Notice of Funding Opportunity

Application due 07/08/2026

Federal Office of Rural Health Policy Rural Strategic Initiatives Division

Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP)- Impact Opportunity number: HRSA-26-037

Contents Before you begin 3

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 4 Basic Information 5

Eligibility 7

Program description 10

Award information 24

Step 2: Get Ready to Apply 27 Get registered 28

Find the application package 28

Application writing help 29

Step 3: Build Your Application 30 Application checklist 31

Application contents and format 33

Step 4: Understand review, selection, and award 49 Application review 50

Selection process 54

Award notices 55

Step 5: Submit Your Application 56 Application submission and deadlines 57

Other submissions 57

Step 6: Learn What Happens After Award 58 Post-award requirements and administration 59

Contacts and Support 64

Appendices 69

Before you begin If you believe you are a good candidate for this funding opportunity, secure your SAM.gov and Grants.gov registrations now. If you are already registered, make sure your registrations are active and up-to-date.

SAM.gov registration (this can take several weeks) You must have an active account with SAM.gov. This includes having a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).

See Step 2: Get Ready to Apply

Grants.gov registration (this can take several days) You must have an active Grants.gov registration. Doing so requires a Login.gov registration as well.

See Step 2: Get Ready to Apply

Apply by the application due date Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on 07/08/2026.

All activities proposed in your application and budget narrative must align with applicable law, including but not limited to statutes, executive orders, federal regulations and applicable judicial holdings. Accordingly, discretionary awards shall not be used to fund, promote, encourage, subsidize, or facilitate: racial preferences or other forms of racial discrimination by the recipient, including activities where race or intentional proxies for race will be used as a selection criterion for employment or program participation; denial by the recipient of the sex binary in humans, or the belief that sex is a chosen or mutable characteristic; illegal immigration; or any other initiatives that compromise public safety. If an application does not align, the application will not receive funding to the extent permitted by law and applicable court orders.

To help you find what you need, this NOFO uses internal links. In Adobe Reader, you can go back to where you were by pressing Alt + Left Arrow (Windows) or Command + Left Arrow (Mac) on your keyboard.

https://sam.gov/ https://grants.gov/

Step 1:

Review the Opportunity

In this step

Basic Information 5

Eligibility 7

Program description 10

Award information 24

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Build 4. Understand 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Basic Information Health Resources and Services Administration

Federal Office of Rural Health Policy

Rural Strategic Initiatives Division

Seed funding to improve access to integrated, coordinated, sustainable substance use disorder services, including for opioid use disorder, in rural areas.

Summary Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP)-Impact provides funding to drive measurable improvements in access to integrated, coordinated, and sustainable services for substance use disorder (SUD), including opioid use disorder (OUD), in rural areas. Its long-term aim is to reduce risk factors for SUD-related morbidity and mortality and enable sustained recovery and well-being. The program supports:

• New or expanded evidence-based SUD prevention, treatment, and recovery services in rural areas.

• Coordination across health and supportive social services to enable sustained, long-term recovery.

• A larger, more responsive workforce to address SUD-related needs.

• Multi-sector community networks to strengthen and sustain local service delivery.

This seed funding will help communities fully launch services and strengthen SUD systems that can last long-term.

The complex nature of SUD, including OUD, requires comprehensive systems and a lifespan approach to prevent future problems, address barriers to care, and encourage long-term recovery. RCORP-Impact supports a range of SUD-related behavioral health, including mental health, and supportive social services.

Have questions?

Go to Contacts and Support.

Key facts name:

Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP)-Impact number:

HRSA-26-037

version:

Initial

93.912

Key dates

06/05/2026 webinar:

See Join the webinar deadline:

07/08/2026

09/01/2026

09/01/2026

See other submissions for other time frames that may apply to this NOFO.

Funding details Application Types: New

Expected total available funding in FY26: $60,000,000

Expected number and type of awards: 80 Grants

Funding range per award: Up to $750,000

We plan to fund awards in four 12-month budget periods for a total 4 year period of performance from 09/01/2026 to 08/31/2030.

The program and awards depend on the appropriation of funds and are subject to change based on the availability and amount of appropriations.

Eligibility Who can apply Types of eligible organizations These types of domestic organizations may apply:

• State governments.

• County governments.

• City or township governments.

• Special district governments.

• Independent school districts.

• Faith-based organizations.

• Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.

• Native American tribal governments (federally recognized).

• Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities.

• Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments).

• Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.

• Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.

• Private institutions of higher education.

• For profit organizations other than small businesses.

• Small businesses.

Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled “Additional Information on Eligibility.”

Additional information on eligibility All domestic* public or private, non-profit, and for-profit, entities are eligible to apply.

*“Domestic” means the fifty States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, or the Republic of Palau.

Individuals are not eligible applicants under this NOFO.

Completeness and responsiveness criteria We will review your application to make sure it meets these basic requirements to move forward in the competition.

RCORP-Impact services and activities may only support HRSA-designated rural counties and rural census tracts.

