State Loan Repayment Program (State LRP)

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), under its Bureau of Health Workforce and Division of the National Health Service Corps, has announced the FY 2026 State Loan Repayment Program (State LRP) under opportunity number HRSA-26-015. This grant program provides federal funding to all 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories to help them operate loan repayment programs for primary care providers serving in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs). The program is authorized under Section 338I of the Public Health Service Act and is designed to recruit and retain qualified primary care, dental, and behavioral health professionals in medically underserved communities. The State LRP empowers each participating state or territory to determine its own qualifying disciplines and HPSA locations based on local needs. The primary goal is to expand access to primary health care in underserved communities by offering loan repayment to providers in exchange for a service commitment. For FY 2026, notable updates include the addition of dental therapists and registered dieticians to the list of eligible disciplines and the inclusion of Rural Emergency Hospitals as eligible sites. The maximum award amount is now $75,000 for full-time medical providers, with $50,000 caps for eligible dental and behavioral health providers. Half-time participants are eligible for half the award amount. Awards may only be used to repay qualifying educational loans; administrative use of funds is not allowed. Eligible applicants include state governments, U.S. territories, and tribal governments and organizations. Applicants must demonstrate that a state agency will administer the program, identify key personnel, and confirm that funds will only be used for loan repayment. Matching funds are required on a 1:1 basis from non-federal sources, though this requirement is waived up to $200,000 for U.S. territories under 48 U.S.C. 1469a(d). All awarded programs must align with HRSA and HHS priorities, including public health emergency preparedness. The program will support approximately 50 awards with a total available funding pool of $20 million for FY 2026. The award ceiling is $1,000,000 per state. Applications must be submitted via Grants.gov by January 12, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET. Registration with SAM.gov and Grants.gov is mandatory and may take several weeks to complete. The expected award date is April 1, 2026, with a project start date of July 1, 2026. Applications must include a project abstract, narrative, budget narrative, and several attachments, such as sample contracts, staffing plans, organizational charts, and MOUs. Detailed instructions for each component are provided in the NOFO. Applications will be evaluated using a merit review process based on five criteria: purpose and need, response, impact, resources and capabilities, and support requested. Each application must address healthcare workforce shortages and demonstrate sustainable strategies for meeting community needs. Programs must include performance measures and data tracking systems, including National Provider Identifier (NPI) collection and post-service tracking. For program-related questions, applicants can contact Opeoluwa Daramola at odaramola@hrsa.gov. For budget-related inquiries, contact Timothy Coyle at TCoyle@hrsa.gov. Additional resources and application support are available on the HRSA website. The NOFO was issued on July 24, 2025, and the informational webinar will be announced online.

Comply with formatting and registration requirements; budgets must follow HRSA cost rules and cannot include admin costs