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Rural Telehealth Grants

Telehealth, or telemedicine, is the use of the Internet and other telecommunications to help health care providers connect with each other and their patients. Government agencies like the U.S. Department of Health say that rural areas are under-served, and innovations in telehealth can help people living in those areas to better receive medical help.

  1. Department of Agriculture

    • The U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Rural Development awarded more than $350 million in 48 states through the Distance Learning and Telemedicine Program. The USDA awards between $50,000 and $500,000 to each recipient on a competitive basis every year. Along with paying for the necessary equipment for a telehealth program, the grants can cover any programming or technical assistance needed. The department examines applicants' need for the help, as well as its innovativeness and cost effectiveness, among other criteria. The USDA also offers loans of up to $1 million through the program.

      USDA

      1400 Independence Ave. SW

      Washington, DC 20250

      202-720-9556

      usda.gov/rus/telecom

    Health Resources and Services

    • The Health Resources and Services Administration, a sub-agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, offers four telehealth grant programs; Licensure Portability, Congressionally Mandated Telehealth, Telehealth Resource Center and Telehealth Network grant programs. All grants work toward the HRSA's goal of trying to improve medical coverage in underserved areas, such as rural areas. The grants help areas begin telehealth programs as well as provide necessary technological assistance. Awards have started at about $94,000 and range as high as almost $1 million.

      HRSA

      5600 Fishers Lane

      Rockville, MD 20857

      877-464-4772

      hrsa.gov

    Health Research and Quality

    • Another sub-agency of Health and Human Services, the Agency for Health Research and Quality, provides grants for beginning telehealth programs. The agency says it has awarded more than $260 million to nine applicants since 2004. The AHRQ looks for recipients in "geographically diverse" areas. Seven of the recipients were from rural areas. In all cases, the recipients worked on projects that connected smaller medical clinics and facilities with larger ones.

      Agency for Health Research and Quality

      U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

      540 Gaither Road

      Rockville, MD 20850

      301-427-1364

      ahrq.gov

    FCC

    • The Federal Communication Commission funds projects that intend to better connect health care providers and reach out to under-served rural areas through broadband upgrades and other telecommunication enhancements. The help rural communities afford broad, the FCC provides $400 million annually through its Rural Health Care Pilot program. The funding can cover up to 85 percent of the costs connected with installing broadband or other Internet services.

      Federal Communications Commission

      445 12th St. SW

      Washington, DC 20554

      1-888-225-5322

      fcc.gov

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