• You can confirm these using the Rural Health Grants Eligibility Analyzer.

• Some formerly HRSA-designated rural areas are also eligible. See Appendix F for details.

• You are expected to address the needs of the entire target rural service area that you select.

In partially rural counties, activities must be limited to HRSA-designated rural census tracts.

• If your target rural service area contains any counties or census tracts that are not designated rural, your application will not be reviewed or scored.

• HRSA will reference Attachment 1 to confirm eligibility.

We will not consider an application that:

• Is from an organization that does not meet all eligibility criteria.

• Requests funding above the award ceiling shown in the funding range.

• Is submitted after the deadline.

• Does not include a project narrative, work plan, staffing plan, budget and budget narrative.

• Proposes a target service area in Attachment 1 that is not exclusively rural, per the Rural Health Grants Eligibility Analyzer or other definitions in Appendix F.

https://data.hrsa.gov/tools/rural-health

• Does not specify (in Attachment 7) a plan to deliver direct SUD prevention, treatment, and recovery services within the eligible target rural service area that meet the following:

◦ Treatment services include medications for OUD (MOUD).

◦ At least one physical service site in each fully or partially rural county in your target rural service area offers a treatment or recovery service.

• Does not specify (in Attachment 1) at least four separately owned entities (three entities plus the applicant organization) that will serve as network partners.

• Does not demonstrate (in Attachment 1) that at least 50% of the network partners are located within the eligible target rural service area.

Application limits You may not submit more than one application. If you submit more than one application, we will only accept the last on-time submission.

Cost sharing This program has no cost-sharing requirement. If you choose to share in the costs of the project, we will not consider it during merit review. Recipients agree that once committed, cost sharing amounts are enforceable and subject to reporting and auditing requirements under 2 CFR 200.

Post-award requirements

Before you apply, make sure you understand the requirements that come with an award.

See Step 6: Learn What Happens After Award for information on regulations that apply, reporting, and more.

Program description Purpose Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP)-Impact provides funding to drive measurable improvements in access to integrated, coordinated, and sustainable services for substance use disorder (SUD), including opioid use disorder (OUD), in rural areas. Its long-term aim is to reduce risk factors for SUD-related morbidity and mortality and enable sustained recovery and well-being.

The program supports:

• New or expanded evidence-based SUD prevention, treatment, and recovery services in rural areas.

• Coordination across health and supportive social services to enable sustained, long-term recovery.

• A larger, more responsive workforce to address SUD-related needs.

• Multi-sector community networks to strengthen and sustain local service delivery.

This seed funding will help communities fully launch services and strengthen SUD systems that can last long-term.

RCORP’s focus is on opioid misuse and its impact on rural America. However, people who misuse opioids often struggle with other substances, including alcohol, and behavioral health[1] or social needs. The complex nature of SUD, including OUD, requires a comprehensive systems approach to prevent future problems, address barriers to care, and encourage long-term recovery. RCORP-Impact supports a range of ongoing behavioral health and supportive social services related to SUD.

Projects should address substance use disorder needs across the lifespan, including both youth and adults, based on community-specific data and priorities. Multi-sector networks should engage a range of community partners, such as libraries, schools, emergency response, faith-based organizations, and similar entities.

Goal 1 is the primary focus of the program, with priority on increasing SUD treatment and recovery services. Work toward the other goals should support better availability of, access to, and effectiveness of direct SUD services over the long-term. This includes making sure that public health and business plans align, to achieve sustained impact.

Funding opportunity goals

1. SUD Direct Service Delivery: Establish or expand coordinated, comprehensive, and evidence-based SUD, including OUD, prevention, treatment, and recovery services.

2. Supportive Services: Establish, expand, or enhance coordination with supportive social services to ensure that rural individuals and families impacted by SUD have the greatest opportunity possible for sustained, long-term recovery.

3. Workforce: Develop a responsive SUD workforce, which includes both clinical providers with various scopes of practice and peers.

4. Network Engagement and Sustainability: Engage a multi-sector network to deliver RCORP-Impact services in the target rural service area and ensure the continued availability of services after the period of performance.

Background HRSA’s Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) is the focal point for rural health activities within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. FORHP programs provide technical assistance and other activities as necessary to support improving health care in rural areas.

FORHP administers the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP), a multi-year initiative aimed at reducing disease and death related to SUD, including OUD, in high-risk rural areas. RCORP-Impact is the largest and most comprehensive initiative in the RCORP portfolio, focused on high-impact outcomes. It is for communities who are ready to put in place and sustain a strong system of SUD services.

National data

• Drug overdose deaths in the United States are decreasing for the first time since 2018.[2]

◦ Gains have been uneven, and overdose deaths continue to be a leading cause of injury or death.[3]

• In 2024, 48.4 million people (or 16.8% of those aged 12 or older) had an SUD in the past year. This includes:

◦ 27.9 million people who had an alcohol use disorder.

