RHTP for Tribal Nations/Wisconsin
RHTP in Wisconsin for Tribal Nations
Wisconsin runs the Rural Health Transformation Program through the Department of Health Services (DHS). Here’s where Tribes stand and what’s next.
Wisconsin RHTP at a Glance
$203.7M Year 1 award
Wisconsin’s Year 1 Rural Health Transformation award, administered by DHS.
An allocation proposed for each Nation
Wisconsin’s application proposed yearly funding for each of the state’s 11 federally recognized Tribal Nations, to use across all three state initiatives.
Tribal clinics in Year 1 grants
Community Health Worker and dental technology grants listed Tribal clinics among eligible applicants.
Technology funds planned for 2027
DHS names Tribal clinics among the organization types for the next Technology Fund round, expected to start in summer or fall 2027, pending CMS approval.
As of November 2026.
State snapshot
The basics Tribal leaders ask about first.
| Program | Wisconsin Rural Health Transformation Program |
|---|---|
| Lead agency | Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS), Office of Grants Management |
| Year 1 award to the state | $203,670,005.21 |
| Proposed Tribal allocation | Wisconsin’s application proposed annual funding for each of the 11 federally recognized Tribal Nations. It’s budgeted under the partnerships initiative, and the application proposed allowing Nations to use it across all three initiatives, for example to upgrade IT systems, build their workforce, improve care delivery and transportation, or partner with local providers. DHS’s 2026 plan lists working with Tribal Nations on these projects as a Year 1 objective. As of November 4, 2026, DHS’s RHTP pages didn’t list Tribal award or payment details. |
| Tribal eligibility in statewide grants | Year 1 examples: Community Health Worker grants (Tribal clinics and Tribal health departments), dental technology grants (public or Tribal dental clinics outside Milwaukee County), and Care Coordination planning grants (Tribal health departments outside Milwaukee County). The 2027 Technology Fund round lists Tribal clinics. Each notice sets its own geographic and program rules. |
| Other organizations | Several notices list eligible applicants as examples, including community-based organizations and community partners of health providers. An intertribal or Urban Indian organization may qualify under one of those categories if it meets the notice’s location and program requirements. |
| Rural definition | County-based rural and semi-rural definitions, published as an exhibit to each funding notice |
| Initiatives | Rural health workforce; Rural technology and innovation; Rural care through partnerships |
| Advisory body | RHTP Advisory Council, with members from the Ho-Chunk Nation Department of Health and the Stockbridge-Munsee Community |
| Where Tribes stand | Allocation proposed Award details not yet posted Tribal allocations are separate from DHS’s public grant rounds. No RHTP solicitations were listed as open on DHS’s pages as of November 4, 2026. |
What this means for Tribes in Wisconsin
What Wisconsin proposed for Tribal Nations
The state’s application proposed yearly funding for every federally recognized Nation in Wisconsin, which Nations could use on technology, workforce, care delivery or partnerships. Ask DHS’s Office of Tribal Affairs what was approved for your Nation and how payments work.
Tribal clinics have been eligible for statewide grants
Year 1 Community Health Worker and dental technology grants named Tribal clinics, and Care Coordination planning grants named Tribal health departments. These rounds have closed. Future notices may use different rules.
Technology funding for Tribal clinics in 2027
DHS plans a second Rural Technology Transformation Fund round that lists Tribal clinics among eligible organization types. A separate announcement in 2027 will include the list of eligible organizations, and funding depends on CMS approval. When it’s published, check whether your clinic is on the list.
Plan for ongoing costs
Wisconsin’s plan asks Tribal Nations that receive allocated funds to show how they’ll sustain the work and use funds within federal rules. Community Health Worker grants also step down in Years 3–5, as DHS expects Medicaid to cover many CHW services by then. Before starting a program, identify which costs will remain and what will pay for them.
Wisconsin RHTP initiatives
What Wisconsin’s plan covers. Specific funding depends on each year’s opportunities and awards.
Rural health workforce
Rural workforce grants, community health worker programs, a Department of Workforce Development grant, and school-based health career pathways.
Rural technology and innovation
Health records and technology upgrades for rural facilities, including telehealth-capable devices; the Rural Technology Transformation Fund; tools that connect residents with public services; and dental technology.
Rural care through partnerships
Care Coordination grants for regional partnerships, behavioral health innovations, and Medicaid reforms and strategic investments, where the application budgeted the proposed Tribal allocations.
Key dates
What’s happened in Wisconsin so far, and what’s next.
Wisconsin updates
Wisconsin RHTP news for Tribes, with analysis from our team.
Following other states? See every state on the RHTP hub.
How we can help Tribes in Wisconsin
Tribal Nations cared for their people long before RHTP, and will long after it ends. Indigenous Pact partners with Tribes and Tribal health organizations to build, sustain and expand stronger systems of care, with Government Affairs alongside you at every step. It’s how we work toward our mission: health equity for American Indians and Alaska Natives in one generation. In Wisconsin, that starts with sorting out how your Nation’s allocation and the state’s grant rounds apply to your health programs. Every decision stays with your Nation.
