Rural Health Innovation and Technology Grants (RHIT)

The Rural Health Innovation and Technology Grants (RHIT) is one of Nevada's four RHTP initiatives, covering technology modernization for rural healthcare providers. NVHA has confirmed the RHIT RFP will be released in May 2026 — making it the first specifically announced solicitation timeline in Nevada's Year 1 program. Awards are expected in September 2026, with contracts beginning September 15, 2026 and running through September 30, 2027 (the Year 1 expenditure deadline).

The RHIT initiative funds health information system upgrades, alignment with CMS digital health priorities, cybersecurity strengthening, and telehealth capacity expansion for rural Nevada providers. NVHA has signaled that preferred applicants are rural CAHs, CCBHCs, clinics, FQHCs, and school-based health centers — the entities with the most direct patient care roles in rural communities.

Based on NVHA pre-solicitation materials, preferred eligible entities include Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs), rural clinics (non-FQHC), Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), and school-based health centers. Tribal organizations and state entities are eligible if their application includes a formal partnership with an eligible rural provider. Tribal programs applying without a rural provider partner are not described as independently eligible in available pre-solicitation materials.

Nevada has 20 federally recognized tribal entities (28 total entities including bands, colonies, and councils) and 13 Tribal and IHS clinics serving rural tribal communities. Tribal representatives participate in NVHA's Rural Health Transformation Steering Committee (RHTSC). Despite this tribal engagement, no dedicated tribal set-aside has been confirmed for Nevada's RHTP program. For the RHIT RFP specifically, NVHA's pre-solicitation framing states that tribal organizations are eligible if their application includes a partnership with an eligible rural provider. This creates a structural dependency that may disadvantage tribal health programs that lack established partnerships with rural CAHs, FQHCs, or clinics. Tribal programs interested in RHIT should begin building those documented partnerships now — before the May RFP releases.

The RFP is approximately 6 weeks away. Confirm your technology need and project concept now. The RHIT initiative has four stated focus areas: health information system upgrades, CMS digital health alignment, cybersecurity, and telehealth capacity expansion. Strong applications will tie the proposed technology investment to a specific, measurable rural health outcome. For tribal health programs: begin the rural provider partnership documentation process now. Identify one or more eligible rural CAH, FQHC, or clinic partners who will formally support your RHIT application. The RHIT partnership requirement is likely an eligibility gate, not just a scored criterion.