◦ 28.2 million people who had a drug use disorder.[4]

• In 2024, 26.2% of U.S. twelfth graders reported using an illegal substance in the past year, and 41.7% reported alcohol use.[5]

• Adults and adolescents with mental health challenges are more likely to have an SUD.[6] https://www.hrsa.gov/rural-health https://www.hrsa.gov/rural-health/opioid-response

• Medications combined with counseling and behavioral therapies are effective at improving a range of health outcomes and increasing the chances of meaningful recovery.[7]

• In 2022, 19% of U.S. counties did not have any office-based buprenorphine providers or opioid treatment programs.[8]

Rural challenges Rural areas face complex challenges to treatment and recovery services:

• Rural overdose rates remain well above 2019 levels, despite recent declines from their 2021 peak.

◦ Rates remain especially high in the south and west regions of the U.S.[9]

• Alcohol use is higher for rural youth than for non-rural youth.

◦ Teens and young adults who use these substances are at higher risk for later SUD.[5]

• Over half of rural residents have a history of adverse childhood experiences, which increases risk for SUD and other behavioral health challenges.[10]

• Rural areas have more health care access issues due to long travel distances and lack of transportation.[11]

• Rural areas are more likely to lack behavioral health providers compared to their urban counterparts, and they often rely on primary care providers for behavioral health services.[12]

◦ In 2020, more than half of small and remote rural counties lacked any provider of medication for OUD (MOUD).[13]

• Different prescribing and dispensing requirements for MOUD make access harder in rural areas.

Public health priorities

• The opioid crisis was first declared a public health emergency in 2017, alongside the rise in overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids.[14]

• In December 2025, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary renewed the public health emergency declaration to continue addressing the national opioid crisis.[15]

• Current drug control policy priorities emphasize:[16]

◦ Reducing overdose fatalities.

◦ Evidence-based efforts to prevent drug use.

◦ Increasing access to holistic, evidence-based treatment that leads to long-term recovery.

• RCORP-Impact helps advance the Making America Healthy Again (MAHA) priorities, which include:

◦ Preventive health.

◦ Reducing chronic disease.

◦ Mental health.

◦ Nutrition.

◦ Access to primary and value-based care.

◦ Culturally appropriate services for tribes.

◦ Early childhood health and autism support.

Program requirements and expectations

• Your project must address all four RCORP-Impact goals.

• Activities should advance one or more of the MAHA priorities. Strategies to consider include:

◦ Address root causes of poor health.

◦ Improve access to primary care, behavioral health, preventive care, or developmental services.

◦ Expand nutrition programs or chronic disease prevention.

◦ Support early childhood development or autism services.

◦ Prepare systems for value-based care.

◦ Partner with tribal health systems.

Target population The target population for RCORP-Impact includes:

• People in HRSA-designated rural areas at-risk for, experiencing symptoms of, in treatment for, or in recovery from SUD.

• Their families and caregivers.

• Other community members impacted by SUD who reside in HRSA-designated rural areas.

You must make services available to anyone who has, or is at risk for, SUD/OUD in the target rural service area. However, we encourage you to consider how to reach populations with special risk factors in your service area, based on local need. These may include:

https://www.hhs.gov/maha/index.html

• Children and youth.

• Pregnant and postpartum women and their infants.

• Families involved in the child welfare system.

• Tribal and other Indigenous populations.

• People experiencing homelessness or unstable housing.

• Local subgroups at higher risk of overdose.

General expectations and restrictions

• Activities should address the needs of your entire chosen target rural service area and its population, within the scope of the RCORP-Impact program.

◦ Consider how you will address pockets of unmet need within chosen rural counties and census tracts.

• You must meaningfully engage members of the target population and other community stakeholders across all RCORP-Impact activities. These efforts will:

◦ Increase community awareness and buy-in.

◦ Ensure project activities and services respond effectively to current and future local needs.

• Activities must address opioid misuse and OUD.

◦ Activities may also address other substance use (including alcohol) and related medical, behavioral health, and social risk factors and needs.

◦ You may include mental health services for children, youth, and others at risk of developing SUD.

• Services must be available to all who seek them, regardless of their ability to pay.

◦ You may not deny services due to an inability to pay.

◦ You must make all reasonable efforts to bill and seek payment for services covered by third-party payers.

◦ You should only use grant funds to cover costs that are not reimbursed by insurers.

◦ Refer to Appendix D for Third Party Payer guidance.

• Your project should support a full cascade of care for SUD and other behavioral health treatment.

◦ This includes:

▪ Screening or diagnosis.

▪ Identification of needs.

▪ Referring to or starting services.

▪ Continuing services until treatment is complete.

▪ Supports to reduce the need for future treatment.

◦ You should have specific plans to engage and keep people in services as long as is needed, based on local context and needs.

◦ You should be able to track how people progress through the cascade of care.

• We strongly encourage the integration of SUD and related behavioral health services in other health care, social service, or community settings.

◦ Consider a “one-stop shop” model or other ways to access many related services from the same location.

◦ Models for integrated care include Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) and patient-centered medical homes.

• Your project should take a “whole person” approach to care.