At every step
Government Affairs
Know what Wisconsin’s RHTP means for your Tribe.
We’re with you from your first questions through Year 5. We follow DHS funding opportunities, the Tribal allocations and RHTP Advisory Council decisions, and explain them in plain terms for your leadership. We also support your advocacy priorities and help bring the right people together.
Build
Tribal Health Advisory
Plan your project and budget.
We help you check which Wisconsin opportunities fit your programs and turn your priorities into a project plan and budget your council can act on, from feasibility and facility planning to governance and financial readiness.
Sustain
Tribal Health Operations
Launch and run what you build.
We open and manage programs on your Tribe’s behalf, from staffing and billing to day-to-day administration, while your Tribe makes the decisions. That includes opioid treatment programs. We run clinics and mobile medication units with Tribes today. Wisconsin’s plan includes investment in Medicaid and behavioral health reforms in Tribal Nations.
Expand
Tribal Care
More specialty care in your community.
Tribal Care expands the care your community can access, starting with specialists your people would otherwise travel far to see. Patients come to your clinic, and the specialist joins live through a video exam room, with a medical assistant by their side.
We also help with the operating side: which visits Medicaid may cover, and what the service will cost to keep running after grant funding ends. Wisconsin’s technology plans include telehealth-capable equipment and systems; whether a particular clinic’s project qualifies depends on each funding notice.
Find your Tribe’s next step on Wisconsin’s RHTP
Talk with our team about checking your eligibility for upcoming rounds, building a budget, or preparing a project plan for your Nation’s allocation.
Guided by Tribal health policy expertise
Ashley Hesse
Vice President, Tribal & State Government Affairs, Indigenous Pact
Ashley leads Indigenous Pact’s Tribal and state government affairs work, helping Tribal Nations understand what RHTP and related federal and state policy mean for their programs.
RHTP Year 2 Playbook for Tribal Nations and Tribal Health Organizations
A free guide from Indigenous Pact’s Government Affairs and Tribal Health Advisory teams.
- Find your situation in three quick questions
- A 90-day plan for each situation
- A readiness checklist built to share with your council or board
- A one-page project brief and a state-by-state guide
Send me the Playbook
We’ll email it to you right away, along with a way to reach our team if you have questions.
Get Wisconsin RHTP updates
We’ll email you when DHS opens a funding opportunity or changes Wisconsin’s plan, plus a short monthly RHTP briefing.
Questions Tribes in Wisconsin ask
Does Wisconsin’s plan include funding for Tribal Nations?
Yes. Wisconsin’s application proposed yearly funding for each of the state’s 11 federally recognized Tribal Nations, and proposed allowing Nations to use it across the state’s three initiatives, for example for IT upgrades, workforce, care delivery, transportation or local partnerships. Ask DHS what was approved for your Nation.
How does our Nation receive its allocation?
The allocation is separate from DHS’s public grant rounds. DHS’s plan describes working directly with Tribal Nations on these projects. Contact DHS’s Office of Tribal Affairs for your Nation’s approved terms and payment instructions.
Can our Tribal clinic apply for statewide grants?
Several Year 1 grants included Tribal clinics or Tribal health departments: Community Health Worker and dental technology grants named Tribal clinics, and Care Coordination planning grants named Tribal health departments. Separately, DHS lists Tribal clinics among the organization types for the 2027 Technology Fund round, and that announcement will include the list of eligible organizations. Each notice sets its own location and program rules.
We’re an intertribal or Urban Indian organization. Can we take part?
Possibly. Several notices list eligible applicants as examples, including community-based organizations and community partners of health providers. An organization that fits one of those categories and meets the notice’s location and program rules may qualify. Care Coordination and dental grants excluded Milwaukee County.
Is anything open right now?
No RHTP solicitations were listed as open on DHS’s pages as of November 4, 2026. The Care Coordination full application is expected in February 2027, for planning grant recipients only. The Technology Fund Round 2 announcement is expected in 2027. Tribal allocations are handled separately.
How long do we have to spend Year 1 funds?
Under CMS rules, Year 1 funds properly obligated by October 30, 2026 can generally be spent through September 30, 2027. The later date doesn’t add time to commit funds. Some costs, such as personnel, follow a shorter window, and individual agreements may set earlier dates.
How do we hear about new funding opportunities?
Sign up for DHS’s RHTP email updates, and our Wisconsin alerts will let you know too.
Who can we ask at the state?
For your Nation’s allocation, DHS’s Office of Tribal Affairs. For help with an application, Wisconsin’s RHTP technical assistance team at RHTP-evaluation@wisc.edu. They don’t make funding decisions.
Official sources
- DHS: Rural Health Transformation Program
- DHS: RHTP Application Narrative
- DHS: Rural Technology Transformation Fund
- DHS: Coordinating Care Across Wisconsin
- DHS: Community Health Workers Grants
- DHS: Investing in Dental Care Technology
- DHS: RHTP Advisory Council
- CMS: RHTP Post-Award FAQ (September 2026)
