Current Funding Opportunities

GREAT Health Funding Opportunity Announcement

Georgia Rural Health

The information provided below is intended to assist eligible applicants with developing 
and submitting applications for Year 1 of the GREAT Health Rural Graduate Medical Education Development Grant Program. All funds awarded from this funding opportunity must be spent by September 1st, 2027. For questions, please contact the Issuing Officer, 
Patrick Long, at [email protected].

Click the following link to apply to the GREAT Health Rural Graduate Medical Education (GME) Development Grant Application

Funding Opportunity:

Title:  GREAT Health Rural Graduate Medical Education Development Grant Program (click here to download as a PDF)  (PDF, 162.69 KB)

Initiative 4: Growing a Highly Skilled Healthcare Workforce 

Strategy 4.1: Rural Provider Workforce & GME Enhancements

Application Timeline Information:

  • Opening: September 15, 2026
  • Closing: October 15, 2026

Funding Amount and Number of Awards:

  • Up to $3,000,000 per award, subject to final budget and scope approval
  • Anticipated to be at least 2 awards available

Funding Eligibility:

This funding opportunity is available to qualifying Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) accredited or soon-to-be accredited Graduate Medical Education (GME)programs in Georgia serving one or more of the 126 rural/partial rural counties defined as the eligible rural area under the Georgia Rural Enhancement and Transformation of Health Program (GREAT Health Program).

Applicants must meet at least one of the following rural eligibility criteria to qualify for funding consideration.

(1) Eligible training programs physically located within one of Georgia’s 126 HRSA-designated rural counties/portions of counties. Please use the following link to view the list of eligible counties (click Eligible Counties List).

(2) Training programs located in facilities that serve patients within the 126 HRSA designated rural counties/portions of counties and have rural-specific Centers for Medicare & Medicaid designations such as Critical Access Hospitals and Rural Referral Centers.

(3) Programs located outside of the designated counties may be considered eligible if participating residents conduct 50% or more of their required clinical training time in facilities in eligible rural counties or facilities that serve patients within the126 HRSA designated rural counties/portions of counties and have rural-specific Centers for Medicare & Medicaid designations such as Critical Access Hospitals and Rural Referral Centers. Please use the following link to view the list of eligible counties (click Eligible Counties List)

Description and Purpose of Funding:

The Graduate Medical Education Development Grant Program is designed to strengthen physician workforce retention and recruitment by investing in GME program development and expansion in rural Georgia, prioritizing high-need specialties critical to rural health such as family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, OB/GYN, general surgery, geriatrics, or psychiatry.

Funding may be used for planning, development, accreditation, and implementation activities directly related to establishing new GME programs or expanding existing GME programs. Examples of activities include creating new rural training sites, developing new specialty tracks, expanding training infrastructure, completing accreditation requirements, and related activities to expand GME program operations.

Additional Information and Guidance for Application Development:

Applicants must also provide evidence that, after grant funding ends, entity operations revenue will support continued operations. Applicants must describe their plan to sustain any residency or fellowship positions added as a result of grant funding.

Eligible Expenses:

Funding must be used for activities and expenses that are reasonable, necessary, and directly related to the development or expansion of graduate medical education.

Allowable costs must also comply with all applicable state and federal requirements in addition to the grant award terms and conditions.

Personnel

  1. Hiring Key Personnel (only for GME-related work)
  2. Salaries and wages for staff directly supporting approved activities
  3. Fringe benefits proportionate to time charged to the grant

Accreditation Fees, Conferences, and Consultant Costs

  1. Leasing clinical or administrative space and contractual expenses for approved GME activities
  2. Consultants and contractors providing planning, implementation, evaluation, or technical assistance
  3. Workforce development and training vendors
  4. Legal, accounting, or audit services specific to grant compliance

Minor renovations for GME spaces

  1. Minor renovations directly supporting approved activities

Training equipment and supplies

  1. Clinical diagnostic equipment directly supporting GME activities
  2. Non‑capital equipment necessary for project activities
  3. Medical or operational supplies used solely for initiatives directly related to GME

Funding Restrictions:

Applicants are required to follow application instructions within the application form available on the Georgia Board of Health Care Workforce website:

GREAT Health Rural Graduate Medical Education (GME) Development Grant Application

Applicants should describe the proposed GME development or expansion activities. The description should include:

  1. Program specialty or specialties;
  2. Whether the proposal involves developing a new program, or expanding an existing program;
  3. The anticipated number of new training positions created if funded;
  4. The proposed training locations;
  5. The expected timeline for implementation activities;
  6. The funding amount requested and proposed budget;
  7. A viable plan to implement the proposed activities;
  8. Evidence of organizational, clinical, and administrative readiness for implementation;
  9. A clear strategy for sustaining the program or expanded training capacity after grant funding ends; and
  10. How the proposed activities will increase training opportunities and improve physician workforce retention and recruitment in rural Georgia.

