Community Health Worker Infrastructure Project (RFA #31865-00020 Release #2)

Summary

This opportunity will award up to eight grants to TennCare healthcare provider organizations that employ or intend to employ CHWs, with a strong focus on rural populations and social determinants of health. Grants support professional development, technology and systems enhancements, implementation of the IMPaCT CHW model through structured technical assistance, and pursuit of Tennessee Community Health Worker Association (TNCHWA) Program Accreditation. Year 1 awards: $225,000 for organizations with 1-5 CHWs/supervisors and $450,000 for those with 6+; funds are allocated 67% for organizational infrastructure and 33% for model adoption/technical assistance. Grantees may qualify for a second funding year by satisfactorily completing Section A.6 deliverables and maintaining/expanding CHW teams per tier requirements, subject to TennCare approval and annual allocation decisions. Priority is given to rural-serving applicants, but all TennCare providers meeting minimum staffing requirements are eligible. Ongoing oversight, deliverables, and progress reporting are required, and the grant is structured as reimbursement-based funding.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants are Tennessee healthcare provider organizations serving TennCare members and employing or planning to employ Community Health Workers (CHWs), including primary care, outpatient, and rural-serving providers. Organizations must be able to meet minimum CHW/supervisor staffing defined by their funding tier by the end of the grant period. Priority consideration is given to rural-serving organizations, but non-rural applicants are also eligible.

Requirements Checklist