National Rural Health Foundation

The National Rural Health Foundation (NRHF) was established in 2011 as the Rural Health Leadership and Education Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit organization attached to the National Rural Health Association. NRHF was constructed to elevate aspiring rural health leaders by reinforcing supported programs that educate rural health professionals on best practices, both in rural facilities and in Washington DC.

Our Mission

Through support for leadership focused programing, NRHF is dedicated to empowering professionals who have proven their commitment to protecting health care access in rural areas and advancing equity for rural communities. By equipping changemakers with vital leadership training, advocacy skills, and executive expertise, our supported programs ensure that participants have what they need to take on the unique challenges rural areas face locally and nationally.

Our Efforts

We take pride in supporting two cornerstone initiatives that shape the future of rural health care leadership:

• NRHA's Rural Health Fellows Program 
  • The Rural Health Fellows Program is a nationally recognized, year-long training course that guides participants through topics like Rural Workforce Issues, How to Engage with the Executive Branch, Population Health & Value-Based Care among others. In covering this type of material, Fellows are given an education in engagement with national policy and effective advocacy techniques. 
  • Over time, the Fellows Program has been responsible for producing a lengthy record of published policy papers that share NRHA's views on critical issues and demonstrate their leadership capabilities. Policy paper topics include Medicare Advantage in Rural, Cybersecurity in Rural Health, Rural Childhood Immunization, and Psychiatric Boarding of Rural Youth, just to name a few. Leaders responsible for creating and influencing meaningful change at the highest level for their communities and others emerge from the Fellows Program.
• The Center for Rural Health Leadership (CRHL) 
  • CRHL hosts a number of specialized programs that provide curated tools and strategies to hospital and clinical administrators and executives looking to improve their facility operations, provide high-quality care to their communities, and ultimately keep their doors open. CRHL maintains a highly engaged community of rural health leaders commonly found in the hospital/clinical setting. Programs geared toward C-Suite executives, Human Resource staff, and Hospital Board Members open the opportunity for a wide variety of professionals to participate.

Together, our supported programs cultivate a dynamic network of advocates and innovators who drive impactful solutions to the nation’s most pressing rural health challenges.

Looking Ahead

As the need for effective rural health leadership only continues to grow, NRHF remains committed to enhancing these programs and their offerings in the hopes that we can be apart of the transformation of the rural health landscape. As we continue to work toward this mission, our aim is to strengthen the curriculum of our programs, expand networking opportunities for our participants, and create actionable pathways for our leaders to demonstrate their leadership abilities within NRHA as well as in their communities.

Support Our Work

Your support is essential for NRHF to continue its work elevating community health workers, researchers, facility administrators, etc. By donating to NRHF, you’re directly contributing to advancing rural-relevant policy, disseminating valuable rural-relevant knowledge, and promoting rural health equity. If you would like to make a donation, you can do so in one of a few different ways:

• If you would like to donate online please click Donate Today below. You'll have the option to make a one-time contribution or a recurring, automated donation.
• If you'd prefer to donate by check, please mail all checks to 406 West 34th St., Suite 408/409 Kansas City, MO 64111.
• You can also include your donation in your membership renewal by filling out the optional donation section, either online or on the physical mailer.

If you have questions about our programs, mission, or how your support makes an impact, please get in touch with Brandon Brook.

The Rural Health Leadership and Education Foundation (RHLEF), doing business as the National Rural Health Foundation (NRHF) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. Your contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Consult your tax adviser for more information.