THRIVE: Telehealth, Health-monitoring, and Response Innovation for Vital Expansion
Telehealth platforms, remote patient monitoring and emergency medical response, with about $55.7 million awarded in Year 1.
RHTP state profile · Arkansas
Arkansas Rural Health Transformation Program
Arkansas received $208.8 million in Year 1 of the $50 billion federal Rural Health Transformation Program, 16th of 50 states. The Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) runs the program, which funds four initiatives focused on the 63 of Arkansas's 75 counties classified as rural, from telehealth and emergency response to care networks, workforce and nutrition.
Year 1 awards, all 50 statesAR: $208.8M
Texas $281.3MNew Jersey $147.3M
$208.8MYear 1 award, 16th of 50
4Funded initiatives
63 / 75Arkansas counties are rural
DFAArkansas Department of Finance and Administration
Spending data in the RHTP Year One Report covers December 29, 2025 to July 31, 2026, the latest CMS reporting window.
At a glance
Arkansas's program at a glance
The award is fixed for the year. Spending moves every quarter, so Arkansas's section of the RHTP Year One Report tracks how much was put to work, and with whom, through July 31, 2026. It updates after each CMS data release.
Year 1 award$208,779,396, 16th of 50 states
Run byArkansas Department of Finance and Administration
Budget Period 1December 29, 2025 to October 30, 2026
Initiatives4
Rural counties63 of 75
Spending data through July 31, 2026Arkansas's section of the Year One Report →Initiatives
What does Arkansas's RHTP fund?
Arkansas's RHTP funds four initiatives: telehealth and emergency response, rural care networks, workforce, and nutrition and prevention. Each initiative has its own notice of funding opportunity (NOFO), and every Arkansas award maps to one of the four.
PACT: Promoting Access, Coordination, and Transformation
Regional care networks that bring specialty care, screenings, telehealth, trauma-ready services and facility improvements to rural areas, with about $93.6 million budgeted in Year 1.
RISE AR: Recruitment, Innovation, Skills, and Education for Arkansas Healthcare
Builds the rural health workforce through residencies, recruitment and retention incentives, skills training and leadership training for hospital and clinic boards.
HEART: Healthy Eating, Active Recreation, and Transformation
Community-based nutrition, physical activity, preventive care and chronic disease management programs.
Recipients by initiative are in Arkansas's section of the RHTP Year One Report.
Source documents
Arkansas's full plan is public
The approved plan has more detail than any summary: goals, partners, metrics and timelines for each initiative. Read it before responding to an Arkansas funding notice.
PDFDFAArkansas RHT Program Revised Project NarrativeThe full plan, revised March 31, 2026, including all four initiatives and Arkansas's policy commitments.PDFDFAArkansas RHT Year 1 Budget NarrativeThe Year 1 budget by initiative, revised March 31, 2026.PDFGovernor's OfficeArkansas RHT Program ApplicationThe application Arkansas submitted to CMS in fall 2025.PDFCMSCMS State Project AbstractsEach state's own summary, side by side.
Rural county (63)Other counties (12)
Eligibility
Which Arkansas counties are eligible for RHTP funding?
Arkansas's plan classifies 63 of the state's 75 counties as fully rural, using the federal Office of Rural Health Policy list of rural counties, and about 1.3 million Arkansans live in rural areas. Each funding notice states its own geographic requirements, and the state favors local and regional projects over statewide ones.
How to apply
How can Arkansas providers apply for RHTP funding?
Arkansas providers apply through a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for each of the four initiatives, using the online application portal on ArkansasRHTP.com, the state's RHTP site run by DFA. All Year 1 funding has been awarded, and Year 2 dates have not been announced. Providers and vendors don't apply to CMS directly.
- Match the work to an initiative.Funding only goes to work that fits one of the four, and each has its own NOFO.
- Watch for Year 2 rounds.DFA posts new notices on the Funding Resources page at ArkansasRHTP.com. Awards cover one program year, so Year 1 recipients must reapply.
- Register in SAM.gov.The application portal requires an active SAM.gov registration before you begin.
- Plan for federal rules.Grant recipients follow federal grant, reporting and audit rules, and most funding is paid by reimbursement after a signed agreement. A Single Audit applies at $1 million or more in federal spending a year.
- Ask DFA directly.Email info@arkansasrhtp.com.
Federal terms
Four rules that shape every award
Federal terms follow the money down to every Arkansas recipient.
Grants and contracts carry different obligations
A subaward makes your organization a subrecipient that carries out part of the program, with federal reporting and audit requirements. A contract pays for goods or services, with lighter requirements.
