Delta Health Care Service Grant Program

The Delta Health Care Services Grant Program is administered by the Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBCS), an agency under the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The grant program operates under the authority of Section 379G of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act and is designed to enhance health outcomes in the Delta Region, which encompasses 252 counties and parishes across eight states: Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee. The FY26 opportunity, published on April 1, 2026, with an application deadline of June 1, 2026, provides approximately $6 million in available funding, which includes $3 million in carryover from FY25. A minimum of 10% of the funds are reserved for Persistent Poverty Counties within the Delta Region. The program's primary goal is to address unmet health care needs in the Delta Region through strategic collaboration. Grants are awarded to consortia consisting of at least three eligible entities, including academic health and research institutes, institutions of higher education, and economic development entities. Each consortium must have at least one member legally capable of entering into a federal contract and must demonstrate at least one year of experience addressing health-related issues in the Delta Region. The lead entity, designated by consortium partners, is responsible for overall grant administration, financial management, and performance reporting. Eligible uses of grant funds include the development of health care services, health education programs, health care job training programs, and the development or expansion of public health-related facilities in the Delta Region. Project funds must be used solely for eligible purposes, and grant-supported activities must commence within 90 days of the award date. The performance period can last up to 24 months, starting no earlier than September 1, 2026. Projects that begin earlier or extend beyond this timeframe will be deemed ineligible. The grant does not require cost-sharing or matching, but applicants may include additional contributions if documented and used for eligible purposes. Applications must be submitted electronically via Grants.gov no later than 11:59 p.m. ET on June 1, 2026. Required application materials include Forms SF-424, SF-424A, and, if applicable, SF-424C; an executive summary; evidence of eligibility; consortium agreements; a response to scoring criteria; a detailed work plan and budget; three years of pro forma financial statements; evidence of legal authority; service area maps; environmental documentation (if construction is involved); and performance metrics. Specific performance measures include the number of businesses assisted, jobs created or saved, and individuals trained. Applications must also detail a sustainability plan and provide evidence of community and local government input. Evaluation criteria include: the extent to which the proposed project addresses regional health needs (30 points), the management and organizational capacity of the consortium (30 points), the quality of the work plan and budget (30 points), and the level of local support demonstrated (10 points). Only applications scoring 60 or more out of 100 points will be considered for funding, though the agency reserves the right to make exceptions. Successful applicants will be notified electronically and must complete agency-required documentation before grant funds are disbursed. Ongoing compliance and reporting are mandatory. Awardees must submit semiannual financial and performance reports, as well as a final report within 120 days of project completion. Additionally, annual audits are required for recipients who expend over $1 million in federal funds annually. For assistance or questions, applicants may contact Ann Stahl, Business Loan and Grant Analyst, via email at [email protected] or phone at 567-245-3383. Further details and application tools are available on the USDA RD website at www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/delta-health-care-services-grants.

Ensure all scoring criteria are fully addressed; begin SAM and Grants.gov registrations early; include all consortium agreement elements; review allowable and unallowable costs carefully.