# Virginia RHTP: Rural Health Innovation Grants — Consumer Tech for Education and Lifestyle Change (RFA #852P028)

VFHY, a DMAS subrecipient under Virginia's Rural Health Transformation Program, is funding technology-enabled projects that improve the health and wellness of youth under 18 in 76 eligible rural Virginia localities (Live Well Together initiative, Consumer Tech for Education and Lifestyle Change sub-initiative). Projects may address nutrition, physical activity, health education, tobacco and nicotine prevention and cessation, substance use prevention, and chronic disease prevention and management, and must connect to at least one VFHY mission area (youth tobacco/nicotine use, substance use, or childhood obesity). Success is measured by health impact (health behaviors, health literacy, or ability to navigate health and wellness resources), not technology adoption. Up to $8,574,012.50 is available; VFHY anticipates at least 15 awards of $300,000 to $1,500,000 for the period from contract start through August 31, 2027, renewable at VFHY's discretion for up to four additional periods.

## Key facts

- Status: Open
- Type: RFA
- Issued by: Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth (VFHY) (Virginia)
- Posted: 2026-11-10
- Questions due: 2026-12-07
- Application due: 2026-12-17
- Funding: $300,000 – $1.5M
- Eligible applicants: Nonprofit, For-profit Business, Tribal Entity, School or School Division, Government Agency
- How to apply: VFHY Online Grants Portal only (select RFA #852P028 – Rural Health Innovation Grants (2027)); due December 17, 2026, 5:00 p.m. ET. The Budget Form must be submitted in Excel and the Evaluation Plan in Word.
- Funding source: Rural Health Transformation Program (CMS)
- Official source: https://vfhy.org/grants-and-funding/rural-health-innovation-grants/

## Eligibility

Organizations (not individuals) may apply: nonprofits, for-profit organizations (applicants need not be technology companies), Tribal entities, schools or school divisions, and government agencies. Applicants must be legally organized, in good standing, registered to do business in Virginia before applying, U.S.-based and U.S.-owned, able to receive federal subaward funding, and have no active SAM.gov exclusion; work must be performed in the U.S. The project must primarily serve youth under 18 who reside in one or more of the 76 eligible rural localities listed in RFA Section 2.4 (the organization itself need not be located there); adults may take part only where it directly supports youth health. Applicants that don't directly serve youth must name partners (with MOAs, per the FAQ) that reach the youth. One application per organization as lead (Commonwealth agencies may submit more than one, by division, with VFHY approval). Projects focused primarily on mental health counseling or clinical treatment are not eligible.

## Requirements

Projects must use technology-enabled approaches as part of a broader strategy to improve youth health and wellness in the 76 eligible rural Virginia localities. Projects must primarily serve youth under age 18 and produce measurable improvements in at least one of the following: health behaviors, health literacy, or ability to navigate and connect with health and wellness resources and services. Proposed work must connect directly or indirectly to at least one VFHY mission area: preventing and reducing youth tobacco and nicotine use, substance use, or childhood obesity. Projects focused primarily on mental health counseling, clinical mental health treatment, medical diagnosis, clinical treatment, medical procedures, or routine healthcare services are not supported. Applicants must track participation, engagement, outcomes, expenditures, and required performance metrics; maintain records; submit required financial and programmatic reports; and cooperate with VFHY monitoring. Funded activities must be completed by August 16, 2027, and the final report and final invoice/reimbursement request are due August 30, 2027. If the applicant has collaborating partners, a dated MOA for each partner must be uploaded; if there are no partners, the applicant must provide a brief statement confirming that no partners are involved. Administrative costs, indirect costs, and pre-award costs are not allowable.

## Required attachments

- Budget Form in Microsoft Excel format
- Project Evaluation Plan in Microsoft Word format
- Memorandum of Agreement for each collaborating partner, if applicable
- Statement confirming no partners are involved, if applicable
- Combined PDF of other required attachments/approvals, as applicable

## Application package and source documents

- [VA - 2026 - Rural Health Innovation Grants — Consumer Tech for Education and Lifestyle Change (RFA #852P028) (RFA #852P028 Instructions (includes the 76 eligible rural localities, Section 2.4))](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/api/documents/d35aad1b-db2e-488b-9575-e7ac82d2f6bb/file) (primary) — official: https://files.vfhy.org/hubfs/Public/Grants/Rural%20Health%20Innovation%20Grants/RHTG%20RFA%20Instructions.pdf
- [VA - 2026 - Rural Health Innovation Grants (VFHY program page: dates, forms and FAQ (archived 2026-11-13))](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/api/documents/c7bc12d1-ed7f-4692-a6cf-1aa5fd8463c8/file) — official: https://vfhy.org/grants-and-funding/rural-health-innovation-grants/
- [VA - 2025 - Rural Health Innovation Budget Form.xlsx (Application package - Rural Health Innovation Budget Form (Excel))](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/api/documents/3bac292e-f36f-4518-af0e-727118f1c123/file) — official: https://files.vfhy.org/hubfs/Public/Grants/Rural%20Health%20Innovation%20Grants/Rural%20Health%20Innovation%20Budget%20Form.xlsx
- [VA - 2027 - Rural Health Innovation Grants RFA #852P028 Project Evaluation Plan (Application package - Project Evaluation Plan (Word))](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/api/documents/d39d1bbe-f1f3-4fb2-b5d6-e4048687be1a/file) — official: https://files.vfhy.org/hubfs/Public/Grants/Rural%20Health%20Innovation%20Grants/RHTG%20Evaluation%20Plan.docx

More Virginia RHTP activity: https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/states/va (markdown: https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/states/va.md)

---
Source: Rural Care Journey (RCJ), https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/virginia-rhtp-rural-health-innovation-grants-consumer-tech-for-education-and-lif--652932a292 — data as of 2026-11-13.
Cite the RCJ page for the summary and the linked official source for authoritative terms, deadlines, and amounts.