Kentucky Rural Health Transformation — Rural Community Hub Lead Organizations (2026 RFA)
The Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky (FHKY), working with Kentucky’s Rural Health Transformation Program, is accepting applications from organizations to lead Rural Community Hubs for Chronic Care Innovation in 12 additional Kentucky Area Development Districts (ADDs). This is competitive applicant-facing financial assistance, not vendor procurement. Leads will coordinate multi-sector collaboration, improve chronic-disease prevention and management (initially diabetes and obesity), and implement locally selected initiatives.
Current individual applicant funding
The controlling 2026 Hub Lead RFA anticipates up to $500,000 for an individual selected ADD Hub Lead during Budget Period 1, March 1–September 30, 2027. Up to one Lead award is anticipated for each of the 12 eligible ADDs. Potential longer-term funding, described as up to $10,000,000 per Hub across later years, is conditional future funding, not the applicant’s current 2027 award. Kentucky’s approximately $212,900,000 federal Year 1 RHTP state allocation is likewise not an award to one Hub applicant. Awards remain subject to review and program funding.
Geographic eligibility and applicant qualifications
The 12 eligible ADDs are Barren River, Kentucky River, Pennyrile, Cumberland Valley, Lincoln Trail, Bluegrass, Northern Kentucky, FIVCO, KIPDA, Green River, Buffalo Trace and Gateway. Big Sandy, Lake Cumberland and Purchase are separate initial pilots and are not additional openings under this competition. Applicants apply to lead one selected ADD and must document at least three years of physical operations serving that ADD. Qualifying nonprofits, local public or quasi-public entities, healthcare providers, academic and research institutions, and eligible for-profit/community organizations may apply if they satisfy the RFA’s applicant and fiscal requirements. Confirm valid SAM.gov Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), organizational standing, federal eligibility, and financial controls compliant with 2 CFR Part 200.
Required work and allowable costs
Selected leads will establish a rural Hub governance and operations structure, convene and support multisector partners across the ADD, coordinate diabetes/obesity prevention and care improvements, support community health workers and Hub leadership, collect outcomes, and comply with federal subrecipient reporting. The RFA anticipates engagement of core and network partners, an implementation workplan, staff and regional coordination. Applicants should use the current Appendix A narrative and Appendix B budget template. Budgeted costs must be necessary, reasonable, allowable, allocable, and supported under the RFA and 2 CFR Part 200. Do not assume technology or other project costs are eligible without checking the RFA. The controlling materials do not establish a universal fixed matching percentage in this summary; applicants should verify any updated cost-share condition or reimbursement mechanics with FHKY before final budgeting.
Important dates and application stages
Questions deadline: October 28, 2026. Letter of Intent: November 6, 2026. The online application portal is scheduled to open in mid-November 2026 (anticipated November 16). Completed applications are due December 18, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. Eastern. The administrator’s public page labels the December cutoff “EDT,” although Eastern Standard Time ordinarily applies in December. Applicants should confirm the intended time zone directly with FHKY instead of making an unverified conversion. An open RFA does not mean the final online submission portal is already operational; verify launch before attempting to submit.
Applicant checklist and controlling sources
Review the full official Hub Lead RFA, FHKY program and application information, and linked Appendices A and B. Prepare evidence of three-year operations in the selected ADD, federal UEI and good standing, local partner letters/commitments, workplan and narrative, and period-specific detailed budget with justification. Submit the LOI by the controlling deadline and apply through the official portal when posted. Reconfirm late amendments and the precise submission time with FHKY. Current-source review: October 25, 2026.