A new program from the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) Foundation aims to increase the number of pharmacies operating in rural areas of the United States.
The Rural Pharmacy Ownership Accelerator is “a comprehensive, 12-month virtual program designed to prepare future pharmacy owners to successfully open and operate pharmacies in rural America,” the NCPA Foundation said in an Oct. 20 news announcement.
“The free, application-based program addresses the growing shortage of pharmacies in rural communities by reducing barriers to ownership and providing aspiring pharmacy owners with the knowledge, resources and professional connections needed to turn their vision into reality.”
Pharmacists are especially crucial in rural communities, where in many cases they “end up being a first touchpoint, if not a lifeline, because they are the most readily available health-care professional,” said Kevin O. Rynn, PharmD, the regional dean for the University of Illinois Chicago’s (UIC) Rockford campus, in an April 2025 report. Rynn was quoted in a report from the school’s Retzky College of Pharmacy.
“People come to lean on pharmacists to help them navigate the health-care arena and receive appropriate care,” Rynn added about rural patients.
The NCPA Foundation noted that rural areas across the country face “a critical shortage of pharmacy services, with many residents traveling significant distances to access medications and pharmacy care. The Rural Pharmacy Ownership Accelerator aims to reverse this trend by equipping the next generation of rural pharmacy owners with the business acumen and rural-specific expertise necessary to establish thriving pharmacies where they’re needed most.”
The first accelerator cohort will be limited to 15 participants, who will “master critical ownership competencies” during the year-long program. Applications to the program “are open to aspiring pharmacy owners pursuing various pathways to ownership, including those starting new pharmacies from scratch, inheriting family businesses, or exploring partnership opportunities with pharmacy groups,” the foundation announcement said.
“Access to pharmacy services shouldn’t depend on your ZIP code, and up-and-coming pharmacy entrepreneurs should have all the resources they need to be able to open a pharmacy and succeed in a rural community,” said Sonja Pagniano, executive director of the NCPA Foundation. “This program removes the knowledge and networking barriers that often prevent passionate people from opening practices in rural areas. By providing expert training, experienced mentors, and business-planning support at no cost, we’re helping to create a clear pathway to ownership for those committed to serving underserved communities.”
NCPA offers an in-person Pharmacy Ownership Workshop, and the new accelerator program “serves as an accessible entry point to help pharmacy entrepreneurs start their ownership journey and gain access to resources that are designed specifically for pharmacy ownership in rural communities,” the announcement said.
Program participants can attend the ownership workshop before beginning to use the accelerator, or can use the accelerator to prepare for the workshop. Accelerator program priority will be given to applicants “with clearly defined ownership plants, including an identified target community or region and a timeline for opening within three to five years.”
Applications are being accepted now through Nov. 30 for the 2026 cohort. The accelerator program starts in January 2026.
