Virginia Rural Health Transformation Program — CareIQ Tech Innovation Fund is a competitive, non-dilutive applicant financial-assistance opportunity administered by the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC), under RFA C-27-002 (issued September 30, 2026). Applications are open through October 29, 2026 at 5:00 PM Eastern Time. The fund supports innovative consumer-facing health technologies for chronic disease prevention, management and rural healthcare access that will be deployed for eligible rural Virginia communities.
Funding for individual applicants
Estimated Budget Period 1 subawards are $250,000–$999,999 per successful applicant. VIPC anticipates 10–25 awards. The approximately $9,900,000 initiative-level funding figure is a total program allocation, not an award to an individual applicant. Any later budget period requires a separate competition and available funding. No applicant matching or cost sharing is required.
Who qualifies
The applicant must be a U.S.-based, U.S.-owned entity able to receive and manage federal subaward funding, with all funded work performed in the United States and technology directly serving eligible rural Virginia communities. Under the RFA and VIPC’s October 8 FAQ, all applicant organizations, including nonprofits and other entity types, must have been founded fewer than 10 years ago and have raised less than $50,000,000 in prior funding. Eligible organizational forms may include qualifying private companies, nonprofits, governmental or Tribal entities and university spin-offs, provided every condition is satisfied. Established universities and clinics commonly participate as deployment partners rather than the lead technology applicant. Virginia-based status receives preference but is not an absolute requirement. Applicants need a valid UEI, active SAM.gov registration without exclusions, and applicable Virginia business registration and federal-risk documentation.
Technology must have a functional prototype and demonstrated feasibility at approximately Technology Readiness Levels 4–7, from proof-of-concept to minimum viable product. Pure ideas, unvalidated concepts and fully commercialized marketing/sales offerings are not eligible. The proposed project must demonstrably benefit rural Virginia and satisfy program-specific chronic-disease and consumer-facing technology requirements. Check the RFA’s rural-locality Appendix A and current agency definitions.
Allowable uses and limitations
Funding supports eligible direct project costs for developing, validating and deploying qualified technologies. Indirect and administrative costs, profit or fees, pre-award costs, and costs unrelated to the approved project are prohibited; federal salary caps and other cost restrictions apply. Awardees work through a defined performance period ending August 31, 2027, with documentation and sequential milestone-based reimbursement after VIPC and the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services approve supporting evidence. Applicants should plan for the reimbursement cash-flow cycle.
Required application and deadline
Apply through VIPC’s official CareIQ Tech Innovation Fund application page and linked Proposal Submission Interface by October 29, 2026 at 5:00 PM Eastern Time. Submission requirements include the online cover page; one-page executive summary; 10-page project narrative; key-person resumes (two pages each); complete budget and narrative; evidence of an active UEI/SAM.gov status; risk assessment; and required certifications and assurances. Written questions close October 13, 2026 at noon under the RFA; the questions deadline is not the application deadline. Consult the controlling VIPC RFA C-27-002 (PDF) and official FAQ revised October 8, 2026 (PDF) for precise rules and amendments before submitting.
Official sources reviewed October 10, 2026. This funding is a competitive applicant subaward, not a vendor-procurement solicitation or a general federal allocation to Virginia.