North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS) is launching a new $40 million funding opportunity designed to help rural hospitals upgrade clinical equipment, strengthen emergency and specialty care services, and keep more healthcare close to home for North Dakotans.
For many rural communities, limited and aging equipment can mean patients must travel hours for emergency care, advanced imaging, cancer treatment, obstetric care or specialized procedures. State leaders say the funding is designed to help hospitals provide faster diagnoses, improve outcomes and strengthen the long-term future of rural health care in North Dakota.
“This investment is about helping rural hospitals continue delivering high-quality care in the communities people call home,” said HHS Commissioner Patrick Traynor. “When hospitals have the tools they need locally, patients and families spend less time traveling for care and communities are better positioned to remain healthy and strong.”
The Rural Hospital Clinical Equipment funding opportunity will support eligible rural hospitals in purchasing equipment ranging from advanced imaging and emergency stabilization tools to surgical, obstetric and oncology technology. The funding opportunity is part of North Dakota’s broader Rural Health Transformation Program, a statewide effort focused on improving access to care, strengthening the rural health workforce and helping communities build sustainable health care systems.
Approximately 20 awards of about $2 million each are expected to be distributed to eligible rural hospitals across North Dakota. Funding may support clinical equipment purchases, installation costs and minor renovations directly tied to patient care improvements.
Eligible projects may include:
- MRI, CT and ultrasound equipment
- Emergency and trauma stabilization tools
- Surgical and minimally invasive procedure technology
- Labor and delivery and neonatal equipment
- Cardiology and respiratory care systems
- Rehabilitation and post-acute care equipment
- Oncology treatment technology
- Infection prevention and patient safety systems
A full list of eligible projects can be found in the funding opportunity guidance at www.hhs.nd.gov/rural-health-transformation/funding.
Applicants must be critical access hospitals, rural emergency hospitals or ambulatory care units located in rural North Dakota, including non-federally operated Indian Health Service hospitals. Applications are due June 30, 2026, at 5 p.m. CT. A technical assistance call for interested applicants will be held June 8, from noon to 12:45 p.m. CT.
More information about the funding opportunity, including application materials and technical assistance resources, is available at North Dakota Rural Health Transformation Program webpage.
The Rural Health Transformation Program is supported by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as part of a financial assistance award totaling $198,936,969.55, with 100% funded by CMS. The contents are those of North Dakota Health and Human Services and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, CMS, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services or the U.S. government.
Where to Apply
www.hhs.nd.gov/rural-health-transformation/funding