Telehealth Centers of Excellence

The Telehealth Centers of Excellence program, managed by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), a division within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, aims to support the development and implementation of high-impact telehealth services across the United States. This grant opportunity reflects HRSA's strategic commitment to enhancing access to health care, especially in underserved and medically isolated communities, through the deployment of advanced telehealth infrastructure and research. HRSA has long been involved in advancing health equity, and this initiative builds upon its mission to improve health outcomes and reduce disparities through innovative service delivery models. The purpose of this funding opportunity is to enable selected academic medical centers to serve as national models for telehealth delivery. These centers will not only implement cutting-edge telehealth practices but also evaluate their effectiveness and disseminate findings through peer-reviewed research publications. The program supports both rural and urban settings and places special emphasis on improving accessibility and health equity in areas where traditional healthcare access is limited. Through this initiative, HRSA seeks to establish best practices in telehealth that can be replicated nationwide. Under this opportunity, HRSA anticipates issuing up to two cooperative agreements, with each award capped at $4,250,000 and set at the same level for the award floor. The total funding available for the program is approximately $8.5 million for Fiscal Year 2026. As a cooperative agreement, recipients can expect substantial involvement from HRSA staff during the life of the project, especially in guiding programmatic direction and evaluation standards. Cost sharing or matching funds are not required under this opportunity, making it more accessible for institutions that may not have the capacity to contribute financially. Eligibility for this grant is restricted to academic medical centers that are either public and state-controlled institutions of higher education or private institutions of higher education. This targeted eligibility is designed to ensure that the selected recipients have the necessary infrastructure and research capacity to operate as national telehealth centers of excellence. No other applicant types are eligible. The Centers of Excellence will be expected to implement comprehensive telehealth programs and generate research outcomes that contribute to the evidence base for future policy and practice. Applications must be submitted electronically via Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on April 24, 2026. HRSA expects to post the official application materials by February 23, 2026. Interested applicants should be prepared to submit a full proposal by the due date; no pre-application such as a letter of intent or concept paper is required. The estimated award date is August 3, 2026, with funded projects anticipated to begin on September 1, 2026. Applicants should monitor Grants.gov and HRSA's website for updates on the full Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) once released. For additional information or questions related to this funding forecast, applicants are encouraged to contact CDR Jenna Cope at 301-443-5503 or via email at [email protected]. As this is a forecasted opportunity, specific application instructions, required forms, and evaluation criteria will be detailed in the forthcoming NOFO. Applicants should plan ahead for any internal institutional reviews or approvals to ensure timely submission upon release of the full announcement.