BONNERS FERRY — While Boundary Community Hospital submitted a Rural Health Transformation Program grant application, the hospital was not picked for funding.

And had it been picked, it still would not have addressed the financial needs behind its two-year, $3 million special hospital tax levy headed to voters on Tuesday.

"BCH pursued the grant and the levy to address separate needs," Bryan Cordle, BCH chief executive officer, said in a press release. "Both were needed before the grant decision, and those needs remain today."

A committee developed, evaluated and reviewed the application but despite these efforts, "BCH was not selected for an award, leaving the critical projects outlined in its application without support from this funding source," hospital officials confirmed Thursday.

The Kootenai Tribe of Idaho will receive a $469,592.27; the Coeur d'Alene Tribe of Idaho, $2,316,125.15; and Bonner General Health, $5,802,164.90.

More than 100 grants, totaling roughly $186 million, were announced by Idaho Gov. Brad Little Wednesday as part of the first year of grant funding through the program, which aims to strengthen and modernize health care in rural communities.

The news comes as community residents are asking whether rural healthcare funding associated with the federal legislation commonly called the One Big Beautiful Bill eliminates the need for BCH’s proposed levy.

Hospital officials said their infrastructure grant application sought funding for specific critical projects. The proposed maintenance and operations levy would provide $1.5 million annually for two years to support emergency services, hospital infrastructure and continued access to local care, as outlined in the levy proposal. 

"Even if BCH had received its requested grant funding, that award would not have replaced the levy," Cordle said. "Likewise, the levy was not proposed to take the place of the projects submitted for grant funding. "

While RHTP provides funding to states over five years, it does not guarantee which facilities or projects will be funding. BCH received no funding in this infrastructure grant round. 

Hospital officials said they are leadership is seeking additional information from the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare and the Idaho Hospital Association to understand the selection process. 

"Among (the) questions is why projects similar to those BCH requested received funding at other hospitals while BCH’s requests were not funded," hospital officials said in a press release.

BCH officials said they will continue to pursue all funding options to protect access to care in Boundary County.

While the Bonners Ferry hospital was not picked in the program's first round of grants, future grants remain possible. However, hospital officials cautioned that future awards cannot be counted as funding available to meet today’s needs.

"The grant decision leaves BCH’s requested projects unfunded through this round," Cordle said. "It does not change the separate needs behind the proposed levy."