Rural Health Capital Resources Masterclass

The NOSORH Rural Health Capital Resources Initiative presents a Masterclass for busy professionals eager to unlock federal, state, and private capital for rural health development projects! 

Led by national experts in community development finance, federal funding programs, healthcare collaborations, and rural philanthropy, this five-part series provides actionable insights and proven strategies for securing funding and building impactful partnerships. 

Participants will benefit from structured peer learning and networking opportunities, ensuring they are equipped with the knowledge and connections to drive meaningful results. 

Who Should Attend? 

Health and community development professionals who serve rural communities, including:  

  • State Office of Rural Health, Primary Care Office, and non-profit organization staff seeking to develop partnerships with capital resource and community development organizations. 
  • Community Development Finance Institution (CDFI) and community development professionals seeking more information about financing rural health development projects. 
  • Clinic or hospital staff aiming to collaborate across industries to access, navigate, and leverage funding for infrastructure and community health projects. 
  • Organizations with identified community needs seeking guidance on attracting capital resources and building new partnerships for their projects. 

Series Objectives

  • Understand the types of capital resources available to support rural health needs for infrastructure and social determinants of health. 
  • Think critically about the use of partnerships and collaboration to develop fundable projects, stack capital, and achieve successful project outcomes. 
  • Apply key learnings from this training to further individual project work and organizational objectives. 

Structure and Schedule 

This five-part series features live sessions held on Tuesdays from 2:30-4:00 PM ET on the following dates: March 4, March 18, April 1, April 8 and April 15. The Masterclass is structured as follows:

100-Series (Introductory Courses – Free)
Designed for those new to the topic or seeking a refresher. Requires separate registration for each session. 

  • 101: Overview of Rural Health Capital Resources
    Tuesday, March 4 
  • 102: Accessing Rural Health Capital Resources
    Tuesday, March 18 

    200-Series (Advanced Courses – $300 Paid Bundle)
    Provides deeper insights and advanced applications. Available for purchase as a three-session package. 

    • 201: Working with CDFIs to Meet Rural Health Infrastructure Needs
      Tuesday, April 1 
    • 202: Building Partnerships and Cross-Sector Approaches to Advance Rural Health
      Tuesday, April 8 
    • 203: Philanthropy, Rural Prosperity, and Population Health – Connecting Community Needs to Capital Resources
      Tuesday, April 15 

      Recordings of all sessions will be available online for later viewing. Each session will include a brief survey to capture participation (whether live or recorded) and provide supplemental reading and resources. No homework is required. 

      Session Details

      100-Series

      + 101: Overview of Rural Health Capital Resources (FREE)

      Tuesday, March 4, 2:30 to 4:00 PM ET 

      This introductory session provides an overview of organizations that fund rural health and community projects, such as housing, clinics, dental practices, and economic development initiatives. Participants will gain a foundational understanding of Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), economic development organizations, and philanthropic efforts. The session also highlights key resources to help communities secure capital for impactful local projects. 

      Speakers: 

      • Jana Reese, Funding Resources Specialist, RHIhub 
      • Kristin Juliar, NOSORH Capital Resources Consultant 

      🔗 Register HERE 
      *Each FREE session (session 101 and 102) requires its own registration. Please be sure to register for both sessions.  

      + 102: Accessing Rural Health Capital Resources (FREE)

      Tuesday, March 18, 2025, 2:30 to 4:00 PM ET
       

      In this foundational session, participants will explore how to access federal, state, and private capital sources to support rural health initiatives. The discussion focuses on practical strategies for utilizing these resources to achieve meaningful community health improvements in rural settings.

      Speakers: 

      • Brian Haapala, CEO, Stroudwater Capital Partners 
      • Bruce Pleasant, Director, Rural Business and Cooperative Services, North Carolina, USDA Rural Development 
      • Garland Burnette, Director, Community Programs and Program Support, North Carolina, USDA Rural Development 

       

      🔗 Register HERE
      *Each FREE session (session 101 and 102) requires its own registration. Please be sure to register for both sessions. 

