Maryland is directing $20.1 million in federal Rural Health Transformation funds toward building and retaining the healthcare workforce in 18 state-designated rural counties. The Maryland Department of Labor’s program divides the money between $3.7 million for near-term career pathways and $16.4 million for longer-term recruitment, training and retention projects.
The investment is part of a larger $168.2 million award to Maryland led by the state health department’s Office of Rural Health. The Labor Department’s grant period runs from September 1, 2026, through September 30, 2027. Applicants submitted proposals in August, with award notifications scheduled for September, making the next step the selection and launch of projects rather than a new round of applications.
The smaller stream, Pathways to Health Careers, reserves $2 million for apprenticeship intermediaries and $1.7 million for an allied-health expansion called RAMP-AH. The detailed policy says the projects are meant to expand apprenticeships and remove training and credentialing barriers for occupations including emergency medical technicians, nursing assistants, behavioral-health technicians, community health workers and imaging technicians. Individual grants are capped at $400,000 for apprenticeship intermediaries and $200,000 for RAMP-AH.
The larger Rural Incentives for Strengthening Employment in Healthcare initiative — RISE — provides up to $7.5 million for talent pipelines and another $7.5 million for advanced-provider pathways. Its guidance allows awards of up to $500,000 for projects that connect students and incumbent workers to allied-health, administrative and health-information-technology careers, or that train and retain nurses, physician assistants, physicians and dentists. The broader $16.4 million allocation also covers program support and administration.
This structure targets two different workforce problems. Entry-level and technical programs can increase the supply of workers for hard-to-fill roles, while continuing education, certifications and localized residency models are intended to help experienced clinicians advance without leaving rural communities. Eligible applicants include hospitals, local health departments, colleges, training organizations, school systems, workforce boards, apprenticeship sponsors and regional economic-development groups.
Federal rules shape the state’s approach. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services says the national initiative totals $50 billion over five fiscal years, split between equal state shares and allocations based on rural population, facilities and other factors. Recruiting and retaining clinical workers is an approved use, and workers receiving direct education or credential support through Maryland’s program generally must commit to five years of rural service.
The funding will not by itself resolve every shortage, and the state has not yet posted a public list of winning organizations. Its significance lies in the combination of near-term training money and longer-range career infrastructure. Results will depend on which projects are selected, how quickly they begin, whether employers convert training into durable positions, and whether providers remain in the rural communities the grants are designed to serve over time.