In addition, applicants must demonstrate a commitment from hospital leadership. As part of the application process, applicants will be asked to submit a detailed letter of intent signed by the hospital’s Board of Directors Chair, CEO, and medical staff leadership.

The detailed letter of intent (10-page maximum inclusive of all supplemental information) should describe the proposed overall plan for GME as well as the commitment from the hospital’s Board of Directors, Senior Leadership team and the Medical Staff to establish/support a GME Program. The letter must describe the hospital’s commitment to the specialties being applied for, the timeline, proposed budget, implementation plan, and any critical details that make your organization the best to utilize these funds. The hospital’s Board of Directors Chair, CEO, and medical staff leadership must sign the letter.

Applicants must also provide evidence that, after grant funding ends, entity operations revenue will support continued operations. Applicants must describe their plan to sustain any residency or fellowship positions added as a result of grant funding.

Eligible Expenses:

Funding must be used for activities and expenses that are reasonable, necessary, and directly related to the development or expansion of graduate medical education. Allowable costs must also comply with all applicable state and federal requirements in addition to the grant award terms and conditions.

Personnel

  1. Hiring Key Personnel (only for GME-related work)
  2. Salaries and wages for staff directly supporting approved activities
  3. Fringe benefits proportionate to time charged to the grant

Accreditation Fees, Conferences, and Consultant Costs

  1. Leasing clinical or administrative space and contractual expenses for approved GME activities
  2. Consultants and contractors providing planning, implementation, evaluation, or technical assistance
  3. Workforce development and training vendors
  4. Legal, accounting, or audit services specific to grant compliance

Minor renovations for GME spaces

  1. Minor renovations directly supporting approved activities

Training equipment and supplies

  1. Clinical diagnostic equipment directly supporting GME activities
  2. Non‑capital equipment necessary for project activities
  3. Medical or operational supplies used solely for initiatives directly related to GME

Funding Restrictions:

Grant money cannot be used for:

  1. Operational expenses for residency or fellowship slots;
    1. Buying land, buildings, or businesses;
    2. Food;
    3. New construction;
    4. Facility upgrades and major renovations;
    5. Equipment upgrades and replacement equipment;
    6. Expenses incurred outside the period of funding;
    7. Capital equipment or large‑scale infrastructure;
    8. Supplies used for routine clinical care or general; operations;
    9. Indirect costs incurred for common or joint objectives that cannot be readily and specifically identified with a particular final cost objective (such as a federal award, project, or activity); or
    10. Costs that duplicate or supplant existing federal, state, or local funding.

Notification of award will be provided once applications have been evaluated and approved.

A requestor a response to a request for additional information or revision does not guarantee award or funding. Final award amounts may differ from the amount requested and will be based on the evaluation of the proposed plan, allowability of expenses, program priorities, and availably of funds. All grant awards are subject to final approval. 

Please do not reach out to the Department with questions regarding this funding opportunity. All questions on the application process, requirements, and technical assistance should be directed to the Issuing Officer, Patrick Long at  [email protected]. 

The GREAT Health Program is supported by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $218,862,169.63 with 100 percent funded by CMS/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CMS/HHS, or the U.S. Government.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement solicits applications for a Grant award pursuant to the GREAT Health Program and Notice of Award for such program issued to DCH by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.  Grantee shall comply with all applicable federal law, regulations and policies pertaining to the Grant award.  Additionally, Grantees will be required to execute the GREAT Health Grant Award Terms and Conditions and abide by the provisions of the GREAT Health Program’s Policies and Procedures Manual. This funding opportunity is intended to guide prospective applicants seeking funding through GREAT Health. This document is not exhaustive, binding, or final. The requirements set forth herein override all other guidance documents specifically related to this program. DCH reserves the right to fund all, part, or none of the submitted applications.