New rounds follow CMS budget approval
States can't post funding opportunities until CMS approves their budget, so windows can open months into a budget period.
Workforce incentives need a rural commitment
Recruitment and retention payments require clinicians to commit to serving rural communities for at least five years.
Recipients must disclose the federal funding
Under the Stevens Amendment, websites, social posts and other public materials about a funded project must name the federal funding.
Allowable costs
What can Arkansas's RHTP funding pay for?
Arkansas's RHTP funding can pay for work on existing facilities, uncovered care, technology and administration, within federal caps on each use. Applied to Arkansas's Year 1 award, the maximums are:
Capital and infrastructure20% of award
About $41.8M
Provider payments15% of award
About $31.3M
Administrative costs10% of award
About $20.9M
Rural Tech Catalyst Fund10% or $20M, whichever is less
$20.0M
Replacing an existing EMR system5% of award
About $10.4M
Provider payments and capital
Provider payments cover services insurance doesn't pay for, quality bonuses and outcome-based payments tied to Arkansas's plan. They can't raise rates for services providers already bill.
Capital funds go to existing facilities: renovations, accessibility upgrades, HVAC and like-for-like equipment replacement.
Off limits
- New construction, demolition and major expansions
- Cosmetic work such as painting, carpet or decor
- Clinician salaries at facilities that use non-compete clauses
- Home broadband installation and service
- Costs already covered by other federal or state funding
Policy commitments
Arkansas's policy commitments carry deadlines
Arkansas committed to three policy actions in its application. None is done yet. Its SNAP restriction on soda and candy was already approved by USDA before it applied and took effect July 1, 2026. CMS can reduce or recover funding if the commitments slip.
Scope of practice
Pass a law expanding scope of practice for pharmacists and other health professionals
Legislation planned for the 2027 sessionPresidential Fitness Test
Have schools bring back the Presidential Fitness Test
Nutrition education for physicians
Require nutrition continuing medical education and nutrition training in medical schools
Arkansas already belongs to the physician, nurse, EMS, psychology, physician assistant, dietitian, counseling, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and audiology and speech-language pathology licensure compacts, several of them joined through 2025 laws.
Years 2 to 5
$40B
Future awards depend on progress
Year 1 is not a guaranteed annual amount. CMS plans up to $40 billion more nationwide through 2030 and rescores every state each year on progress, data and policy actions.
Unobligated money leaves the state
Funds not obligated by the end of a budget period can't be obligated later and are redistributed to other states.
Funds can be clawed back
CMS can withhold, reduce or recover money for unallowable costs, unapproved plan changes or missed policy commitments. States get 90 days to fix a violation, and most decisions can't be appealed.
Oversight is growing
CMS's Office of Rural Health Transformation plans site visits in all 50 states in 2026. Audits start in 2027.
Method
Reading Arkansas's spending data
Use the numbers in Arkansas's section of the RHTP Year One Report to understand direction and pace, not as an audit.
Put to work is not paid out
Obligated money is signed to a contract or grant. Cash reaches recipients later.
Through July 31, 2026 only
The data covers December 29, 2025 to July 31, 2026, as Arkansas reported it to CMS. Commitments made after July 31, 2026 are not counted yet.
Recipients sit inside line items
The CMS report has no recipient column. Search Arkansas's line item descriptions by name.
Quarterly refresh
CMS updates the data after each quarterly state report, starting with the November 30, 2026 filing.
Announcements
Major Arkansas announcements
DFA holds a training for Year 1 subrecipients on procurement, federal rules and reimbursement requests, and posts the recording.
The University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service announces a $2.65 million HEART grant for ROOT of Rural Health, a rural wellness and health literacy program.
Governor Sanders announces $54.6 million for 54 HEART and RISE AR projects, completing Arkansas's Year 1 awards.
Governor Sanders announces $149.3 million for 50 THRIVE and PACT projects, led by regional care hubs, hospital transitions and an EMS connectivity network.
DFA opens the PACT funding round, about $93.6 million for rural care networks, coordination and facility improvements.
Applications open on ArkansasRHTP.com, starting with $55.6 million for THRIVE.
CMS awards Arkansas $208.8 million for Year 1.
Awards announced after July 31, 2026 are not in the CMS spending data yet. They will appear after the next CMS refresh.
