members who volunteer? Each Regional Committee must include specific stakeholder types (e.g., rural hospitals, CBOs, patient representative, LHD, Medicaid MCO, business sector).

Community members or groups who volunteer will be considered during committee formation and can: Serve in required roles (e.g., CBO, patient representative) Participate in advisory councils, workgroups, or project design processes Final membership is approved by the State Executive Oversight Committee to ensure balanced representation and avoid dominance by any single entity. How does the overall governance structure work together?

Governor / State Executive Oversight Committee: Final authority over awards, compliance, and course correction. RHTP State Steering Committee: Reviews progress, advises on strategy, and lifts cross-regional issues.

IDOH Regional Grant Initiative Team: ongoing oversight of regions throughout grant period; state management of contracts, grant agreements, leads application review and scoring and makes funding recommendations with final approval by the State Executive Oversight Committee.

Regional Grant State Contractors: Serve as the coordinator of all activities associated with the regional activities, direct communication with IDOH Regional Grant Initiative Team for clarifications and escalations as needed. Regional Coalition Leader: Design, prioritize, and oversee projects within their region; monitor budgets and outcomes; ensure alignment with state requirements.

Regional Committees: ongoing strategic guidance to regional coalitions – must approve application before submission to state. Regional Grant Technical Assistance Provider (state-contracted): will provide application assistance, performance monitoring, and cross-regional learning support. Governance is layered so decisions are locally informed but state-accountable.

Once the committees are formed and their proposal is submitted this summer, will they direct the process for surrounding institutions/health systems/providers to potentially partner achieving their outcomes? Or as a health system, do we need to contact the state/committee to participate?

Once Regional Committees are set and proposals are submitted, they will identify partners and aligning regional activities with the outcomes outlined in their proposals. Participation is not limited to organizations already at the table. Health systems and other providers that wish to be involved should proactively reach out to the Regional Committee or to the regional grant technical assistance providers.

Can you share more information about data collection, tracking success and measuring results? Data collection and performance measurement will follow a standardized, statewide framework to ensure consistency across all regions. Each Regional Coalition will track progress toward the outcomes identified in its proposal using a mix of health indicators, system‑capacity measures, and implementation metrics.

The state will provide templates, technical assistance, and shared reporting tools to support this work, and regions will submit regular updates that highlight progress, challenges, and opportunities for improvement. The goal is to create a clear, practical approach to monitoring results that strengthens accountability while supporting continuous learning and adaptation. Does the coalition stay in place for the five year period?

Rural and Regional Representation How is rurality being assessed/defined? Counties with HRSA Rural Designation are considered fully rural and organizations within those counties may be direct recipients of the RHTP funds as part of the regional application. Organizations in these counties should be prioritized in regional coalitions and subsequent applications.

These 64 counties are noted in the regional map as solid-colored counties. There will be nine additional counties which may also be considered direct recipients eligible for RHTP funds as noted with stripes in the regional map. The stripes indicate a county has either a HRSA rural designation with a distinction that only some parts of the county are eligible for rural health grants; or a non HRSA rural designated county,