◦ This means connecting people with a full suite of services to meet their needs and give them the best chance for long-term recovery.

◦ This often includes a combination of medication, psychosocial treatment or counseling, and social supports.

• You will receive support from, and are expected to collaborate with, a HRSA-funded RCORP technical assistance provider and an evaluator to help achieve your goals and document outcomes.

• If awarded, you must participate in a learning collaborative that meets at least bimonthly.

◦ The learning collaborative offers a chance to network, share best practices, address challenges, and receive targeted technical assistance.

• You must disclose whether you participate in or benefit from your state’s CMS Rural Health Transformation Program.

◦ If yes, you must ensure that HRSA-funded work is non-duplicative, coordinated, and complementary to CMS-supported activities.

Goal 1: SUD direct service delivery You must establish or expand evidence-based SUD prevention, treatment, and recovery services in your target rural service area.

This includes one or both of the following:

• Creating new service lines.

• Significantly adding to the capacity or reach of existing service lines.

You should be able to show that the number of people receiving prevention, treatment, and recovery services increases from the start of the period of performance to the end.

Service coverage

• You must support at least one physical service site that offers a treatment or recovery service in each fully or partially rural county in your target rural service area.

◦ You may not provide prevention services in a county that does not also have RCORP-Impact treatment or recovery services.

◦ You may choose which locations offer which service(s), based on local needs.

◦ You do not have to offer all service types in each county.

• You must support all three service types – prevention, treatment, and recovery – as part of your RCORP-Impact award.

◦ You may choose the balance of service types based on local needs.

◦ We expect treatment, recovery, or both to be the main focus of your project.

Service types offered

• Services must be evidence-based.

◦ You are responsible for documenting the evidence base for your prevention, treatment, and recovery service choices.

• Services should be active as soon as possible, ideally within the first year of the program.

• You must be able to track and report the number of people receiving direct services.

• Prevention

◦ Services may help prevent:

▪ First-time substance use.

▪ The progression of substance use over time.

▪ Negative health effects of substance use, such as overdose or infectious disease.

◦ Prevention may be universal or focus on specific at-risk populations, such as children in the foster care system or people with mental health challenges.

◦ Allowable prevention services include, but are not limited to:

▪ Community-based substance use prevention education programs, including in schools and libraries.

▪ Youth mentorship or after-school programs.

▪ Parent education, skill-building, or support programs, such as home visiting or group prenatal care.

▪ Substance use screening and education in primary care or other community settings.

▪ Buying and distributing overdose reversal medications or related tertiary prevention supplies, such as drug testing strips or vape detectors.

▪ Community and provider education about SUD, overdose risks, and how to respond, including training staff in schools, libraries, and similar settings.

• Treatment

◦ There should be a shared decision-making process for all individuals with

SUD about receiving MOUD or other medication-assisted treatment (MAT) appropriate to their needs.

◦ Treatment services offered must include MOUD in at least one location.

▪ For patients who choose MOUD, you must make all reasonable efforts to provide access to methadone, buprenorphine, and injectable naltrexone.

▪ You cannot require abstinence or detoxification as a prerequisite for MOUD treatment, except as medically necessary for evidence-based approaches.

▪ You cannot limit the duration of MOUD treatment or the number of treatment attempts.

◦ We encourage combined MOUD and psychosocial treatment where possible.

◦ Treatment may also address other behavioral and mental health needs beyond substance use.

◦ Treatment should help reduce the risks of overdose, SUD recurrence, and the need to return to treatment.

◦ You may use funds to create or expand CCBHCs, Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs), or similar clinics.

▪ Start-up costs, including certification and administrative requirements, are allowable.

• Recovery

◦ Recovery is a process of change through which people improve their health and wellness, live self-directed lives, and strive to reach their full potential.[17]

◦ Recovery services actively help people and their families achieve and sustain long-term recovery.

▪ They address needs associated with housing, employment, life skills, and connection with recovery-focused social communities.

▪ Services are often led by the peers of people in recovery.

◦ Allowable recovery services include, but are not limited to:

▪ Recovery housing (see limitations in Program-Specific Statutory or Regulatory Limitations).

▪ Supported employment programs or working with businesses to create recovery-friendly workplaces.

▪ Creating or operating a recovery community organization.

▪ Peer-led recovery support services, such as help with:

⁃ Learning about the recovery process and recovery education.

⁃ Creating a Personal Recovery Plan.

⁃ Building life skills.

⁃ Linking to a recovery community (such as NA, AA, Al-Anon, or Nar- Anon) and other recovery-friendly social groups.

⁃ Accessing various community resources (education, housing, transportation, recovery supports, medical care, etc.).

◦ You should ensure coordination between recovery services and other RCORP- Impact services, including treatment and supportive social services.

Goal 2: Supportive services People impacted by SUD often face other problems that make it hard to access care and achieve long-term health and well-being. You will help increase the number of these services that are available, the number of people in the target population they can reach, and the ease of getting supportive social services that:

• Prevent or improve SUD-related problems in other parts of their lives.

