Building a Sustainable Rural Healthcare Workforce: Education

The State of South Dakota is seeking qualified organizations to design, implement, and sustain a rural health education and workforce‑development program as part of the Rural Health Transformation initiative. The award will fund up to $3 million in the first year, with a 14‑month base period and the possibility of three one‑year extensions. Proposals may address any combination of clinical training, non‑clinical leadership development, technology‑enabled learning, apprenticeship programs, and recruitment/retention strategies, and can be submitted by a single entity or a consortium. • Eligible activities include interdisciplinary continuing education, tele‑education platforms, simulation tools, preceptor development, and apprenticeship/earn‑and‑learn models. • No mandatory partnership structure; applicants may work alone or with academic, health‑system, or tribal partners. • Funding can cover personnel, travel, technology, and participant‑support costs, but not major construction or non‑educational housing. • The solicitation is open to both in‑state and out‑of‑state entities that can demonstrate prior experience with rural health workforce projects.