Stroudwater Capital Partners

Guiding and educating rural healthcare leaders through planning, funding, and executing successful capital projects.

[Stroudwater Capital Partners @StroudwaterCap]

Rural communities rely on critical access hospitals, but too many are delivering 24/7 care from facilities that weren’t built for today’s standards. Our new white paper maps where CAH replacement is happening, and where it’s not.

Download “The State of Critical Access Hospital Infrastructure Investment” to see how your hospital compares and what it will take to modernize rural care: https://t.co/5qUg6aylYe

[Stroudwater Capital Partners @StroudwaterCap]

🏔️ #NationalRuralHealthDay shines a light on Sublette County and the western Wyoming communities that live close to the land, rely on steady hands, where mountain peaks rise, open range spreads, and neighbors look after one another in the truest Wyoming way.

📍 Sublette County spans nearly 4,887 square miles yet is home to fewer than 9,000 people, making it one of the most sparsely populated counties in the state. Access to full hospital care has long meant long drives across rugged terrain and winter storms.

For decades, the #SubletteCountyHospitalDistrict has served the community through its clinics, nursing facility, and EMS. Now the region has built a green-field #CriticalAccessHospital and long-term care campus to meet the scale and spirit of place.

🏥 The project is built to match the needs of western Wyoming:
• A 38,600-sq-ft critical access hospital with 8 acute-care inpatient beds, 24/7 emergency department, and new imaging and lab services.
• A 41,200-sq-ft long-term care facility tied to the same campus, providing a full continuum of care.
• Funding through a combination of USDA financing, local bonds, county grants, and state support, making this possible by the community, for the community.

🌟 What this means for Sublette County:
• Residents will have emergency, inpatient, and diagnostic care close to home instead of long drives.
• Consolidated services mean better coordination and smoother transitions for patients.
• A new facility strengthens recruitment and retention of caregivers who want to serve rural Wyoming.
• Older adults can age in place in the county they call home rather than relocate.
• The project reinforces that rural Wyoming deserves thoughtful investment, infrastructure and dignity in health care.

This hospital is more than bricks and beams; it’s a statement that Sublette County stands ready for the future, values self-reliance, and builds what’s needed for its people. On this National Rural Health Day, we celebrate the leadership, staff, and residents of Sublette County- your work affirms that rural communities can build the care they deserve.

Learn more about the Sublette County Hospital District project here: https://t.co/wUG8tb3VVA

#PowerOfRural #RuralHealth #Wyoming #SubletteCounty #CriticalAccessHospital #CommunityCare

[Stroudwater Capital Partners @StroudwaterCap]

🌄 #NationalRuralHealthDay is a great moment to applaud the Montana communities that stay steady through long winters, open range, and the kind of hard work that never makes the news. White Sulphur Springs knows that life well.

📍 White Sulphur Springs is home to a little over 1,100 residents, with a median age of about 56, and many families live far outside town on ranches, gravel roads, and open range stretching across nearly 2,400 square miles of Meagher County, one of the least populated counties in Montana by density. The area is shaped by ranching, outdoor recreation, and timber, all set between the Little Belt and Castle Mountains, where distance and the rhythm of the land influence daily life. With an aging population and long travel times to larger hospitals, dependable healthcare is not simply a convenience but a stabilizing force for the county as a whole. #MountainviewRegionalMedicalCenter serves as that anchor for White Sulphur Springs and the surrounding countryside.

Now, the community has entered a new chapter with a modern replacement facility.

🏥 The project brings real value to northern Montana.
• An approximately 45,800 square foot replacement facility funded in part through federal investment.
• A critical access hospital with 25 total beds, including 7 acute care beds and 18 swing beds for senior care.
• Outpatient services such as a procedure suite, imaging, lab, physical therapy, and a rural health clinic.
• Long-term care and skilled nursing are included on the same campus to support continuity and efficiency.

🌟 The impact on White Sulphur Springs and Meagher County cannot be ignored.
• Families no longer need to travel as far for routine or urgent care
• Ranchers and farmers can receive services without losing full days to travel
• Older adults can stay in their home county rather than relocate for long-term care
• Seasonal weather becomes less of a barrier when essential care is located in town
• With all services located together, care transitions become smoother and safer
• The facility becomes a dependable anchor for a county that spans a large and often rugged geography

This project feels true to Montana. People here do not wait for someone else to fix their challenges. They come together, plan carefully, and build what their community needs. They choose solutions that respect the land, the people, and the long view.

