Massachusetts RHTP — Pre-Solicitation Framework
Massachusetts
Eligible Entity Types
Funding
Tribal Provisions
Massachusetts has no federally recognized tribes. The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe has experienced periods of federal recognition litigation; as of March 2026 their recognition status should be independently verified before assuming eligibility under any tribal-specific RHTP provisions. Organizations serving Native American communities in Massachusetts should engage EOHHS directly for eligibility clarification. No tribal set-aside or indigenous health funding track has been identified in Massachusetts's RHTP application.
Application Guide
Massachusetts received $162,005,238 in Year 1 RHTP funding. Per HRSA's nonmetro definition, Massachusetts has approximately 106,360 rural residents — a small rural population representing 1.5% of the state's total, which produces a per-capita rate of approximately $1,523/rural resident — among the highest in the nation. The lead agency is the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS), which coordinated a broad-coalition application drawing in MassHealth, the Department of Public Health, the Office of Rural Health, and the Executive Office of Economic Development's Office of Rural Affairs.
Massachusetts has published a seven-initiative structure — among the most detailed planning frameworks of any Phase 0 state — and has organized its rural geography into 18 rural clusters covering 160 of Massachusetts's 350 towns. This cluster framework will likely shape solicitation design, potentially favoring cluster-level consortia over single-site applicants. With only 4 CAHs, 15 FQHCs, and 7 RHCs statewide, the eligible provider pool is small and concentrated, meaning competitive solicitations will be less crowded than in larger rural states.
Massachusetts's rural provider pool is small and concentrated. Expected eligible entity types: Critical Access Hospitals (4 CAHs), FQHCs and community health centers (15 sites), Rural Health Clinics (7 sites), EMS agencies (Initiative 5), behavioral health providers (Initiatives 2 and 4), academic institutions and workforce training programs (THRIVE), community-based organizations (Healthy Rural Communities), and social service organizations (Population Health Advancement — social/clinical integration platform).
Rural cluster structure note: Massachusetts has organized its rural geography into 18 clusters covering 160 towns. Whether solicitations will require cluster-level consortium applications or permit single-site applications is unknown. Organizations should identify their cluster affiliation and potential consortium partners in advance.
No solicitation published. Community Advisory Council and initiative-level workgroups launched early 2026. Sub-grantee solicitation estimated mid-to-late 2026. Monitor mass.gov/info-details/about-the-rural-health-transformation-program for updates.