Wisconsin DWD Launches $150 Million Rural Healthcare Grant Program Over 4 Years
Updated
Updated · Urban Milwaukee · Jun 24
Wisconsin DWD Launches $150 Million Rural Healthcare Grant Program Over 4 Years
1 articles · Updated · Urban Milwaukee · Jun 24
Summary
$150 million in WIG: HEART grants will be offered over four years to help rural and semi-rural Wisconsin communities tackle healthcare workforce shortages through nonprofit and government-led projects.
$4.9 million is available in the first year, with individual awards ranging from $500,000 to $10 million for plans developed with regional workforce partners.
The program targets hiring, training, technical assistance, care availability and collaboration, aiming to reduce barriers that keep workers from entering or staying in healthcare jobs.
DWD said the effort follows Governor Tony Evers' Workforce Innovation Grant model, part of a broader $168 million workforce initiative that previously directed nearly $15 million toward healthcare worker shortages.
Applications are due by 3 p.m. CT on Aug. 17, 2026, as Wisconsin ties the new funding to recommendations from the governor's healthcare workforce task force.
After the grant money is spent, what is Wisconsin's long-term strategy to sustain its rural healthcare workforce without constant funding?
With hundreds of millions in overlapping grants, how will Wisconsin coordinate its rural healthcare initiatives to maximize impact and avoid redundancy?