# The Rural Texas Strong Program – Initiative 1 (Part 1): Make Rural Texans Healthy Again

Noncompetitive direct-award opportunity under Texas Rural Texas Strong Initiative 1, Part 1: Make Rural Texans Healthy Again. HHSC expected participating rural hospital districts to enroll for cost-reimbursement funding to enhance or create community-based prevention, wellness, and nutrition programs or services addressing diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and maternal health outcomes. The estimated Part 1 allocation was $60 million; this is a program allocation, not a per-recipient award ceiling.

## Key facts

- Status: Closed
- Type: RFA
- Issued by: Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) (Texas)
- Posted: 2026-04-22
- Application due: 2026-05-26
- Eligible applicants: Rural hospital districts with a publicly owned and operated hospital in their jurisdiction
- How to apply: HHSC enrollment/application process through the HHS Grants Management System; eligible grantees were to be contacted directly with instructions.
- Funding source: Rural Health Transformation Program (CMS)
- Official source: https://pfd.hhs.texas.gov/rural-health-transformation-program

## Eligibility

Eligible entities: rural hospital districts with a publicly owned and operated hospital in their jurisdiction. This was a direct-award/enrollment process for eligible participating districts rather than an open competitive RFA.

## Requirements

Eligible districts were required to complete the HHSC enrollment/application process by May 26, 2026 at 10:30 a.m. Central Time after the deadline extension. Funding was described by HHSC as cost reimbursement for eligible prevention, wellness, and nutrition activities.

## Application package and source documents

- [TX - 2026 - Texas Landing Page (updated: November 14, 2026) (HHSC Rural Health Transformation Program overview page (initiative timeline table))](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/api/documents/9f068311-0826-4043-9db1-2745bb0658ef/file) (primary) — official: https://pfd.hhs.texas.gov/rural-health-transformation-program

More Texas RHTP activity: https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/states/tx (markdown: https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/states/tx.md)

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Source: Rural Care Journey (RCJ), https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/the-rural-texas-strong-program-initiative-1-part-1-make-rural-texans-healthy-aga--fef6ee95f9 — data as of 2026-09-29.
Cite the RCJ page for the summary and the linked official source for authoritative terms, deadlines, and amounts.