      200-Series

      + 201: Working with CDFIs to Meet Rural Health Infrastructure Needs

      Tuesday, April 1, 2025, 2:30 to 4:00 PM ET  

      Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) are crucial in bridging funding gaps and providing technical assistance for rural projects, such as housing, healthy food access, clinical care, and broadband. Participants will discover how to collaborate effectively with CDFIs to leverage their capital resources and achieve local development goals. 

      Speakers:   

      • Robin Davey Wolff, Senior Director, Enterprise Community Partners
      • Nadia Villagrán, Fund Development and Strategic Partnerships Program Director, Rural Local Initiatives Support Corporation  
      • Yan Jiang, National Underwriter, LISC, Local Initiatives Support Corporation 

      + 202: Building Partnerships and Cross-Sector Approaches to Advance Rural Health

      Tuesday, April 8, 2025, 2:30 – 4:00 PM ET 

      This session explores strategies for developing innovative partnerships with guidance from the Build Healthy Places Network’s Playbook for New Rural Healthcare Partnership Models of Investment. Participants will also learn from West Virginia’s success in linking CDFI capital to rural health initiatives. Presenters will demonstrate how cross-sector collaboration can drive impactful rural health financing and development projects. 

      Speakers:  

      • Elaine Darling, Co-CEO & Director of Programs, The Center for Rural Health Development, Inc. 
      • Ashley Hernandez, Research and Product Manager, Build Healthy Places Network 
      • Mario A. Guel, Senior Program Manager, Build Healthy Places Network 

      + 203: Philanthropy, Rural Prosperity, and Population Health - Connecting Community Needs to Capital Resources

      Tuesday, April 15, 2025, 2:30 – 4:00 PM ET 

      This session examines the role of health systems as anchor institutions and their ability to channel financial resources, in partnership with other organizations, toward long-term community health solutions. Participants will also explore how philanthropy can address rural health capital needs. The session concludes by revisiting key principles of partnership building and integrating knowledge about capital resources to foster rural prosperity. 

      Speakers: 

      • Allen Smart, Rural Philanthropic Advocate Emeritus, PhilanthropywoRx 
      • Kate Gallagher, Senior Manager, Place-Based Investing & Policy Initiatives, Healthcare Anchor Network  
      • Ashley Hernandez, Research and Product Manager, Build Healthy Places Network 
      • Mario A. Guel, Senior Program Manager, Build Healthy Places Network 

      Registration

      Registration is not yet available.

      Technology and System Requirements

      • Sessions 101 & 102: Participants will use the link from their Zoom registration email to connect directly to Zoom on the scheduled date and time. 
      • Sessions 201-203: Participants who have registered and paid will use iSpring, an online Learning Management System (LMS), to access handouts, presentation materials, both live and recorded sessions, and communicate with the course instructor. Recordings of the presentations will be available for playback within 24 hours of the event.  

      Participants will receive an email invitation and instructions to access iSpring by March 25, 2025. Only those registered for the Masterclass will be provided a personal iSpring login and be permitted to join the webinars and access class materials. Failure to comply may result in access restrictions. 

      Refund Policy 

      All payments must be received by Monday, April 1, 2025 at 5:00 PM ET. 

      Payment via credit card or purchase order is accepted. If you can’t pay by April 1, 2025, or need specialized billing, contact Kayren Cross at kayrenc@nosorh.org or (888) 391-7258 ext. 108 to make arrangements for payment. 

      To be considered for a refund, requests must be submitted in writing to Kayren Cross. Refund requests must adhere to the following deadlines and criteria: 

      • On or before April 2 — full refund only if session 201 was not attended 

      Questions 

      For more information or support, contact Cate Visser, NOSORH Applications Manager, at catev@nosorh.org.