# Maryland — Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP)

Maryland's Rural Health Transformation Program, led by the State Office of Rural Health, is actively implementing a structured plan following its significant federal award in December 2025. The program advances three pillars: transforming the rural health workforce through talent pipelines, apprenticeship, and retention initiatives; expanding sustainable access via innovative care models, behavioral health, telehealth, and EHR integration with the CRISP health information exchange; and empowering healthy food choices in rural areas. Multiple competitive subawards, procurements, and milestone-driven projects are underway, emphasizing workforce development, facility and technology upgrades, and food system initiatives, with ongoing community and stakeholder engagement guiding strategy. Current structured plan tracks 12 key initiatives and 6 strategic goals.

## At a glance

- Implementation phase (RCJ): IMPLEMENTING
- Funding opportunities tracked: 15 (1 open or announced, 14 closed)
- Awards recorded: $106.3M to 88 recipients
- Critical Access Hospitals: 4
- Rural population share: 33%

## Current progress

Maryland's RHTP is federally funded and now distributing state-level subgrants. As of October 2026, at least 39 providers have received awards for workforce and pipeline development, and funded training programs and apprenticeships are being implemented in rural areas. The Rural Health Connectivity Program and other procurements remain open, with ongoing intake of applications and milestone-based payments. Major initiatives—Pathways to Health Careers and RISE—are actively awarding and running subgrants statewide. State opportunities: 1 active (1 open, 12 past/closed), $174.5M listed funding. Key opportunities: Maryland Rural Health Connectivity Program; Rooted and Resilient Rural Maryland: Transformation through Sustainable Access, Innovative Care, and Tech Innovation RFA; Maryland Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP): Grant Funding to Expand Primary Care Access in Rural Maryland. Strategy alignment: supports telehealth, care access, workforce priorities.

## CMS published status (State Data Maps)

- Budget Period 1 award: $168.2M
- State Policy Action commitments: 0 of 19
- Initiatives (3), current CMS stage of each:
  - Empower Marylanders to Eat for Health — Stage 2
  - Promote Sustainable Access and Innovative Care for Rural Marylanders — Stage 2
  - Transform the Rural Health Workforce — Stage 2
- CMS data captured 2026-10-23, last confirmed 2026-11-02

## Open and announced opportunities

- [Maryland Rural Health Connectivity Program](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/maryland-rural-health-connectivity-program--f686c5b56a) — GRANT; Open

## Closed opportunities (14, most recent first)

- [Maryland Healthcare Workforce Data Clearinghouse: Phase 1 Requirements Analysis and Future Planning (BPM058186)](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/maryland-healthcare-workforce-data-clearinghouse-phase-1-requirements-analysis-a--38893b395b) — RFA; Closed; due 2026-08-19
- [Maryland RHTP: Apprenticeship Intermediaries and RAMP Expansion for Allied Health Employers](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/maryland-rhtp-apprenticeship-intermediaries-and-ramp-expansion-for-allied-health--4386bde67a) — GRANT; Closed; due 2026-08-10
- [Maryland RHTP: RISE (Recruiting, Inspiring, Supporting, and Educating) — Pipeline Training Programs and Advance Provider Pathways](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/maryland-rhtp-rise-recruiting-inspiring-supporting-and-educating-pipeline-traini--251b9e1c4e) — GRANT; Closed; due 2026-08-10
- [Maryland RHTP: Post Harvest Infrastructure — Cold Storage for Producers](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/maryland-rhtp-post-harvest-infrastructure-cold-storage-for-producers--c63d63651b) — GRANT; Closed; due 2026-06-14
- [Maryland's Rural Telehealth Strategic Blueprint RFP](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/maryland-s-rural-telehealth-strategic-blueprint-rfp--aa1e5d87be) — RFP; Closed; due 2026-06-03
- [Maryland Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP): Grant Funding to Expand Primary Care Access in Rural Maryland](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/maryland-rural-health-transformation-program-rhtp-grant-funding-to-expand-primar--43603c18cc) — RFA; Closed; due 2026-06-01; $1.6M – $6.3M
- [Maryland RHTP: Revenue Cycle Management and Billing Technical Assistance (Pillar 2)](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/maryland-rhtp-revenue-cycle-management-and-billing-technical-assistance-pillar-2--5ec5004dea) — RFA; Closed; due 2026-05-31
- [Rooted and Resilient Rural Maryland: Transformation through Sustainable Access, Innovative Care, and Tech Innovation RFA](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/rooted-and-resilient-rural-maryland-transformation-through-sustainable-access-in--8bd0741015) — RFA; Closed; due 2026-05-26; $73.0M – $168.2M
- [Maryland RHTP Pillar 3 – Empower Rural Marylanders to Eat for Health](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/maryland-rhtp-pillar-3-empower-rural-marylanders-to-eat-for-health--f88eb83baa) — GRANT; Closed; due 2026-05-15
- [Maryland Federal RHTP Award (FY2026-FY2030)](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/maryland-federal-rhtp-award-fy2026-fy2030--b83b6d57bb) — AWARD; Closed; $168.0M
- [Maryland RHTP Pillar 2 Award Offers — Budget Period 1 ($78.6M to 41 Organizations)](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/maryland-rhtp-pillar-2-award-offers-budget-period-1-78-6m-to-41-organizations--2359818b2c) — AWARD; Closed; $78.6M
- [Maryland RHTP: Increase Efficiency of Local Agency Operations](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/maryland-rhtp-increase-efficiency-of-local-agency-operations--e5b8ee038f) — GRANT; Closed
- [Maryland RHTP: Mobile Health Expansion](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/maryland-rhtp-mobile-health-expansion--3bdf5ee4ab) — GRANT; Closed
- [Maryland RHTP: NourishMD Expansion — Small Grocers and Mobile Markets](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/maryland-rhtp-nourishmd-expansion-small-grocers-and-mobile-markets--b7d25cdd66) — GRANT; Closed

## Largest recorded awards

- Charles County Health Department — $16.4M (FY2026)
- Johns Hopkins University — $6.3M (FY2025)
- Maryland Health Care Commission (MHCC) — $6.3M (FY2026)
- Community Education Group — $5.7M (FY2025)
- Chester River Health System Inc (UM Shore Regional) — $4.9M (FY2025)
- TidalHealth — $4.9M (FY2025)
- Carroll County Health Department — $4.4M (FY2025)
- University of Maryland Medical System — $4.0M (FY2025)
- Frederick Memorial Hospital — $3.9M (FY2025)
- Meritus Health Center — $3.6M (FY2025)
- St. Mary's County Health Department — $3.5M (FY2025)
- Worcester County Health Department — $2.6M (FY2025)
- MedStar St. Mary's Inc — $2.5M (FY2025)
- MPhA Foundation — $2.4M (FY2025)
- Cecil County Health Department — $2.0M (FY2025)

## Official sources RCJ monitors

- [MD RHTP Procurement](https://health.maryland.gov/pophealth/Pages/RHTP-Procurement.aspx)
- [MD Release / Application](https://governor.maryland.gov/news/press/pages/moore-miller-administration-secures-%24168-million-in-federal-funding-to-advance-health-care-in-rural-maryland-communities.aspx)
- [MD Workforce RHTP FAQs (5-yr service commitment / clawback terms)](https://labor.maryland.gov/employment/wdrhtp-faqs.shtml)
- [MD RHTP Primary](https://health.maryland.gov/pophealth/Pages/Rural-Health-Transformation-Program.aspx)

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Source: Rural Care Journey (RCJ), https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/states/md — data as of 2026-11-04.
Cite the RCJ page for the summary and the linked official source for authoritative terms, deadlines, and amounts.