RALEIGH, N.C. (WHKY) — Health care providers serving rural North Carolinians have until November 16 to apply for the first round of funding from a program designed to improve technology and access to care.

Governor Josh Stein’s office announced September 30 that the Rural Health Innovation Fund has launched, with approximately $20 million per year planned for up to five years.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Information Technology are overseeing the effort to help providers modernize their practices and better connect patients with care.

First-year applicants may include primary care providers, federally qualified health centers, community health centers and safety net providers that meet certain federal health center requirements.

Applicants must show that they serve rural residents, even if their own county is not designated as rural.

Eligible projects include expanded telehealth services, electronic health record upgrades, cybersecurity improvements and artificial intelligence tools that support clinical decisions.

State officials say the funding will help smaller providers test and adopt technology despite challenges such as limited budgets, staffing shortages and aging technical infrastructure.

Providers must complete an online assessment, gather quotes and submit an application through the NCDIT grant portal by 11:59 p.m. November 16, 2026.

Award announcements are expected in January 2027.

The funding is reimbursement-based, and projects must be completed by July 30, 2027.

The fund is part of North Carolina’s Rural Health Transformation Program, which received more than $213 million in federal funding for its first year, according to the governor’s office.