Grants
2026 - 2027 EMS DEVELOPMENT GRANT
Application & Processing Timeline:
July 1, 2026 - August 15, 2026: ArAA EMS Development Grant Application Period
August 16, 2026 - September 30, 2026: Grant Application Review Period
By September 30, 2026: Applicants will be notified of application approval or denial
October 1, 2026 - May 31, 2027: Grantees may expend funds in accordance with the grant policy (Review policy here)
Who is eligible?
Applicants must have a current Arkansas EMS Service License
Applicants must comply with Arkansas EMS laws and regulations
All Arkansas licensed ambulance service levels are eligible
How to submit an application?
Applications must be submitted by completing this form: 2026-2027 ArAA EMS Development Grant Application
The ArAA Grant Committee reviews requests and recommends recipients to the ArAA Board of Directors. The Board has final approval.
How are grantees awarded?
Grants require one of the following matches: 80% ArAA members/20% applicant; 20% non-members/80% applicant.
Awards depend on fund availability and may be partial or full.
Grant awards will be communicated by September 30, 2026.
Funds must be spent between October 1, 2026, and May 31, 2027; unused funds return to ArAA
What are the purchasing requirements when using these grant funds?
Purchased equipment remains property of the applicant and must be used in the original service area.
Funds cannot be used for existing obligations (e.g., past purchases, salaries, rent, office equipment, or disposable items).
Purchases must follow accepted business practices and be made after grant approval.
What are the penalties for misuse of funds?
Misuse of funds requires full reimbursement to ArAA.
Non-compliant services are ineligible for future grants until repayment.
RHTP Updates
Update 6/23/26
As we prepare our industry’s proposal for the Rural Health Transformation Program’s RISE AR Initiative, we ask that your organization provides evidence of workforce shortages/needs, recruitment and retention challenges, training needs (continuing education and re-certification included), leadership development gaps, and emergency response system weaknesses. This 3rd phase of Rural Health Transformation’s priority is to strengthen rural healthcare systems among these sub-initiatives. Survey has closed.
Here is the NOFO for the RISE application.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Update from 6/2/26
Our THRIVE proposal was submitted last Friday! Huge shout out to Donna Newchurch for her guidance and diligent collection of our vision for the EMS industry in Arkansas. She captured it beautifully. Thank you again for your input!
In the coming days, we will share additional surveys regarding the next phase of the RHTP process. Your cooperation will be greatly appreciated again. The 2nd NOFO for the Rural Health Transformation Program is PACT and the state’s Notice of Funding Opportunity was released yesterday. For further reading, take a look at it HERE.
As previously done, we will submit our PACT proposal addressing rural health needs on your behalf. PACT stands for Promoting Access Coordination and Transformation. PACT initiatives will focus on improving coordination between healthcare workers, reducing service gaps, delivering better patient experiences, and promoting a more efficient use of healthcare resources. PACT funding is intended for healthcare providers, hospitals, clinics, behavioral health providers, EMS, public health agencies, and community partners seeking to improve access and coordination of care.