On this National Rural Health Day, we celebrate Mountainview Medical Center and the folks of Meagher County who made this work possible. Your commitment to local care shows the strength of rural Montana and the value of investing in the people who call this place home.

Learn more about the Mountainview Regional Medical Center Project here: https://t.co/RFh0Qx2gU7

#PowerOfRural #RuralHealth #Montana #WhiteSulphurSprings #MeagherCounty #CriticalAccessHospital

[Stroudwater Capital Partners @StroudwaterCap]

❄️ #NationalRuralHealthDay is a time to cheer on the North Dakota communities that know how to endure, help where help is needed, and keep moving forward in any season. In and around Cando, people rely on steady hands, practical judgment, and a shared belief in looking out for one another when it counts.

📍 Towner County has just over 2,000 residents spread across farmland, prairie, shelterbelts, and long stretches of gravel road. Winters are long and unforgiving. Distances are real. Many families live miles from the nearest town. Healthcare here must be dependable, consistent, and close enough to reach when the roads turn icy. Communities like Cando, Egeland, Bisbee, Rocklake, and the surrounding countryside know exactly what reliable care means for their daily lives.

For decades, #TownerCountyMedicalCenter has been a steady source of care. The region invested in a modern replacement facility that brings hospital, clinic, and long-term care together under one roof. The project secured $58 million in financing, including support from the United States Department of Agriculture Community Facilities program, to ensure the new facility meets the long-term needs of the county.

🏥 The project brings real value to northern North Dakota.
• An approximately 76,000 square foot replacement facility
• A 20 bed Critical Access Hospital
• A skilled nursing facility with 30 beds
• Basic care beds that support aging residents
• A new emergency department with improved access
• Outpatient surgery, radiology, lab services, and telehealth capability
• A design that places hospital, clinic, and nursing home services under one roof for safer and more efficient care

🌟 The broader impact reaches deep into community life.
• Families can coordinate care more easily when all services are located together
• Harsh weather becomes less of a barrier because residents no longer need to move between multiple buildings
• Telehealth capacity expands access to specialty care that rarely reaches small towns
• A unified campus helps recruit clinicians who value dependable infrastructure
• Emergency readiness improves in a region where storms and road closures can limit travel
• Older residents can remain in their home county rather than relocate for long term care
• The medical center reinforces community identity by serving as a central, reliable gathering point

Northern North Dakota has always chosen determination over convenience. This project reflects that clarity. On this National Rural Health Day, we recognize the hard work done across Towner County and the many people and partners who brought this vision to reality.

Learn more about the Towner County Medical Center project here: https://t.co/s2a2z0s47f

[Stroudwater Capital Partners @StroudwaterCap]

🏥 #NationalRuralHealthDay is a fitting time to highlight the rural communities that keep showing up for one another. Punxsutawney and the wider Jefferson County region understand that better than most. This part of western Pennsylvania is shaped by coal-town history, working families, and a strong belief in taking care of your own.

📍 Jefferson County has a population of about 44,000 residents spread across small towns, hills, and back roads. The county has higher rates of chronic illness than the state average, and many residents face long travel times for specialty care. According to state public health data, hospital bed availability, chronic disease indicators, and access to local services all show a need for stronger healthcare infrastructure. In a region where weather, distance, and aging roads influence daily life, dependable care close to home is essential.

#PunxsawtawneyAreaHospital has carried that responsibility for generations. So, the community invested in a major capital project that will strengthen care for years to come. This work is supported by significant federal investment, including a USDA Community Facilities direct loan of more than 21 million dollars and additional USDA funding that has helped the hospital modernize equipment and expand telehealth capacity. These resources reflect a shared belief that rural western Pennsylvania deserves high-quality care close to home.

🏥 The project brings real improvements to local healthcare.
•14,000 square feet of new space
•13,500 square feet of renovated space
• A total investment of roughly 23 million dollars
• Approximately 5 million dollars in new medical equipment and technology
• Upgrades that support emergency care, diagnostic services, and overall patient experience

🌟 The impact on Jefferson County reaches into everyday life.
• Faster access to emergency and diagnostic services reduces risk during winter weather and long travel conditions.
• More reliable chronic care supports residents managing common regional conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and respiratory issues.
• Expanded services help older adults remain in their home community rather than relocate for long-term or specialty care.
• The hospital strengthens the local economy by supporting stable jobs and keeping more healthcare spending within the county.

