Michigan RHTP — Pre-Solicitation Framework
Michigan
Eligible Entity Types
Funding
Tribal Provisions
Michigan has 12 federally recognized tribes, five of which are located in the Upper Peninsula. A confirmed 5% tribal set-aside (~$8,656,410 Year 1) is reserved for projects with tribal government partners addressing programs that meet the unique needs of Michigan's tribal communities. The distribution mechanism — direct tribal application to MDHHS, tribal-specific solicitation, or tribal consortium approach — has not been published. Tribal health programs should monitor MDHHS communications and engage the department directly. The 5% set-aside dollar figure is a calculated estimate (5% × $173,128,201); the exact published figure from a primary source has not been confirmed.
Application Guide
Michigan received $173,128,201 in Year 1 RHTP funding (~$104/rural resident). The lead agency is the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), administering directly under a cooperative agreement with CMS. Michigan's rural landscape includes 35 CAHs, 12 federally recognized tribes (5 in the Upper Peninsula), and an Upper Peninsula frontier context where transport times to referral centers can reach 60–100 miles — conditions that directly shaped the four-initiative framework.
Michigan is one of a small number of RHTP states with a confirmed tribal set-aside: 5% of the Year 1 award (~$8.7M) is reserved for projects with tribal government partners. Distribution mechanism not yet published. MDHHS has built an RHT Advisory Council as its governance body and launched a stakeholder listserv — signs of an organized implementation process awaiting the CMS budget clearance gate.
Michigan's eligibility list is broader than typical. Explicitly named eligible sub-grantee types include: Critical Access Hospitals (35 CAHs), FQHCs and community health centers (146 FQHC sites), Rural Health Clinics (202 sites), rural hospitals (general), local health departments, behavioral health providers, tribal governments and tribal health programs (via 5% set-aside), community-based organizations participating in health or health-related social needs, and Upper Peninsula-specific providers and organizations.
Upper Peninsula note: Five of Michigan's 12 tribes are in the UP. The Care Closer to Home Blueprint explicitly addresses UP transportation and access barriers. Whether a UP-specific geographic track or reserve will be published is an open question; organizations in UP counties should monitor closely.
CMS budget approval pending. MDHHS has confirmed grant programs will be released once CMS final budget approval is received. RHT Advisory Council forming. 5% tribal set-aside (~$8.7M) confirmed. Monitor michigan.gov/mdhhs RHTP page and subscribe to MDHHS RHTP listserv for solicitation announcements.