Timeline
Key dates
- Dec 29, 2025Year 1 award; Budget Period 1 begins
- May 4, 2026First Arkansas funding round (THRIVE) opens
- Jun 8, 2026PACT funding round opens
- Jul 1, 2026SNAP soda and candy restriction takes effect
- Jul 31, 2026End of the first CMS reporting window; Year One Report spending data runs through this date
- Aug 27, 2026THRIVE and PACT awards announced
- Sep 24, 2026HEART and RISE AR awards announced
- Oct 30, 2026Budget Period 1 ends
- Nov 30, 2026Quarterly reports due; CMS refreshes funding data
- Dec 31, 2027Scope of practice deadline
- Dec 31, 2028Presidential Fitness Test deadline
- 2030Final year of the five-year program
Implications
What this means
For rural hospitals
PACT has Arkansas's largest Year 1 budget, about $93.6 million, and its biggest awards went to regional hubs and hospital transitions, such as Baxter Health's Regional Collaboration Hub and Baptist Health's South Arkansas Regional Hospital. Awards cover one program year, so watch for Year 2 notices and plan to reapply.
For partners and vendors
Arkansas doesn't let private vendors, such as technology, construction or HVAC firms, apply directly. Vendors work through funded organizations, which buy under federal procurement rules covered in DFA's procurement training. Telehealth, remote monitoring and EMS connectivity under THRIVE are the most active technology lanes.
For applicants and grantees
Build tracking for the measures Arkansas reports to CMS before an award lands. Recipients report quarterly, most funding is paid by reimbursement, and past or in-progress costs can't be reimbursed. Subrecipient results feed Arkansas's annual rescoring.
FAQ
Arkansas RHTP FAQs
Who runs Arkansas's Rural Health Transformation Program?
The Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) runs Arkansas's Rural Health Transformation Program, using federal funding from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). DFA manages the state's plan, posts funding opportunities on ArkansasRHTP.com and answers questions at info@arkansasrhtp.com. Award decisions are made by a state team that includes the Governor's Office and the Departments of Human Services, Health, and Finance and Administration. The program is Arkansas's share of the $50 billion federal Rural Health Transformation Program.
How much RHTP funding did Arkansas receive?
Arkansas received $208,779,396 for Year 1 of the Rural Health Transformation Program, 16th of 50 states. Every state got $100 million in baseline funding, and the rest of Arkansas's award was based on its rural needs, its policy commitments and the strength of its plan. Later years depend on Arkansas's progress.
Can Arkansas RHTP funding pay for construction?
No. RHTP funds can't pay for new construction, demolition or major expansions. Up to 20% of Arkansas's award each year, about $41.8 million in Year 1, can go to work on existing facilities, such as renovations, accessibility upgrades, HVAC replacement and like-for-like equipment replacement.
Can Arkansas providers use RHTP funding to pay for patient care?
Only for care that insurance doesn't already pay for. Provider payments can cover nonreimbursed services, quality bonuses and outcome-based payments tied to Arkansas's plan, up to 15% of the award each year, about $31.3 million in Year 1. They can't raise rates for services providers already bill.
Where can I see how Arkansas is spending its RHTP funding?
The RHTP Year One Report tracks how much of Arkansas's award was put to work through July 31, 2026, by initiative and recipient, using state-reported data from CMS, and is updated after each CMS data release. Awards announced after July 31, such as $149.3 million for THRIVE and PACT in August 2026 and $54.6 million for HEART and RISE AR in September 2026, will appear after the next CMS refresh.
The Alliance
RHT Alliance members serving Arkansas
These RHT Alliance members serve Arkansas providers, with support that spans virtual nursing, virtual care, remote monitoring, health data, diagnostics, patient education and grant writing.
Azalea HealthCloud EHR and billing with AI-assisted charting for rural hospitals and clinics.
CorstrataTelehealth access to board-certified wound, ostomy and continence nurses.
Equum MedicalTelehealth-enabled physician coverage across specialties.
Health Recovery SolutionsRemote patient monitoring and care management at home.
InterSystemsHealth data platforms and interoperability.
Medical Equipment SourceDigital pathology, mobile labs and lab equipment services.
Rural Health Transformation Funding NetworkGrant writing support for RHTP funding opportunities.
Self Care DecisionsEvidence-based triage that directs patients to the right level of care.
Solid StartsInfant feeding guidance and education for families, built by pediatric feeding specialists.
Teledentistry.com24/7 virtual dental evaluations and emergency triage.
VitalChatVirtual nursing and continuous audio and video care across hospitals.
WebMD IgniteMedically reviewed patient education and outreach, including its HEART rural program.Follow Arkansas's money as it moves
The RHTP Year One Report tracks obligations, initiatives and recipients for all 50 states after each CMS data release.