• Make it easier to start or stay in SUD prevention, treatment, and recovery services.

• Increase their chances of long-term health and well-being.

Example supportive social services include, but are not limited to:

• Connection to eligible health care insurance and benefits counseling.

• Transportation to prevention, treatment, and recovery services.

• Childcare during other allowable services.

• Employment or educational assistance.

• Food and nutrition services.

• Housing support.

You must provide navigation services for people in treatment and recovery under Goal 1, to connect them with health care insurance and other supportive services.

• You may use peer navigators or other staff who are trained in this role.

• You may decide whether to have one or more navigators for your target rural service area.

To achieve this goal, you can also:

• Assess what supportive social services exist in your target rural service area and current gaps.

• Screen people impacted by SUD for their specific supportive service needs.

• Refer and connect people to supportive services.

• Ensure “closed-loop” referrals, to reduce gaps in care.

• Provide case management and coordination support.

• Directly provide supportive services.

• Increase the service capacity of supportive services.

• Partner with service providers to strengthen assessment, referral, and care coordination processes.

Goal 3: Workforce A strong workforce is a key part of an effective SUD and behavioral health service system. You will help develop a responsive SUD workforce, including both clinical and peer service providers. RCORP data from past grantees shows that the use of Peer Recovery Specialists improves MOUD delivery.

Your activities should reflect what your target rural service area needs to ensure:

• There are enough qualified providers to meet SUD and related service needs.

• The types of providers and other professionals match the range of needed services.

◦ You must ensure there are qualified MOUD providers and peer support specialists in your target rural service area.

◦ Address needs related to both service providers and other support roles, such as billing and coding specialists, practice managers, and care navigators.

• The local workforce has the training, skills, and ongoing support to be effective.

Allowable workforce activities include, but are not limited to:

• Recruit, hire, and place new providers in service settings.

• Help current providers or staff get trained or certified to provide new services or play new roles, such as obtaining prescriber privileges.

• Provide training and professional development to improve knowledge and skills.

• Promote safe opioid prescribing practices.

• Support general clinical and community settings to work together with behavioral health, recovery, and supportive services providers.

• Partner with educational institutions to connect trainees with local practicum or job placements.

• Ensure high quality clinical supervision and peer mentorship.

• Efforts to improve provider retention, ensure well-being, and reduce burnout.

• Connect professionals with resources such as loan forgiveness programs and other incentives to serve in rural areas.

◦ You may help rural clinical sites qualify for loan repayment programs.

◦ Examples include HRSA’s Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program (STAR LRP) or National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Rural Community Loan Repayment Program.

We encourage you to engage people in recovery in the local SUD workforce whenever possible.

Goal 4: Network engagement and sustainability A strong coalition of partners is key to creating and sustaining a successful SUD service system. You will engage a multi-sector network to deliver your project in the target rural service area and ensure the continued availability of services after the period of performance.

• You and your network must submit a Financial and Sustainability Plan before the award ends (see Reporting).

◦ Key elements to sustain include new or expanded SUD and supportive services, workforce improvements, and network partnerships.

• Your network must consist of at least four separately owned entities (your organization plus three additional organizations).

◦ At least 50% of your network partners must have a physical location (either headquarters or a satellite site) in the target rural service area.

https://bhw.hrsa.gov/funding/apply-loan-repayment/star-lrp/facility-eligibility https://bhw.hrsa.gov/funding/apply-loan-repayment/star-lrp/facility-eligibility https://nhsc.hrsa.gov/loan-repayment/nhsc-rural-community-loan-repayment-program https://nhsc.hrsa.gov/loan-repayment/nhsc-rural-community-loan-repayment-program

◦ You must designate a Network Coordinator to organize network activities and help the group make joint decisions. This person may hold other roles as well.

• Network partners should commit to, at a minimum:

◦ Meet regularly (at least once per quarter).

◦ Assess community needs and resources in the target rural service area, including services, workforce, and funding.

◦ Plan, deliver, and coordinate activities based on local needs.

◦ Share aggregate data for performance reporting to HRSA.

◦ Plan for and help manage potential service disruptions, such as staffing changes, clinician turnover, public health emergencies, or severe weather.

◦ Create and enact a plan for sustaining key project elements after this grant ends.

• You must provide a letter of support from three proposed network partners in your application (see Attachment 6).

◦ Additionally, within the first 120 days after award, you must submit a written agreement (such as a memorandum of understanding) with all network partners. This agreement should include:

▪ The network’s shared goals.

▪ The network’s governance structure, decision-making process, and any data sharing agreements.

▪ Each partner’s role and responsibilities, including how each will support financial planning and sustainability.

◦ You should update this agreement if new network partners join later in the project.

◦ We will provide more guidance on the written agreement requirements if you receive an award.

• The network should represent various sectors and disciplines. Potential partner types include:

◦ Emergency or crisis response services.

◦ Primary care providers.

◦ Community and school-based health centers.

