Rural Team Recruitment Grant Program

Overview

The Rural Team Recruitment Grant Program was developed to increase access to and strengthen primary health care services across rural and remote areas of Alberta by:

• improving the sustainability of rural health care
• fostering local solutions for health service delivery

The program supports clinics and community organizations that want to hire additional new primary care team members to increase capacity within their clinic – so clinicians can see more patients and improve access.

The grant provides funding over 2 years to:

• increase access to primary health care services
• improve the sustainability of rural health care
• foster local solutions for health service delivery

The program covers 50% of the total costs towards salary and benefits for non-physician and nurse practitioner new primary care team member(s) hires:

• The maximum total per individual salary inclusive of benefits is $145,000 per year.
• Up to $72,500 will be provided through grant funding.

Alignment

The Rural Team Recruitment Grant Program aligns with the Modernizing Alberta’s Primary Health Care System (MAPS) initiative, which prioritizes:

• equitable access to health services regardless of rural or remote locations
• modernizing rural health care approaches
• engaging local communities in health care decision-making

To achieve the outcomes in the MAPS initiative, as well as in the Rural Health Action Plan 2024–2027, primary health care must be accessible to Albertans in their community. This requires teams of health-care professionals working together to provide timely access to preventative, proactive care supported through infrastructure and information technology.

The program has helped achieve these goals – across rural and remote areas in Alberta – by:

• investing stimulus finding for team-based care
• strengthening primary health care

Funding

Funding for the Rural Team Recruitment Grant Program is a result of the Canada-Alberta Agreement to Work Together to Improve Health Care for Canadians. Through the agreement, an additional $200 million was allocated to help:

• improve access to family physicians
• ensure primary health care is available for all Albertans when and where they need it

A significant portion of this additional funding was dedicated to stimulus funding for developing and promoting team-bases care, especially in rural and remote areas of Alberta.

How to apply

The Rural Team Recruitment Grant Program is open to rural clinics and community organizations that want to hire additional new primary care team member(s) to increase clinic capacity. The intent is to:

• support clinicians so they can see more patients
• improve access to primary health care through team-based care

Steps

To apply for the program, clinics and community organizations must follow these steps:

1. Review the Program Guide and Sample Expression of Interest Application Form.
2. Meet the eligibility criteria.
3. Submit an expression of interest:
   • Fill out the Expression of Interest Application Form.
   • Send it to the Ministry of Primary and Preventative Health Services.

After you apply

All submissions go through a multi-stage review process, starting with an administrative screening to check for completeness and eligibility under the grant guidelines.

A review committee will then evaluate the expression of interest applications based on the eligibility criteria requirements and team-based care needs – with specific attention paid to:

• identified target populations
• plans to improve access to primary health care services through team-based care

Applicants will be notified of the status of their submission by email.

Reporting

The grant agreement will outline the reporting requirements and schedule.

Recipients must regularly report on the project’s financial status and outcomes achieved.

Resources

• MAPS 2-Year Implementation Plan
• Rural Health Action Plan
• Rural Remote Northern Program (RRNP) Community Rate Table

News

• More primary care on the way for rural Alberta (July 21, 2025)
• Strengthening primary health care across Alberta (November 5, 2024)
• Improving health care in rural and remote Alberta (October 3, 2024)
• New funding to stabilize primary health care (December 21, 2023)
• Strengthening health care: Improving access for all (October 18, 2023)

Related

• Modernizing Alberta's Primary Health Care System (MAPS) Engagement