Rural health network development planning grant program

The Graduate Medical Education Consortium of Southwest Virginia received a $200,000 Project Grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) under the Rural Healthcare Services Programs (CFDA 93.912), effective July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026. This Rural Health Network Development Planning Grant supports the creation of the "Strengthening Food as Medicine Pathways in Southwest Virginia Planning Network," which will facilitate regional coordination and efficiency among healthcare providers, food access organizations, and community service providers across Lee and Wise Counties and the city of Norton, Virginia.

The primary deliverables include the development of an integrated regional partner network focused on enhancing healthy food access and nutrition education in rural southwest Virginia. The project addresses the three legislative aims of the Rural Health Network Development Planning Program by working to achieve operational efficiencies, expand access to and improve the quality of basic healthcare services, and strengthen the rural healthcare system. The awardee qualifies for funding preferences based on its location in a designated Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) and medically underserved community/population (MUC/MUP), underscoring the critical health disparities the planning initiative will address through collaborative, evidence-based approaches to integrating nutrition and food access into rural healthcare delivery.