On Monday, November 9, 2026, Amazon Web Services (AWS) announced a five-year, $100 million commitment of AI, agentic services, and cloud credits for health projects serving underserved populations. For-profit health tech startups can apply, along with nonprofits, health systems, and government agencies.

The AWS Health Impact Initiative funds organizations building health solutions for underserved communities worldwide, MobiHealthNews reported.

The credits fund projects in three health areas

Projects must address at least one of three areas, according to AWS:

  • Access to quality health services in rural and remote communities, low- and middle-income countries, and communities hit hardest by disease
  • Women's and children's health, through inclusive research, better health data, and new health technology
  • Healthy food for all, including food distribution, food security, and "Food is Medicine" programs

The initiative builds on the earlier AWS Health Equity Initiative, which ran from 2021 to 2024. AWS says its health investments since 2021 have supported more than 600 customers in over 80 countries.

Health tech startups and nonprofits can apply on a rolling basis

Eligible organizations include health systems, health tech companies, startups, nonprofits, government agencies, research institutions, and corporate social responsibility teams. AWS says for-profit social enterprises are welcome.

Applicants submit a proposal that names the underserved population they serve, the size of the audience they aim to reach, and their solution. AWS reviews applications weekly and expects to reply within about two weeks.

Awards may start at $10,000 in credits and grow as an organization shows it's using them. Requests over $10,000 need an estimate from the AWS Pricing Calculator. Awardees complete short impact surveys up to three times over 12 months.

HIPAA still applies to apps built with cloud credits

Any patient-data app has to meet HIPAA, no matter whoever pays for the servers. That means a business associate agreement (BAA) with every vendor that handles protected health information (PHI). HHS guidance says a covered entity may share PHI with a business associate only after getting written assurances that the vendor "will appropriately safeguard the information." The app also needs safeguards for how patient data moves, including email to patients.

Some of these projects will serve or partner with rural providers, and those providers already struggle to keep up with HIPAA. In Paubox's 2025 research, 81% of rural healthcare cybersecurity leaders said insufficient IT staffing and funding make it hard to maintain HIPAA compliance (Rural healthcare left vulnerable to cyber attacks).

For a team planning an application, that means building the compliance steps into the proposal:

  • List every vendor that will touch PHI, and confirm each one will sign a BAA
  • Decide how the app will send appointment reminders, results, and other patient messages securely
  • Name the person who reviews PHI-handling code before the app goes live

Go deeper: HIPAA compliant email