◦ Mental and behavioral health providers.

◦ Maternal health providers.

◦ Pharmacies.

◦ Law enforcement, including jails and prisons.

◦ Housing services.

◦ Employers and employee assistance initiatives.

◦ Child and youth services.

◦ Middle and high schools, community colleges, and institutes of higher education.

◦ Recovery organizations and communities.

◦ Libraries and other community resource centers.

◦ Faith-based organizations.

◦ State Office of Rural Health or other state authorities.

◦ State rural health or public health associations.

◦ Local government authorities.

• Your network must include capacity to help service providers seek third-party reimbursement for eligible services.

◦ We strongly encourage you to budget RCORP-Impact funds to support network partners’ meaningful participation in the project.

• To achieve this goal, you can also:

◦ Conduct community outreach, education, and engagement.

◦ Find and leverage other funding streams to enhance and sustain SUD services.

◦ Provide training and other resources for effective and efficient third-party reimbursement of services (see Appendix D for Third Party Payer guidance).

◦ Share the impact of project activities using local, state, or national data.

◦ Engage new partners to support and sustain RCORP-Impact services.

◦ Identify and pilot new approaches to address local needs.

Staffing You must include each of the following roles in your Key Personnel and Staffing Plan.

Individuals may fill more than one role if necessary. You may decide the job qualifications and percentage of effort needed to fulfill these duties. We consider the Project Director and Data Coordinator as key personnel, which require prior HRSA approval for any changes.

• Project Director: Serves as the primary point of contact and leadership for the award.

◦ Responsible for directing and overseeing all project activities and achieving project outcomes.

◦ Must attend monthly calls with HRSA program staff and the HRSA-funded RCORP technical assistance team.

◦ At least .25 FTE recommended.

• Data Coordinator: Coordinates with your network members to collect, aggregate, track, and report data and other information to fulfill HRSA’s reporting requirements.

◦ Participates in regular learning sessions with the HRSA-funded evaluator.

◦ May help the network create and use shared measures of success to track progress and adapt activities.

◦ May participate in regular calls with HRSA program staff and HRSA-funded technical assistance or evaluation providers.

• Learning Collaborative Point of Contact: Participates in regular learning collaborative meetings.

◦ Should be prepared to:

▪ Share information about your activities and any challenges with other grant recipients.

▪ Network with other award recipients.

▪ Join problem-solving discussions.

◦ Shares learnings from the meetings with the rest of your RCORP-Impact network.

• Network Coordinator: Engages current and potential network partners and helps the network organize its activities and make joint decisions.

◦ May include coordinating meetings and agendas and helping the network collaborate on shared goals.

Statutory authority 42 U.S.C. 912(b)(5) (§ 711(b)(5) of the Social Security Act)

Award information Funding policies and limitations Changes in HHS regulations As of October 1, 2025, HHS has adopted 2 CFR Part 200, with some modifications included in 2 CFR Part 300. These regulations replace those in 45 CFR Part 75.

Policies

• To make an award, funding must be available and allocated for this program and purpose, at which point we will move forward with the review and award process.

• Have clear policies and good financial practices to avoid spending HRSA funds on unallowable activities. Like other award rules, we may audit your policies, procedures, and controls.

• Support beyond the first budget year will depend on:

◦ Appropriation of funds.

◦ Your satisfactory progress in meeting the project’s objectives.

◦ A decision that continued funding is in the government’s best interest.

• If we receive more funding for this program, we may:

◦ Fund more applicants from the rank order list.

◦ Extend the period of performance.

◦ Award supplemental funding.

General limitations

• For guidance on some types of costs we do not allow or restrict, see:

◦ Project Budget Information in the Application Guide [PDF].

◦ You can also see 2 CFR Part 200 Subpart E - General Provisions for Selected Items of Cost.

◦ Allowable and Unallowable Costs and Activities in the HHS Grants Policy Statement.

• All costs must be reasonable, necessary, allocable to the award, and adequately documented (2 CFR 200.403)

• You cannot earn profit from the federal award. See 2 CFR § 200.400(g).

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200 https://www.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/hrsa/grants/application-guide.pdf#page%3D13 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200/subject-group-ECFRed1f39f9b3d4e72 https://www.hhs.gov/grants-contracts/grants/grants-policies-regulations/index.html https://www.hhs.gov/grants-contracts/grants/grants-policies-regulations/index.html https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRea20080eff2ea53/section-200.404 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRea20080eff2ea53/section-200.405 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRea20080eff2ea53/section-200.403 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200#p-200.400(g)

• Current appropriations law includes a salary limit of $228,000 as of January 2026 that applies to this program. You may pay salaries at a higher rate if the rate beyond the salary rate limit (Executive Level II) is paid with non-HHS funds. For help calculating salaries under this limit, read more at “salary rate limitation” in the Application Guide [PDF].

Program-specific statutory or regulatory limitations You cannot use funds under this notice for the following:

• To pay for activities that do not support HRSA-designated rural counties and rural census tracts, as defined by the Rural Health Grants Eligibility Analyzer.