This project reflects the steady resolve of western Pennsylvania. People here face challenges head-on, work together, and stay committed to what strengthens their community. On this National Rural Health Day, we celebrate Punxsutawney Area Hospital and the residents of Jefferson County who invested in a future grounded in care, stability, and local strength.

Learn more about the Punxsutawney Area Hospital Case Study here: https://t.co/ONOKXdwQ2G

#NationalRuralHealthDay #PowerOfRural #RuralHealth #Punxsutawney #JeffersonCountyPA #WesternPennsylvania #HealthcareInfrastructure

[Stroudwater Capital Partners @StroudwaterCap]

🌾 #NationalRuralHealthDay is the perfect moment to honor communities that work hard for their own future. Springfield, Colorado, and the towns of Baca County know that story well. Life on the High Plains asks people to rely on one another, stay steady in all kinds of weather, and keep moving forward even when the road is long.

📍 Baca County covers more than 2,500 square miles of open country. A little more than 3,500 residents live across that wide landscape. Families here understand long drives for care, school, groceries, and everything in between. They also understand the importance of looking out for neighbors because distance shapes daily life.

At the heart of that commitment is the Southeast Colorado Hospital District in Springfield. Since the late 1960s, it has been a lifeline for this region. Now the community has invested in a major improvement that will carry local healthcare forward for years to come.

🏥 The capital project strengthens Springfield in meaningful ways.
• A multi-phase addition and renovation were completed while patient care continued
• A new Emergency Department entrance with improved ambulance access
• A modern lab and a central nurses' station that support better workflow
• Ten new single acute or swing care rooms designed for comfort and privacy
• About 4,800 square feet of new space and roughly 16,000 square feet of renovated space
• A total investment of about 13.9 million dollars

🌟 The real impact reaches far beyond the walls of the hospital.
• Local families can receive care without leaving the county
• Emergency response becomes faster and safer
• Patients and caregivers benefit from more privacy, comfort, and dignity
• Local jobs grow in both healthcare and the broader economy
• Aging residents gain stronger support close to home
• The county becomes more attractive to new clinicians and new families
• Every improvement keeps more dollars circulating in the local economy

On this National Rural Health Day, Springfield shows what rural communities can do when they decide their future matters. Strength here is quiet and consistent. It shows up in the way people invest in the next generation and stand by their neighbors.

To the people of Springfield and the greater Baca County region, thank you for this powerful example. Your work proves that rural communities can build exactly what they need, right where they stand.

Learn more about the Southeast Colorado Hospital District project here: https://t.co/C2vV6jbQfe

#NationalRuralHealthDay #PowerOfRural #RuralHealth #SoutheastColorado #SpringfieldColorado #CriticalAccessHospital

[Stroudwater Capital Partners @StroudwaterCap]

Partners in Progress: Kodi Smith🌟

We’re thrilled to spotlight Kodi Smith, Director of Rural Partnerships at National Rural Health Association and Owner of Kaleidoscope Marketing, as this quarter’s Partner in Progress. Kodi’s journey from award-winning television news reporter to rural healthcare advocate demonstrates her commitment to amplifying rural voices.

Since joining NRHA Service Corporation in 2023, Kodi has helped grow their partner network from 47 to 61 organizations and delivered 142 educational sessions to 14,000 registrants. What makes her exceptional is her ability to bridge worlds, bringing crisis communications expertise, storytelling skills, and genuine empathy to some of rural healthcare’s biggest challenges. Whether she’s helping hospital leaders navigate disasters or creating content that humanizes rural healthcare work, she’s building the trust that opens doors.

Kodi embodies what partnership means: showing up, understanding deeply, and working to ensure rural communities have the platforms they deserve. We’re grateful for her collaboration, creativity, and unwavering commitment to rural health.

Read more about Kodi’s story: https://t.co/Rch7W1tS0N

#RuralHealthcare #PartnersInProgress #HealthcareLeadership #RuralHealth #StroudwaterCapital

[Stroudwater Capital Partners @StroudwaterCap]

The rural hospital closure crisis isn't just about operations; it's about capital.

