To
support the operation of rural health research centers to provide
an information base and policy analysis capability on the full range
of rural health services issues, including financing, recruitment
and retention of health professionals, access to care, and rural
delivery systems.
TYPES
OF ASSISTANCE:
Project Grants. Place Cursor Here for Definition
USES
AND USE RESTRICTIONS:
All funds awarded should
be expended solely for carrying out the approved projects in accordance
with the provisions of Public Law 102-170.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:
Applicant Eligibility:
All public and private entities, nonprofit and for-profit, are eligible
to apply. Eligible entities may include, but are not limited to,
public and private institutions for higher education, public or
private health research organizations, and foundations.
Beneficiary Eligibility:
The entities that will benefit from this program are health care
personnel, health research personnel, and the general public.
Credentials/Documentation:
The basis for determining the allowance and allocability of costs
charged to Public Health Service (PHS) grants is set forth in
45 CFR 74, Subpart Q. The five separate sets of cost principles
are: (1) OMB Circular No. A-87 for State and local governments,
(2) OMB Circular No. A-21 for institutions of higher education,
(3) 45 CFR 74, Appendix E for hospitals, (4) OMB Circular No.
A-122 for nonprofit organizations, and (5) 48 CFR, Subpart 31.2
for-profit (commercial) organizations.
Pre-application
Coordination: Preapplication coordination is
not required. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O.
12372.
Application Procedure:
The standard application forms, PHS 398, Rev. 5/95, as furnished
by the PHS and required by 45 CFR, Part 92, must be used for this
program. This program is subject to the provisions of 45 CFR,
Part 92 for State and local governments and OMB Circular No. A-110
for nonprofit organizations. Application kit can be obtained by
writing HRSA Grants Application Center, 901 Russell Avenue, Suite
450, Gaithersburg, MD 20879 or by calling toll free: 1-877-477-2123.
Award Procedure:
The review of applications is carried out by Federal and nonfederal
professionals in health services research. Applications are reviewed
for merit and are recommended for approval or disapproval. Final
decisions are made by the Director, Office of Rural Health Policy.
Deadlines:
Contact Headquarters Office for competing application deadlines.
Range of Approval/Disapproval
Time: About 5 months.
Appeals:
None.
Renewals:
Cooperative Agreements may be made for up to 4-year project periods.
Subject to availability of funds, after initial awards, projects
may be renewed non-competitively contingent upon submission and
approval of an application.
ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:
Formula and Matching
Requirements: There are no statutory formula
or matching requirements.
Length and Time Phasing
of Assistance: Awards are made annually. Awards
are normally made in a lump sum for the entire budget period.
Payments are made through an Electronic Transfer System or Cash
Demand System.
POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Reports:
Annual Program reports and special reports (if any) are required.
In addition, a Financial Status Report is to be submitted within
90 days after the close of each budget period.
Audits:
In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised,
June 24, 1997), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit
Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance
of $300,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a
program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities
that expend less than $300,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt
from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted
in Circular No. A-133. In addition, grants and cooperative agreements
are subject to inspection and audits by DHHS and other Federal
officials.
Records:
Grantees are required to maintain grant accounting records for
3 years after the end of the budget period. If any litigation,
claim, negotiation, audit, or other action involving the records
has been started before the expiration of the 3-year period, the
records shall be retained until completion of the action and resolution
of all issues which arise from it, or until the regular 3-year
period, whichever is later.
FINANCIAL INFORMATION:
Account Identification:
75-0350-0-1-550.
Obligations:
(Cooperative Agreements) FY 01 $3,000,000; FY 02 est $3,500,000;
and FY 03 est $3,000,000.
Range
and Average of Financial Assistance:
From $400,000 to $600,000; Average: $490,000.
In fiscal year 2001, six
noncompeting continuations were funded. In fiscal years 2002 and
2003, six noncompeting continuations are anticipated.
REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND
LITERATURE:
Program guidelines may
be obtained by contacting the Headquarters Office for PHS Grants
Policy Statement, DHHS Publication No. (OASH) 94-50,000, (Rev.)
April 1, 1994.
INFORMATION CONTACTS:
Regional or Local
Office: Not applicable.
Headquarters Office:
Program Contact: Joan Van Nostrand, D.P.A., Director, Rural Research
Centers, Office of Rural Health Policy, Health Resources and Services
Administration, Department of Health and Human Services, Parklawn
Building, Room 9A-55, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857.
Telephone: (301) 443-0835. Grants Management Contact: Larry Poole,
Chief, Grant Award Operations Section, Grants Management Office,
Bureau of Primary Health Care, Public Health Service, Health Resources
and Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services,
4350 East-West Highway, 11th Floor, Bethesda, MD 20814. Telephone:
(301) 594-4235. Use the same number for FTS.
Web Site Address: http://www.ruralhealth.hrsa.gov
EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS:
(1) The Project HOPE Walsh
Center for Rural Health Analyses, located in Bethesda, MD is analyzing
the restructuring of Medicare and special payments to hospitals.
(2) The Rural Research Center of the University of Nebraska at Omaha
focuses its research on Medicare managed care in general, on the
Medicare +Choice programs, and on rural delivery systems. (3) The
University of North Carolina Rural Health Research Program addresses
issues in rural Medicaid managed care, the rural workforce, and
maps displaying the location of a variety of rural health resources.
(4) The Rural Research Center at the University of South Carolina
at Columbia concentrates on health disparities of rural African
Americans. (5) Texas A&M University School of Rural Public Health
conducts research on rural systems building, Hispanics and long-term
care. (6) The WAMI Rural Health Research Center at the University
of Washington focuses on the rural health professions workforce,
prenatal care, and health of American Indians/Alaska Natives.
CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS:
Criteria will be published
in the HRSA Preview for competitive application cycles.
