Telehealth Centers of Excellence

The Telehealth Centers of Excellence program is a federal initiative led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). This program is designed to advance the use of telehealth services by supporting academic medical centers that act as national models in delivering innovative, effective, and scalable telehealth solutions. The primary aim of the program is to enhance healthcare accessibility and outcomes across both rural and urban communities, with a specific focus on reaching medically underserved populations. Academic medical centers selected as Telehealth Centers of Excellence will develop, test, and disseminate telehealth strategies and models that can be replicated across the United States. The program is structured to promote broad implementation of effective telehealth practices by funding institutions that can contribute to national research on telehealth and share their results through formal academic publications. The program not only emphasizes clinical delivery but also the importance of rigorous evaluation and dissemination of findings to influence telehealth policy and practice at a national level. Funding will be provided in the form of cooperative agreements, signifying active HRSA involvement in the oversight and support of the selected centers. Each awarded organization will receive $4,250,000, with a total program funding of $8,500,000 allocated for two expected recipients. The funds may be used for establishing infrastructure, conducting telehealth-related research, implementing care delivery models, and distributing findings to healthcare stakeholders. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement for this funding opportunity, making it financially accessible to a broader range of academic institutions. Eligibility for this opportunity is limited to public and private institutions of higher education, specifically those classified as academic medical centers. These centers must demonstrate the capacity to conduct research, implement telehealth systems at scale, and act as leaders in the telehealth ecosystem. The eligibility criteria emphasize the importance of institutional infrastructure and expertise in both healthcare delivery and scholarly research. Applicants must submit their proposals electronically by May 6, 2026, no later than 11:59 p.m. ET. The estimated posting date for the Notice of Funding Opportunity is March 17, 2026, with awards expected to be announced by August 3, 2026. Projects are anticipated to begin on September 1, 2026. There are no pre-application requirements such as letters of intent or concept papers stated at this time. Questions regarding the opportunity should be directed to CDR Jenna Cope at HRSA, who can be reached by phone at 301-443-5503 or via email at [email protected]. While this is currently a forecasted opportunity and not yet open for applications, interested institutions should begin early preparations to ensure timely and complete submissions once the official NOFO is released.