Maryland’s Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP)

The Maryland Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) is a grant program that aims to improve access to healthy, locally sourced food across rural communities in Maryland. The program has approximately $4.7 million in funding available and will support projects that expand post-harvest infrastructure for small farms, enhance food distribution through food hubs and mobile markets, and increase procurement of local foods by institutions such as schools, hospitals, and community organizations. The program also prioritizes advancing nutrition education and supporting regional coordination to address food insecurity in rural “hot spot” communities. • The program is supported by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $168,180,837.61. • The program will be administered through a streamlined, one-phase grant application process. • Funding must be deployed within a limited timeframe, making this a unique opportunity for organizations prepared to advance impactful, community-based solutions.