CalRHT Workforce Development Recruitment and Retention Program (WDRR)

Summary

HCAI's CalRHT Workforce Development Recruitment and Retention Program (WDRR) funds eligible rural California organizations—including rural hospitals, clinics, Tribal health entities, and regional collaboratives—to recruit or relocate, and to retain, primary care and maternal health professionals at HRSA-qualifying rural sites. $54,170,000 WDRR Pool for Grant Year 2026. Recruitment and retention bonuses are capped at $150,000 per Health Professional; total award amounts are capped at $1,000,000 per individual facility or $2,000,000 per consortium/collaborative/system. Awards support a five-year rural service commitment for each Health Professional. Bonuses support recruitment, retention, clinical training, faculty/preceptor capacity, shared regional staffing pools, regional coordination, and Tribal health program efforts. Applicants must meet all organizational eligibility requirements and submit comprehensive application documentation. This is the 4th of California's four currently-open CalRHT Budget Period 1 programs, alongside the already-tracked Accelerator Partners RFA, FM-OB Fellowship Subaward Program, and EHR Modernization Grant Program.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants are rural-serving California organizations—including hospitals, clinics, Tribal health entities, and regional collaboratives—recruiting or retaining primary care and maternal health professionals at HRSA-defined rural sites. Individual Health Professionals are not eligible to apply directly. Behavioral-health-only roles are not eligible; integrated behavioral Health Professionals may be supported if part of primary/maternal teams.

Requirements Checklist