The U.S. Department of Agriculture is making up to $500 million available in grants to help rural health care facilities, tribes and communities expand their access to COVID-19 vaccines, health care services and nutrition assistance.
The comprehensive plan to recover the economy and deliver relief to the American people is changing the course of the pandemic and providing immediate relief to millions of households, growing the economy and addressing the stark, intergenerational inequities that have worsened in the wake of COVID-19.
“Through the Emergency Rural Health Care Grants, USDA will help rural hospitals and local communities increase access to COVID-19 vaccines and testing, medical supplies, telehealth, and food assistance, and support the construction or renovation of rural health care facilities,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said. “These investments will also help improve the long-term viability of rural health care providers across the nation.”
Applicants may apply for two types of assistance: Recovery Grants and Impact Grants.
The Recovery Grants are available to help public bodies, nonprofit organizations and tribes provide immediate COVID-19 relief to support rural hospitals, health care clinics and local communities.
These funds may be used to increase COVID-19 vaccine distribution and telehealth capabilities; purchase medical supplies; replace revenue lost during the pandemic; build and rehabilitate temporary or permanent structures for health care services; support staffing needs for vaccine administration and testing; and support facility and operations expenses associated with food banks and food distribution facilities.
Recovery Grant applications will be accepted on a continual basis until funds are expended.
Impact Grants are available to help regional partnerships, public bodies, nonprofits and tribes solve regional rural health care problems and build a stronger, more sustainable rural health care system in response to the pandemic.
USDA encourages applicants to plan and implement strategies to develop health care systems that offer a blend of behavioral care, primary care and other medical services;
support health care as an anchor institution in small communities; and expand telehealth, electronic health data sharing, workforce development, transportation, paramedicine, obstetrics, behavioral health, farmworker health care and cooperative home care.
Impact Grant applications must be submitted to your local USDA Rural Development State Office by 4 p.m. local time on Oct. 12.
