Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP)

DOH opened a registration and Letter of Interest portal on February 17, 2026 for this first round of RHTP funding that closed on March 11, 2026.

There will be additional opportunities for applications in each funding year.

To foster collaboration and measure progress across Alaska’s health care landscape, the Alaska Department of Health will be partnering with leaders across the state to host regional RHTP meetings.

These in-person meetings intend to bring communities together to collectively discuss regional gaps and priorities across the six Alaska RHTP initiatives. DOH will utilize these meeting discussions to identify regional milestones and metrics to monitor progress in the state’s healthcare landscape for the duration of the RHTP five-year period. 

DOH will announce updates here as they become available. Questions can be directed to rhtp@alaska.gov. 

Anticipated annually:

• Celebrate program successes
• Facilitate partnerships and collaboration across
  stakeholders

The RHTP is a new federal program created by Congress in 2025 to strengthen rural communities across America by improving healthcare access, quality, and outcomes by transforming the healthcare delivery ecosystem. Through innovative system-wide change, the RHTP invests in the rural healthcare delivery ecosystem for future generation.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) provides a national framework for the RHTP, but each state is responsible for developing its own transformation plan. In Alaska, the RHTP is particularly important due to the state’s vast geography, remote and frontier communities, workforce shortages, and high cost of care delivery. The program provides a time-limited opportunity to strengthen local health systems, expand access to care close to home, and invest in solutions designed for Alaska’s unique rural and remote context.

The RHTP is intended to make health care work better for all Alaskans by improving access and prevention, expanding workforce, leveraging technology, and creating long-lasting changes that help people stay healthy. Specific goals are detailed further in Alaska’s Project Narrative, and include:

1. Promote lifelong health and wellbeing for rural, remote, and frontier Alaskans
2. Build sustainable, outcomes-driven health systems
3. Drive workforce and technology innovation.

Alaska’s RHTP Project Narrative explains the State’s plan for improving rural health care. It describes the goals, initiatives, and types of projects RHTP funding is meant to support. All RHTP-funded projects must align with this plan.

RHTP is a cooperative agreement with CMS, which means the Department of Health (DOH) works closely with CMS and CMS must approve how funds are used. As the program moves forward, CMS may continue to review and clarify allowable activities and Alaska may make updates to its Project Narrative accordingly. Applicants should use the Project Narrative as a guide when developing project ideas.

Alaska is among the top recipients nationwide. Alaska’s year one award was $272,174,855.72 to support targeted, system-level investments aimed at improving access to care while reinforcing the long-term stability of Alaska’s health care infrastructure.

Alaska’s first RHTP budget period runs from December 29, 2025 through October 30, 2026. First year award funds must be obligated by the end of the budget period, but Alaska can finish spending those funds through the following federal fiscal year. This means that all first-year funds are required to be fully spent by September 30, 2027. Any funds not expended by that date are subject to federal recapture and redistribution under the RHTP rules.

The Alaska DOH is the lead agency for Alaska’s RHTP. DOH administers the program through a cooperative agreement with CMS, which provides federal oversight and approval of allowable uses of funds.

DOH is responsible for setting program priorities, establishing application and evaluation processes, making funding recommendations, and ensuring compliance with federal requirements. Final funding decisions are made by the DOH Commissioner and are subject to CMS review and approval.

To support implementation and efficiently distribute funds to community-based organizations, DOH has contracted with the Alaska Community Foundation to manage the administrative subrecipient application process, administer subawards to approved projects, and assists subrecipients with administrative requirements under DOH’s direction.

Alaska’s RHTP Project Narrative has been accepted by CMS and serves as the approved framework for implementation. Because RHTP is administered through a cooperative agreement, project design and implementation details will continue to evolve over time in collaboration with CMS.

DOH is the lead agency for Alaska’s RHTP. DOH will work with federal partners at CMS to set program priorities, approve awards, and ensure federal compliance.

DOH will establish a statewide Subrecipient Administrator to help run the application process within the state, provide technical help to applicants, process awards, and support reporting and compliance.

All funding decisions will be made by the DOH Commissioner with support from the RHTP Advisory Council.

The Alaska Community Foundation (ACF) is an Alaska-based philanthropic organization with deep roots and connections across the state. DOH has contracted with ACF to support implementation of RHTP in Alaska by managing the subaward process on behalf of DOH. This includes administering the application portal, assisting organizations as they apply, issuing and managing subawards for approved projects, processing payments, and supporting required reporting and compliance activities.

ACF does not make final funding decisions. All award decisions, program priorities, and oversight responsibilities remain with DOH and are subject to federal requirements and CMS approval.

RHTP funding is provided to states in annual awards. Each year CMS reviews Alaska’s progress in implementing the program, including whether projects are moving forward on schedule, funds are being used as approved, and the state is making progress on the goals and commitments described in its RHTP plan. This annual review helps inform the amount of funding Alaska may receive in future years, consistent with federal program requirements and available appropriations.

Sign up for Alaska RHTP updates and notifications. Additional guidance, templates, webinars, training opportunities, application dates and instructions, and other information will be posted as soon as it becomes available.

For federal updates, monitor the CMS Rural Health Transformation Program website.