C3i Blogs

This blog is designed for rural health leaders, administrators, and decision-makers who want to move from reactive grant chasing to proactive funding strategy. Here you’ll find practical guidance on grant readiness, opportunity evaluation, lifecycle planning, compliance considerations, and the policy shifts shaping rural health transformation.

  • Why I Bet My Career on Rural Health Transformation

    I didn’t come to this work through a clinical path. I don’t have a medical degree. But I’ve spent my entire career in healthcare, and the thread that runs through all of it is a belief that where you live shouldn’t determine whether you get the care you need. It [...]

  • From NOFO to Award: A Strategic Timeline for Federal Grant Success

    Every federal grant follows a lifecycle. The organizations that navigate it well don’t just write better proposals — they make better decisions at every stage. After 20+ years in this space, here’s how I think about the phases that separate successful applicants from everyone else. The grants lifecycle starts long [...]

  • Is This Grant Worth Pursuing? A Framework for Rural Health Leaders

    Not every grant opportunity deserves your time. That might sound counterintuitive coming from someone who helps organizations pursue federal funding for a living, but it’s the truth — and it’s the foundation of every strategic conversation I have. The organizations that win consistently aren’t the ones that apply for everything. They’re the ones that [...]

  • 5 Signs Your Organization Isn’t Ready for a Federal Grant — And What to Do About It

    I’ve had hundreds of strategic grant conversations with rural health organizations. Some are ready to hit the ground running. Many are not — and that’s completely okay. The purpose of a discovery session isn’t to judge where you are. It’s to give you an honest picture of what’s working, what’s missing, and what needs [...]