In 2023, the CMSP Governing Board assessed the healthcare workforce needs of its member counties in collaboration with the UCSF Healthforce Center and Rural County Representatives of California. Research findings are detailed here: The Healthcare Workforce Landscape in County Medical Services Program (CMSP) & Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) counties. Following that period of research, the CMSP Governing Board hosted a convening to inform stakeholders of research findings and to solicit feedback on addressing CMSP county healthcare workforce needs.
The Building the Healthcare Workforce Grant program (BHW) was created by the CMSP Governing Board in direct response to its healthcare workforce research. The BHW program seeks to address the chronic healthcare provider shortage in CMSP counties by expanding the number of available healthcare providers, which will alleviate the collective burden faced by CMSP county healthcare workforces and will reduce barriers to needed healthcare services for CMSP county residents. Healthcare workforce groups to be supported or expanded under this program may include, but are not limited to, primary care, nursing, behavioral health, dental, allied health and public health.
Total BHW Grant funding may provide up to $14 million in awards throughout the duration of the program. Awards will be granted over multiple funding rounds across two project tracks.
Track 1 – Coalition Planning Grants. Award amounts of $60,000 (up to $85,000 if the project serves more than one county) are available to aid in the creation or support of existing healthcare workforce coalitions. Planning projects will assess and document workforce needs and complete a written plan to address identified needs.
Track 2 – Initiative Grants. Award amounts of $450,000 (up to $750,000 if the project serves more than one county) are available to entities that are ready to launch a project that addresses identified healthcare workforce needs and expands or supports CMSP county healthcare workforces.
Organizations eligible to apply for a BHW grant include:
- Hospitals in CMSP counties
- Community Health Centers in CMSP counties
- Tribal Health Organizations in CMSP counties
- Nonprofit health and behavioral health organizations focused on healthcare workforce development in a CMSP county
- County department or agency directly providing or contracting for the delivery of health, public health, and behavioral health services in a CMSP county
- CMSP county workforce development boards
- Public educational institutions providing health provider education and training, including community colleges, universities, medical schools, physician assistant schools, nursing school and dental schools
This page will be updated if a new Building the Healthcare Workforce request for proposals is released.
For additional information regarding this program, email grants@cmspcounties.org.