• To acquire real property.

• For construction, except minor alteration and renovation as described in Budget and Budget Narrative.

• To purchase drug paraphernalia, including:

◦ Pipes or other supplies for safer smoking kits.

◦ Syringes or needles used to inject illicit drugs.

◦ Sterile water, saline, ascorbic acid (vitamin c) or other supplies used to facilitate drug use.

• To pay for any equipment costs not directly related to the purposes for which this grant is awarded.

See Manage Your Grant for other information on costs and financial management.

https://www.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/hrsa/grants/application-guide.pdf#page%3D14 https://www.hrsa.gov/grants/manage-your-grant

Indirect costs Indirect costs are costs you charge across more than one project that cannot be easily separated by project. For example, this could include utilities for a building that supports multiple projects.

To incur indirect costs, you can select one of two methods:

Method 1 – Approved rate. You currently have an indirect cost rate approved by your cognizant federal agency at the time of award.

Method 2 – De minimis rate. Per 2 CFR § 200.414(f), if you do not have a current negotiated indirect cost rate, you may elect to charge a de minimis rate. If you choose this method, costs included in the indirect cost pool must not be charged as direct costs.

This rate is up to 15% of modified total direct costs (MTDC). See 2 CFR § 200.1 for the definition of MTDC. You can use this rate indefinitely for all your federal awards or until you choose to receive a negotiated rate.

Consider your indirect costs when developing your budget.

Program income Program income is money earned as a result of your award-supported project activities. You must use any program income you generate from awarded funds for approved project-related activities. Find more about program income at 2 CFR 200.307.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.414 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200#p-200.1(Modified%20Total%20Direct%20Cost%20(MTDC)) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.307

Step 2:

Get Ready to Apply

Get registered 28

Find the application package 28

Application writing help 29

Get registered SAM.gov You must have an active account with SAM.gov to apply. SAM.gov registration can take several weeks. Begin that process today.

To register:

• Go to SAM.gov Entity Registration and select Get Started. From the same page, you can also select the Entity Registration Checklist for the information you will need to register.

• You must agree to the financial assistance general certifications and representations specifically. Those for contracts are different.

When you register, you will also receive your required Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).

Once you register:

• You will have to maintain your registration throughout the life of any award.

• If your organization has multiple UEIs, use the one associated with your physical location.

If you need additional information about user roles in SAM.gov, see “Get registered:

SAM.gov user roles” in the Application Guide [PDF].

Grants.gov You must also have an active account with Grants.gov. You can see step-by-step instructions at the Grants.gov Quick Start Guide for Applicants and How to Apply for Grants.

Find the application package The application package has all the forms you need to apply. You can find it online. Go to Grants Search at Grants.gov and search for opportunity number HRSA-26-037.

After you select the opportunity, we recommend that you click the Subscribe button to get updates.

https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/financial-assistance-general-certification-representations.pdf https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/financial-assistance-general-certification-representations.pdf https://www.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/hrsa/grants/application-guide.pdf#page%3D4 https://grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration http://www.grants.gov/quick-start-guide/applicants https://www.grants.gov/applicants/grant-applications/how-to-apply-for-grants https://www.grants.gov/applicants/grant-applications/how-to-apply-for-grants https://www.grants.gov/search-grants

Application writing help Visit HHS Tips for Preparing Grant Proposals.

Visit HRSA’s How to Prepare Your Application page for more guidance.

See Apply for a Grant for other help and resources.

Join the webinar For more information about this opportunity, join the webinar. More information on the HRSA-26-037 webinar will be posted to the Related Documents tab in Grants.gov.

We recommend that you “Subscribe” to the NOFO on Grants.gov to receive updates when we post documents.

We will record the webinar.

Have questions? Go to Contacts and Support.

https://www.hhs.gov/grants-contracts/grants/get-ready-for-grants-management/tips-for-preparing-grant-proposals/index.html https://www.hrsa.gov/grants/apply-for-a-grant/prepare-your-application https://www.hrsa.gov/grants/apply-for-a-grant

Step 3:

Build Your Application

Application checklist 31

Application contents and format 33

Application checklist There are two types of forms in Grants.gov.

• Some forms allow you to upload components of your application to the form.

These include components like your project narrative, budget and budget narrative, and attachments.

• Other forms are more typical, fill-in-the-blank forms.

Make sure that you have everything you need to apply.

Narratives

Component Grants.gov form Included in page limit*?

Project narrative Project Narrative Attachment form. Yes

Budget narrative Budget Narrative Attachment form. Yes

Attachments Insert each in the Attachments Form in this order.

Component Included in page limit*?

1. General project information No

2. Work plan Yes

3. Project organizational chart Yes

4. Staffing plan Yes

5. Biographical sketches Yes

6. Letters of support Yes

7. Direct service site details Yes

8. CMS Rural Health Transformation Program details (as needed) No

9-15. Other relevant documents (as needed) Yes

Other required forms Upload using each required form in Grants.gov.