182 rural hospitals have closed or stopped providing inpatient care since 2010- nearly 10% of America's rural hospitals (Chartis Center for Rural Health, 2025). Behind each closure lies the same story: impossible economics, yes. But also aging infrastructure, deferred maintenance, and the perceived inability to access capital for the investments that could save them.

The math is rough:
🛑 432 rural hospitals are currently vulnerable to closure (Chartis Center for Rural Health, 2025)
🛑 Nearly one-third have an average age of plant of 15 years or older (American Hospital Association, 2021)
🛑 Construction cost inflation for healthcare projects increased 17% per year from 2021-2023- more than 8x the typical rate (KFF Health News, 2024)

The Catch-22 is clear: These hospitals need modern facilities to attract patients and providers, but the path to affordable capital feels unclear. So they stay stuck with aging infrastructure, which accelerates closure risk.

But here's what's also true: Smart capital infrastructure investment directly reverses the closure trend.

When rural hospitals successfully access capital:
✅ Surgery volumes rise 32-54% within 1-2 years (Chartis Center for Rural Health, 2025)
✅ Updated facilities and equipment improve the ability to recruit and retain health professionals, improve patient safety, expand services, and increase satisfaction rates (Rural Health Information Hub (RHIhub), 2024)
✅ Patient outcomes improve for time-sensitive health conditions such as heart attack and stroke, along with increased availability of technology (Health Affairs, 2022)

At Stroudwater Capital Partners, we work the capital access problem.

We're rural healthcare specialists who understand:
🔵 Why infrastructure investment prevents closure- updated facilities recruit providers, expand services, and improve margins
🔵 How to structure capital for thin-margin environments- we structure stacks that work with rural economics
🔵 The difference between value extraction and value creation- we're building sustainable infrastructure that communities depend on
🔵 That Critical Access Hospitals aren't distressed assets- they're essential infrastructure serving 62 million Americans

When rural hospitals get the capital they need, transformation follows: Jobs stay local. Services expand. Providers stay. Patients return. Margins improve. Communities stabilize.

One in five Americans lives in a rural community. At exactly the moment when new federal funding and proven innovations are converging, these hospitals need capital partners who see the opportunity, not just the risk.

This is why we invest in health.

#RuralHealthcare #CriticalAccessHospitals #HealthcareFinance #CAH #HospitalLeadership #HealthcareInvesting #RuralHealth

[Stroudwater Capital Partners @StroudwaterCap]

📊 USDA Direct Loan Rate Update for Q4 2025

The USDA Direct Loan interest rate is currently at 5.25% for the fourth quarter of 2025.

This steady rate provides continuity for organizations in the midst of planning or financing rural healthcare and community facility projects. However, it’s important to note that the rate remains subject to change before the end of Q4, given the ongoing government shutdown and potential impacts on federal program operations.

If you’re currently developing or refinancing a project, now is a good time to review how a 5.25% rate affects your capital strategy, project feasibility, and long-term affordability.

Stroudwater Capital Partners continues to monitor federal lending programs closely and help rural health organizations prepare, plan, and position projects for funding, whether through USDA, commercial, or blended capital solutions.

#RuralHealthcare #CommunityFacilities #USDA #CapitalPlanning #RuralDevelopment

[Stroudwater Capital Partners @StroudwaterCap]

🚨 Heading to Kansas City for the @NRHA_Health Critical Access Conference?

Come see Stroudwater Capital Partners at Booth 302 (Sept 24).

We’ll share how our 9-week Capital Cohort helps rural hospital leaders move from “what ifs” ➡️ clear, defensible plans:

✅ Strategize
✅ Conceptualize
✅ Optimize
✅ Prove
✅ Execute

📍 Stop by Booth 302 to connect!

#NRHA #CriticalAccessHospitals #RuralHealth #CapitalPlanning #LeadershipDevelopment

[Stroudwater Capital Partners @StroudwaterCap]

Laissez les bon temps rouler this week with @StroudwaterCap at Booth #500!

Continuing our proud sponsorship of the National Rural Health Association we are excited to be touching down in New Orleans this week for the #NRHA’s 47th Annual Rural Health Conference.

Stop by Booth #500 and chat with us about your #capitalproject. Learn more about the #USDA Community Facilities Program, project eligibility, sources of capital, and more.

