In 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention carved out $427 million in state funding to focus on combatting COVID-19 in rural communities as part of a multibillion-dollar national initiative to address COVID-19-related health disparities among at-risk and underserved populations. This case study by the FORHP-Supported Southwest Rural Health Research Center explores the circumstances around this emphasis on rural America by interviewing relevant decision-makers and key stakeholders.