Component Included in page limit?

Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) No

Project/performance site location(s) No

Project Abstract Summary form No

Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424A) No

Grants.gov lobbying form No

Key contacts No

*Only what you attach in these forms counts toward the page limit. The forms themselves do not count.

Application contents and format This section includes guidance on each component found in the application checklist.

Application page limit: 60 pages

Submit your information in English and express whole number budget figures using U.S. dollars.

Required format Required format for project summary, project narrative, budget narrative, and attachments.

Font: A readable font like Arial, Courier, CG Times, or Times New Roman.

File format: We only accept the following document formats:

• .PDF - Adobe Portable Document Format

• .DOC/.DOCX - Microsoft Word

• .RTF - Rich Text Format

• .TXT - Text

• .WPD - Word Perfect Document

• .XLS/.XLSX - Microsoft Excel

• .VSD - Microsoft Visio

Size: 12-point font Footnotes, charts, graphics, and budget tables may be 10-point or higher.

Ink color: Black

Spacing: Single-spaced, including all text and tables.

Alignment: Left

Headings: Bold all headings and align left.

Size: 8.5 x 11 (Make sure the print area is set and allows printing to 8.5 x 11.)

Margins: 1-inch on all sides.

Footer: On each page as the footer, include your organization’s name and page numbers. If a competing continuation or competing supplement, also include your 10-digit award number.

Page numbering:

• Do not number the standard OMB-approved forms.

• Number each attachment page sequentially (that is, 1, 2, 3).

• Reset the numbering for each attachment.

• Treat each attachment as a separate section.

File names: You can find guidance for naming our files in the Application Guide [PDF].

Project narrative Introduction See merit review criterion 1: Need

• Briefly describe the purpose of your project and what you hope to achieve.

◦ Include your proposed project goals and objectives.

◦ Include any specific area(s) of focus, such as specific substance use problems you will address.

• Give an overview of the eligible rural or partially rural counties you will serve.

◦ Briefly describe how your goals, objectives, and activities will help meet the SUD-related needs of your target rural service area.

• Briefly describe your proposed network partners and how they will contribute to this project.

Need See merit review criterion 1: Need

• Describe your target rural service area.

◦ Include population demographics and unique features that affect SUD and related service delivery, such as:

▪ Availability of key resources.

▪ Difficult geographic terrain.

▪ Areas with especially low numbers of residents.

▪ Other key features.

◦ Briefly explain why you selected this target rural service area.

◦ Include a list of all rural counties (or rural census tracts, for partially rural counties) in your target rural service area in Attachment 1.

https://www.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/hrsa/grants/application-guide.pdf#page%3D27

• Provide details about substance use, SUD/OUD, and its impact in the target rural service area. Include the following:

◦ Rates of substance use (including alcohol, opioids including fentanyl, and other illicit substances) and SUD, including OUD.

◦ Rates of fatal and non-fatal overdoses.

◦ Mental and physical health conditions associated with substance use.

◦ Social and community factors, such as employment rates, housing rates, law enforcement, child welfare needs, and health insurance coverage.

• Describe other behavioral health and related social support needs and assets in the target rural service area. Include the following:

◦ Rates of mental health conditions or concerns.

◦ Availability and accessibility of behavioral health prevention, treatment, and recovery services, including both in-person and telehealth services.

◦ Presence and engagement of supportive community-based organizations and initiatives.

◦ Health care workforce, especially behavioral health care providers and others who may provide SUD services, such as peer counselors.

• Give an overview of current or past efforts to expand SUD and related services in the target rural service area.

◦ Discuss what has been successful so far and what remaining needs you plan to address.

◦ Explain why federal funds are needed to launch new or expanded services.

• Use and cite supporting information from appropriate data sources, such as local, tribal, state, or federal data, whenever possible. You may also use proxy measures or composite indexes of community risk or need.

Approach See merit review criteria 2: Response and 4: Impact

• Tell us how you’ll meet the needs you described and fulfill all listed program requirements and expectations in this NOFO.

◦ Organize your response by detailing your plan for each program goal and your proposed objectives.

◦ Describe how your activities will work together to drive measurable, long-term improvements in access to integrated, coordinated, and sustainable services for SUD.

◦ Explain how you will use RCORP-Impact funds to help fully launch new or expanded services that can last long-term.

▪ Include how your activities build from, but do not duplicate, other federal, state, tribal, or local programs.

◦ Include how you will ensure attention to opioid misuse and OUD in your activities.

◦ Describe how you will address the needs of your entire target rural service area.

▪ Include pockets of unmet need or any groups with special risk factors that you will focus on.

▪ Provide an assurance that you will make services available to anyone who has, or is at risk for, SUD/OUD in the target rural service area.

◦ Describe how your activities will advance one or more MAHA priorities.

• Detail the types of direct prevention, treatment, and recovery services you will provide.

◦ Describe the evidence base for your chosen service lines.

◦ Give an overview of where you will offer each type of service.

▪ Ensure each county in your target rural…