@ruralhealth #RuralHealth #ruralhealthcare #RuralHealthMatters #criticalaccesshospital #USDADIRECT #healthequity #StroudwaterCapital

[Stroudwater Capital Partners @StroudwaterCap]

Current USDA Direct Loan Rate, Getting Past Stop, tuning in, the Birthplace of Jazz, and more. Click through to read Stroudwater Capital Partners - Rural Healthcare Q2 newsletter for details.

SCP 2024 Quarter 2 Newsletter:
https://t.co/02bvV6Jh3M

#ruralhealth #ruralhealthcare #criticalaccesshospitals #usda #communityfacilities #ruralnews #stroudwatercapital

[Stroudwater Capital Partners @StroudwaterCap]

Listen up! We were thrilled to chat with Bill Auxier and Sydney Grant of #RuralHealthLeadershipRadio and be offered the opportunity to dig into a lively and in-depth conversation about the cross-sections of rural healthcare, rural economies, and leadership. Brian Haapala had a blast being their guest and we hope you will enjoy.

Tune in and let us know what you think! 🎧 https://t.co/Q9ESdoJh4N

#ruralhealth #ruralhealthcare
#criticalaccesshospitals #healthequity #usdacommunityfacilities #capitalproject #capitalfinance #stroudwatercapital

[Stroudwater Capital Partners @StroudwaterCap]

Join @StroudwaterCap CEO, Brian Haapala and our special guest @riograndehosp CEO, Arlene Harms, for a virtual presentation and discussion focused on “Getting Past Stop: A Rural Health Guide to Moving Forward with Facility Investments.”

In partnership with @ruralhealth you can register today to join and learn best practices for keeping plans moving forward based on case studies and research from the field, and leave with an understanding of successful strategies for your capital project while mitigating risk.

🗓️ Wednesday, May 1, 2024
⏰ 2:00PM-3:00PM ET
🧑‍💻 https://t.co/IRqYD87rmT

#stroudwatercapital #ruralhealth #ruralhealthcare #criticalaccesshospitals #healthequity #nrha #usda #communityfacilities #capitalproject #capitalfinance

[Stroudwater Capital Partners @StroudwaterCap]

We could not allow #WomensHistoryMonth to wind down without acknowledging the powerhouse of women committed to supporting successful and sustainable outcomes in rural health right here at our very own Stroudwater Capital Partners and @Stroudwater Associates
💪💪

We are proud to be part of a community led by some of the brightest and best in the field and behind the scenes, and fortunate the work we do so often leads to connecting and teaming up with outstanding women driving change in rural healthcare in every corner of the U.S.

Click through below and learn more about our robust lineup of skilled, dedicated, accomplished women and explore how they make our organization better, and then dive into the different ways they can become a teammate to your community.

👩‍💻Stroudwater Capital Partners:
https://t.co/lNvNpoMzRh

👩‍💻Stroudwater Associates:
https://t.co/RALqFWVLA5

#ruralhealth #ruralhealthcare #criticalaccesshospitals #stroudwater #stroudwatercapital #stroudwaterassociates #usda #healthequity

[Stroudwater Capital Partners @StroudwaterCap]

The USDA's programs- including the Direct Loans and Community Facilities Programs- aim to support rural communities and promote economic development. Visit Stroudwater Capital today to learn what the current USDA Direct Loan Rate is to begin stepping toward your capital project.

USDA Direct Loan Rate:
https://t.co/L3lQSncbgB

#womenhistorymonth #usda #usdaloans #communityfacilities #ruralhealth #ruralhealthcare #criticalaccesshospital #capitalfinance #capitalproject

[Stroudwater Capital Partners @StroudwaterCap]

Have you explored our 2022 Rural Hospital Capital Study Directory? Using data from the 2022 CAH Facility Replacement Study you can utilize the online Directory to click, select, filter, and more to find organizations like yours who have been through the capital project process.

Click through to find data and contact info that can help you begin your planning: https://t.co/VplKbSV22x

#womenshistorymonth #ruralhealth #ruralhealthcare #criticalaccess #capitalproject #communityfacilities #usda

[Stroudwater Capital Partners @StroudwaterCap]

Always grateful for the USDA Community Facilities Program and the crucial part it plays in supporting the capital project success of Critical Access Hospitals. To learn more about working with the Program and how SCP can help you bring the pieces together, click through:
https://t.co/H2Rf7wFjjc

#womenshistorymonth #ruralhealth #usda #capitalprojects