This newsletter is brought to you by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy along with the Community Health Systems Development Team at the Georgia Health Policy Center (GHPC).

GRANTEE SPOTLIGHTS

Network Development Grantee

GHPC recently spoke
to Zomi Bloom, director of grants and financial oversight at Wilderness Health (Minnesota), about how the network is making
it easier to access and navigate mental and behavioral health care.

Network Planning Grantee

GHPC recently spoke
to Alma McCormick, executive director of Messengers for Health, about its plans to unite the
Indian Health Service, a community health center next to the
Crow Reservation, and cancer specialists in Billings, Montana.

NETWORK SERVICES GRANTEE PARTNERSHIP MEETING

Networking²: Connecting for Rural Health Grantee Conference

Decatur, GA

February 24-25, 2025

** Registration information coming soon **

This conference is for grantees funded under the Rural Health Network Development and Rural Health Network Development Planning grant programs. Each grantee may bring up to two attendees from their Network.

The meeting will begin in the morning of Tuesday, 2/24 and wrap up by 1:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, 2/25. We recommend that you book a flight after 3:30 pm ET on the 2/25 to ensure that you have enough time to get to your gate at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Please reach out to your TA Provider with questions.

PROGRAM-SPECIFIC UPDATES

Rural Health Network Development (RHND)

Hi there RHND Grantees,

I hope you all are doing well and getting ready for some much-needed downtime this holiday season. A couple of reminders before we all close our laptops until after the new year…

DELIVERABLES

Marketing Plan – Due December 12, 2025

All grantees are required to submit a marketing plan that will be used by the network to promote its products and services. Technical assistance for developing the marketing plan is available and you will find the marketing plan template with instructions for submission, as well as a related webinar recording, on the Network Development grantee webpage.

Maribel Nunez, FORHP, RHND Program Coordinator

Non-Competing Continuation – Due April 2, 2026

All grantees are required to submit a non-competing continuation progress report in the Electronic Handbook. The purpose of this report is to demonstrate adequate progress for grant projects to secure year 4 funding. A request for an updated work plan demonstrating proposed versus actual progression of activities will be included. The official template will be made available no later than the first week of March 2026. There is no flexibility for due dates. It is recommended that you submit it early, should any changes be requested.

Feel free to use monthly calls to review previous submissions. Please continue to share your work with your project officer and technical assistance provider, as well as each other. If you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to reach out at any time.

Best,

Maribel

PROGRAM-SPECIFIC UPDATES

RHND Network Planning

LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

During December, you will work with your technical assistance coach and project officer to prepare for the submission of the second part of your External Environmental Scan. You have been working on developing your Aim Statement and identifying the primary drivers, the conditions that must be in place to achieve your aim. The next steps are to scan the local, state, and national environment as related to your aim, and to lead your network partners in sense-making on how to take advantage of opportunities and mitigate threats. Your technical assistance coach will provide an overview of the second part of the External Environmental Scan and support you in designing your partner discussions and other scanning activities.

Remember: You can invite your technical assistance coach to facilitate your network meetings in support of this and other deliverables!

-------------------------------------------------------

On Wednesday, January 21 at 3 pm ET, we will hold a virtual learning opportunity to review the Network Statement Deliverable and then adjourn into peer group meetings.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Below is a list of opportunities that may be useful for your project.

Attendance is not required.

2026 AHA Rural Health Care Leadership Conference

February 8-11, 2026

San Antonio, TX

Join more than 1,000 rural health leaders committed to providing quality care for rural patients and communities. Top rural practitioners will share actionable strategies and resources aimed at improving access to care, leveraging unique workforce approaches and implementing digital technologies. Topics will include innovative approaches to transform care delivery and business practices.

Rural Health Policy Institute

February 10-12, 2026

Washington, DC

Join hundreds of rural advocates from across the nation. This is an opportunity to meet directly with policymakers, shape the future of rural health policy, and unite with leaders from across the nation to strengthen rural healthcare. The spotlight on rural health is growing. Now, more than ever, it is crucial to advocate for the future of health policy and create sustainable change to shape rural communities.

Rural Health Policy Institute

March 16-18, 2026

Atlanta, GA

The Institutes occur semiannually in March and October of every year and are two and a half days long. Rural health professionals of all kinds find great value in attending, from CEOs, to physicians, to coders on a variety of topics and include RHC beginner sessions.